Blue Lake–Mitchell Lake, 8 sights is a 6.8-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake and Mitchell Lake before reaching Blue Lake at the turnaround, 3.4 miles in. It climbs 1,004 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 72/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi10,345 – 11,316 ft7.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Niwot Cutoff Trail 40.07622, -105.57721
Nearest town Ward, CO
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Blue Lake–Mitchell Lake, 8 sights
6.8 mi · ▲ 1,004 ft · 2 hr 46 min
Elevation 10,346–11,316 ft
Out & Back · Indian Peaks Wilderness
Trailhead: Niwot Cutoff Trail · 40.07622, -105.57721
Weather Sep 4: Rain, high 69°F / low 48° · precip 24% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:31 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Niwot Cutoff Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftPass Brainard Lake.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Brainard Lake Road, heading N.
- 150 ftBear right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left onto CMC Brainard Snowshoe trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miBear left onto CMC Cabin Cutoff, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Mitchell Lake Trail, heading W.
- 0.8 miPass Mitchell Lake.
- 1.4 miReach Blue Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2.2 miContinue straight onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto CMC Cabin Cutoff, heading SE.
- 250 ftBear right onto CMC Brainard Snowshoe trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading E.
- 300 ftBear left onto Brainard Lake Road, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Niwot Cutoff Trail, heading SE.
- 50 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
99% dirt1% paved
Weather
RainTemperature 69°F48°
Precip24%Wind2 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
67°48°
Sun
72°51°
54%
Mon
65°47°
41%
Tue
68°44°
30%
Wed
69°46°
36%
Thu
70°46°
40%
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Niwot Cutoff Trail Trailhead
- Mitchell Lake–Brainard Lake, 6 sights 4 mi · ▲ 402 ft
- Red Rock Lake–Brainard Lake, 4 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 312 ft
- Lake Isabelle–Long Lake, 5 lakes 4.9 mi · ▲ 551 ft
- Albion Lake–Long Lake, 5 lakes 11.4 mi · ▲ 2,268 ft
- Paiute Peak–Brainard Lake, 7 sights 11.7 mi · ▲ 3,845 ft
- Long Lake–Silver Lake Reservoir, 5 lakes 13.3 mi · ▲ 2,404 ft
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