After a great stay and hike at East Rosebud, we drove to the next drainage north for a night at Emerald Lake Campground in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness (another FCFS campground - we had no problems getting a site). The campground is just down the road from the trailhead to Mystic Lake, which ended up being our favorite lake of the trip. The hike is another one on the easier side of moderate - 1200 feet elevation gain and three miles one way to the lake and the trail is nicely graded. The hike is not as scenic as the hike to Elk Lake, but the lake is more impressive. It is the deepest lake in the Beartooth Mountains and impressive in size. This is owing to the small dam at the east side of the lake to utilize the lake for hydroelectric power. Mystic Lake in its original form was used for power in the 1920s when a small dam was built to increase the water level. The powerhouse, located near the trailhead, is still in use today and the now larger lake is a popular destination for hikers. The first views of Mystic Lake when you reach the crest of the trail are fantastic. We continued down the trail and along the shoreline to find a nice spot to spend the afternoon by the water reading and taking it all in. This was a gorgeous spot and a nice place to spend some time - there is a lot of room to spread out and we saw very few people. Back at the campground in the evening we made the short walk to Emerald Lake just before the rain. Another great day in the mountains!