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Indian Peaks from Brainard Lake Campground - panoramio.jpg
jonathan c. wheeler · CC BY-SA 3.0
Indian Peaks Wilderness

Little Blue Lake–Brainard Lake, 7 sights

12.6 mi · ▲ 5,018 ft · 6 hr 43 min

Little Blue Lake–Brainard Lake, 7 sights is a 12.6-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake before reaching Little Blue Lake at the turnaround, 6.3 miles in. It climbs 5,018 ft, with sections as steep as 66% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi10,322 – 13,213 ft · steepest grade: 66%13.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Pawnee Campground Loop B - Tent Camp 40.08049, -105.56728
Nearest town Ward, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Little Blue Lake–Brainard Lake, 7 sights

12.6 mi · ▲ 5,018 ft · 6 hr 43 min

Elevation 10,323–13,214 ft

Out & Back · Indian Peaks Wilderness

Trailhead: Pawnee Campground Loop B - Tent Camp · 40.08049, -105.56728

Weather Sep 4: 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

  1. Start on Pawnee Campground Loop B - Tent Camp, heading W.
  2. 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
  3. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  4. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  5. 50 ftTurn left onto Summer Snowshoe, heading SW.
  6. 0.2 miPass Brainard Lake.
  7. 150 ftSharp right, heading SW.
  8. 250 ftTurn right onto Brainard Lake Road, heading W.
  9. 150 ftBear right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading SW.
  10. 300 ftTurn left onto CMC Brainard Snowshoe trail, heading NW.
  11. 0.5 miBear left onto CMC Cabin Cutoff, heading SW.
  12. 250 ftTurn right onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading W.
  13. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  14. 100 ftTurn left onto Beaver Creek Trail, heading W.
  15. 1.7 miBear left onto Mount Audubon Trail, heading NW.
  16. 3 miTurn left, heading W.
  17. 0.5 miReach Little Blue Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 3.5 miBear right onto Beaver Creek Trail, heading E.
  19. 1.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 100 ftTurn left onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading S.
  21. 0.3 miTurn left onto CMC Cabin Cutoff, heading SE.
  22. 250 ftBear right onto CMC Brainard Snowshoe trail, heading E.
  23. 0.4 miTurn right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading E.
  24. 300 ftBear left onto Brainard Lake Road, heading NE.
  25. 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
  26. 200 ftSharp left onto Summer Snowshoe, heading NE.
  27. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  28. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  29. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  30. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  31. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/little-blue-lake-brainard-lake-out-back-8-sights

Trail surface

90% dirt1% paved9% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:34 AMSunset 7:31 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.8 mi in (~188 min). Leave by 4:03 PM for the 7:31 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Pawnee Campground Loop B - Tent Camp Trailhead

Hikes near Ward, Colorado