Beaver Reservoir–Brainard Lake, 5 sights is an 11-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake before reaching Beaver Reservoir at the turnaround, 5.5 miles in. It climbs 1,354 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 69/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi9,256 – 10,352 ft · steepest grade: 18%11.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Brainard Lake Road 40.07847, -105.57258
Nearest town Ward, CO
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Beaver Reservoir–Brainard Lake, 5 sights
11 mi · ▲ 1,354 ft · 4 hr 21 min
Elevation 9,255–10,350 ft
Out & Back · Indian Peaks Wilderness
Trailhead: Brainard Lake Road · 40.07847, -105.57258
Weather Sep 4: Rain, high 70°F / low 48° · precip 24% · wind 12 mph · sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:31 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Brainard Lake Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftPass Brainard Lake.
- 150 ftBear right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miBear right onto South Saint Vrain Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto South Saint Vrain, heading NE.
- 1.9 miTurn left onto Sourdough Trail, heading E.
- 2.5 miTurn right onto Beaver Bog, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 400 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miReach Beaver Reservoir, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Sourdough Trail, heading SW.
- 2.1 miTurn right onto South Saint Vrain, heading NE.
- 1.9 miBear right onto South Saint Vrain Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading W.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Brainard Lake Road, heading SW.
- 100 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
94% dirt6% unspecified
Weather
RainTemperature 70°F48°
Precip24%Wind12 mphUV8Humidity47%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
70°45°
Sunrise 6:34 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:31 PM
Sat
68°48°
Sun
72°51°
52%
Mon
65°48°
40%
Tue
68°44°
29%
Wed
69°46°
35%
Thu
70°47°
40%
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Brainard Lake Road Trailhead
- Brainard Lake–Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail Loop, 4 sights 1.7 mi · ▲ 198 ft
- Long Lake–Brainard Lake Loop, 7 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 230 ft
- Red Rock Lake–Brainard Lake, 3 lakes 4 mi · ▲ 285 ft
- Blue Lake–Mitchell Lake, 7 sights 6.5 mi · ▲ 1,029 ft
- Niwot Mountain–Red Rock Lake, 5 sights 9.7 mi · ▲ 1,783 ft
- Isabelle Glacier–Lake Isabelle, 7 sights 10.2 mi · ▲ 1,932 ft
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