Long Lake–Brainard Lake Loop, 7 sights is a 2.2-mile loop in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake and Long Lake. It is mostly level, with 230 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi10,345 – 10,562 ft2.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Brainard Lake Road 40.07847, -105.57258
Nearest town Ward, CO
Directions
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Long Lake–Brainard Lake Loop, 7 sights
2.2 mi · ▲ 230 ft · 51 min
Elevation 10,346–10,561 ft
Loop · 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 at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Brainard Lake.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 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 miBear right onto Jean Lunning Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Long Lake.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Pawnee Pass Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Long Lake Connector Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto CMC Cabin Cutoff, heading E.
- 250 ftBear right onto CMC Brainard Snowshoe trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading S.
- 300 ftBear left onto Brainard Lake Road, heading SW.
- 100 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
98% dirt1% paved1% boardwalk
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
- 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
- Beaver Reservoir–Brainard Lake, 5 sights 11 mi · ▲ 1,354 ft
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Hikes near Ward, Colorado