Long Lake–Silver Lake Reservoir, 5 lakes is a 13.3-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake and Long Lake before reaching Silver Lake Reservoir at the turnaround, 6.7 miles in. It climbs 2,404 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade. It scores 85/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi10,266 – 11,477 ft · steepest grade: 17%13.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Niwot Cutoff Trail 40.07622, -105.57721
Nearest town Ward, CO
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Long Lake–Silver Lake Reservoir, 5 lakes
13.3 mi · ▲ 2,404 ft · 5 hr 38 min
Elevation 10,267–11,477 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.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Jean Lunning Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftPass Long Lake.
- 400 ftBear left onto Niwot Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 2.5 miTurn right onto Niwot Ridge, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 1.3 miSharp left, heading W.
- 1.4 miPass Silver Lake Reservoir.
- 250 ftReach Long Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.5 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 1.3 miSharp right, heading N.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Niwot Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 2.5 miBear right onto Jean Lunning Trail, heading SW.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Niwot Cutoff Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 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
42% gravel10% dirt48% unspecified
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
- Blue Lake–Mitchell Lake, 8 sights 6.8 mi · ▲ 1,004 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
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Hikes near Ward, Colorado