Long Lake–Brainard Lake Loop, 9 sights is a 3.7-mile loop in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake and Long Lake. It climbs 423 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Long Lake–Brainard Lake Loop, 9 sights
3.7 mi · ▲ 423 ft · 1 hr 27 min
Elevation 10,122–10,561 ft
Loop · Indian Peaks Wilderness
Trailhead: Pawnee Campground Loop B - Tent Camp · 40.08049, -105.56728
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 Pawnee Campground Loop B - Tent Camp, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Summer Snowshoe, heading SW.
- 0.2 miPass Brainard Lake.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 250 ftBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Niwot Cutoff Trail, heading W.
- 150 ftReach Long Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miPass Long Lake.
- 150 ftBear right onto Jean Lunning Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Pawnee Pass Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Long Lake Connector Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading NE.
- 450 ftBear right onto South Saint Vrain Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right onto South Saint Vrain Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Waldrop Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Cuttoff to Road, heading E.
- 500 ftSharp right onto Summer Snowshoe, heading SW.
- 0.5 miSharp left, heading W.
- 50 ftThe loop closes back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
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
- Long Lake–Brainard Lake, 3 lakes 2.1 mi · ▲ 194 ft
- Mitchell Lake–Brainard Lake, 6 sights 3.9 mi · ▲ 426 ft
- James Basin Road–South Saint Vrain Trail, 4 sights 9.6 mi · ▲ 1,201 ft
- Isabelle Glacier–Lake Isabelle, 8 sights 10.5 mi · ▲ 1,996 ft
- Green Lake Number 3–Long Lake, 6 sights 11.6 mi · ▲ 1,739 ft
- James Basin Road–South Saint Vrain Trail, 4 sights 12 mi · ▲ 1,733 ft
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