Long Lake–Brainard Lake, 3 lakes is a 2.1-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake before reaching Long Lake at the turnaround, 1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 194 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 49/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi10,348 – 10,562 ft2.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Pawnee Campground Loop C 40.07862, -105.56928
Nearest town Ward, CO
Directions
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Long Lake–Brainard Lake, 3 lakes
2.1 mi · ▲ 194 ft · 48 min
Elevation 10,348–10,561 ft
Out & Back · Indian Peaks Wilderness
Trailhead: Pawnee Campground Loop C · 40.07862, -105.56928
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 W.
- 0.1 miPass Brainard Lake.
- 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Niwot Cutoff Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Jean Lunning Trail, heading SW.
- 400 ftReach Long Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Niwot Cutoff Trail, heading SW.
- 0.6 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
88% dirt9% paved1% boardwalk2% 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 Pawnee Campground Loop C Trailhead
- Long Lake–Brainard Lake Loop, 9 sights 3.7 mi · ▲ 423 ft
- Mitchell Lake–Brainard Lake, 6 sights 3.9 mi · ▲ 426 ft
- Red Rock Lake–Brainard Lake, 3 lakes 4 mi · ▲ 285 ft
- Blue Lake–Mitchell Lake, 7 sights 6.5 mi · ▲ 1,029 ft
- James Basin Road–South Saint Vrain Trail, 4 sights 9.6 mi · ▲ 1,201 ft
- Niwot Mountain–Red Rock Lake, 5 sights 9.7 mi · ▲ 1,783 ft
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