Paiute Peak–Brainard Lake, 7 sights is an 11.7-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. The route passes Brainard Lake before reaching Paiute Peak at the turnaround, 5.9 miles in. It climbs 3,845 ft, with sections as steep as 37% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi10,345 – 13,213 ft · steepest grade: 37%12.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Niwot Cutoff Trail 40.07622, -105.57721
Nearest town Ward, CO
Directions
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Paiute Peak–Brainard Lake, 7 sights
11.7 mi · ▲ 3,845 ft · 5 hr 49 min
Elevation 10,346–13,214 ft
Out & Back · Indian Peaks Wilderness
Trailhead: Niwot Cutoff Trail · 40.07622, -105.57721
Weather Sep 5: Light rain, high 66°F / low 51° · precip 8% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:35 AM · sunset 7:29 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Niwot Cutoff Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftPass Brainard Lake.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Brainard Lake Road, heading N.
- 150 ftBear right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left onto CMC Brainard Snowshoe trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miBear left onto CMC Cabin Cutoff, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Beaver Creek Trail, heading W.
- 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 E.
- 1.7 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Mitchell Lake Trailhead Connector Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto CMC Cabin Cutoff, heading E.
- 200 ftBear right onto CMC Brainard Snowshoe trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail, heading E.
- 300 ftBear left onto Brainard Lake Road, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left onto Niwot Cutoff Trail, 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
99% dirt1% paved
Weather
Light rainTemperature 66°F51°
Precip8%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity40%
Rained 0.1″ 6 days ago
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:35 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:29 PM
Sun
63°49°
38%
Mon
64°46°
27%
Tue
70°43°
31%
Wed
71°47°
37%
Thu
66°45°
33%
Fri
69°44°
30%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.8 mi in (~188 min). Leave by 4:02 PM for the 7:29 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
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
- Long Lake–Silver Lake Reservoir, 5 lakes 13.3 mi · ▲ 2,404 ft
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