The most iconic pair of peaks in Colorado is, without a doubt, Maroon Bells. These two mountain peaks, located in the eponymous Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area near Aspen, are absolutely gorgeous. Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak are separated by less than a half mile, and both are over 14,000 feet tall. The view of these peaks from the southwest, as shown above, is one of the most commonly photographed panoramas in all of Colorado.

Everyone who visits and views these mountains is amazed by their beauty. But have you ever taken a moment to notice and look at the lake at their base?

You may have hardly even noticed it before, but - without a doubt - its presence enhances this incredible scene immensely.

This lake adds so much to this spectacular setting, as it's extremely clear and still, and it is a major piece of the puzzle when it comes to photographing this pair of peaks. It's name is Maroon Lake, and it sits pretty at 9,850 feet of elevation. Like the valley that surrounds it, this lake was first sculpted by Ice Age alpine glaciers and later by stream erosion and mudslides. Mud and debris slides from Sievers Mountain to the west dammed West Maroon Creek at one point, and as a result, the lake was formed.

Surprisingly, this lake is only 10 feet deep at its deepest point, and its even shallower in most areas. Because of this, and because of the way the lake was formed, and due to the fact that it remains full year after year thanks to rain and runoff from snowmelt, this lake is naturally devoid of fish. However, the lake is stocked with brook, rainbow, brown, and Colorado River cutthroat trout by the Colorado Division of Wildlife each year. It's popular with anglers, but anyone wanting to fish there needs a state-issued fishing license, of course.

Activities including swimming, wading, boating, kayaking, and rafting are prohibited in Maroon Lake, but visitors can walk all the way around it easily on the 1.7-mile nature trail that circumnavigates it. Don't forget to bring your camera - you're sure to take dozens of pictures on your journey.

Maroon Lake is one of the cleanest and clearest lakes in our great state, but these qualities are threatened by the large number of people who visit it each year. Often, over 300,000 people visit Maroon Lake each year. The U.S. Forest Service encourages people to visit this place to experience it in person for themselves, but also has to work hard to combat human impact on this beautiful place. In order to decrease the impact of passenger vehicles on this area, visitors must take a 30-minute shuttle to the site from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May to October each year, and must reserve a spot on this shuttle in advance. This shuttle has helped to reduce airborne nitrogen levels that could pollute the lake since it began running in 1978.

Of course, visitors have to do their part, too. Other threats to the clarity and cleanliness of this lake include trail erosion - which can be greatly diminished when visitors stay on marked trails - and improper disposal of human waste. To help curtail the later issue, in recent years, visitors - especially those camping nearby - have been encouraged to practice proper human waste disposal practices through a U.S. Forest Service-led human waste disposal awareness campaign that has had much success.

The future of Maroon Bells, this view, Maroon Creek, and Maroon Lake is bright, as long as all who visit do their part! Everyone should visit this impressive spot at least once in their lives. You'll love it, and its a vista that you'll never, ever forget. Take lots of pictures, and leave nothing but footprints. Have a great visit!