Paiute Peak–Brainard Lake, 6 sights is an 11.3-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake before reaching Paiute Peak at the turnaround, 5.6 miles in. It climbs 3,842 ft, with sections as steep as 33% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 83/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi10,345 – 13,213 ft · steepest grade: 33%11.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Brainard Lake O/l 40.07762, -105.57058
Nearest town Ward, CO
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Paiute Peak–Brainard Lake, 6 sights
11.3 mi · ▲ 3,842 ft · 5 hr 41 min
Elevation 10,346–13,214 ft
Out & Back · Indian Peaks Wilderness
Trailhead: Brainard Lake O/l · 40.07762, -105.57058
Weather Sep 5: Light rain, high 66°F / low 51° · precip 8% · wind 12 mph · sunrise 6:35 AM · sunset 7:29 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Brainard Lake O/l, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Brainard Lake.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Brainard Lake Road, heading NW.
- 450 ftBear right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left onto CMC Brainard Snowshoe trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear left onto CMC Cabin Cutoff, heading W.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Beaver Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 1.7 miBear left onto Mount Audubon Trail, heading N.
- 3.1 miReach Paiute Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 3.1 miBear right onto Beaver Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 1.7 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto CMC Cabin Cutoff, heading SE.
- 250 ftBear right onto CMC Brainard Snowshoe trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading E.
- 300 ftBear left onto Brainard Lake Road, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Brainard Lake O/l, heading S.
- 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 surface
98% dirt2% paved
Weather
Light rainTemperature 66°F51°
Precip8%Wind12 mphUV7Humidity40%
Rained 0.1″ 6 days ago
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:35 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:29 PM
Sun
64°49°
38%
Mon
65°46°
27%
Tue
70°43°
31%
Wed
71°47°
37%
Thu
66°46°
33%
Fri
69°44°
30%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.6 mi in (~183 min). Leave by 4:07 PM for the 7:29 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:36 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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 O/l Trailhead
- Brainard Lake–Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail Loop, 4 sights 1.7 mi · ▲ 198 ft
- Long Lake–Brainard Lake, 3 lakes 2.1 mi · ▲ 194 ft
- Long Lake–Brainard Lake Loop, 7 sights 2.2 mi · ▲ 230 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
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