My posts about spring break in Texas do not want to be written. I have bits and pieces completed, but every time I sit down to work on them the words are just… gone. I know I’ll get there eventually, but for now I’m going to shift gears a bit. And given the upcoming release date for parking permits for Brainard Lake Rec Area, this seems like a good time to finally finish up this post I’ve been working on for a while.

Brainard was one of the first places we visited after moving to Denver and has been a frequent destination of ours ever since. It’s a great place to take out-of-town visitors for some lovely scenery and short, relatively easy hikes. The longer hikes at Brainard are some of my favorite in the area – so much so that I’ve hiked a couple of these trails 3 or 4 times. With so many visits and photos under my belt, I thought I’d put together a guide with information on visiting the rec area and accessing these hikes. We’ll talk about entrance fees and permits, the various trails, and how to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit.

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• Visiting Brainard Lake Recreation Area
• Brainard Lake
• Hiking
• Long Lake Trailhead
• Mitchell Lake Trailhead
• Camping and backpacking
• Safety
• Visiting in winter

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Visiting Brainard Lake Recreation Area

Brainard Lake Rec Area is located in the Indian Peaks west of Boulder, Colorado. It’s about an hour and a half from Denver, so it makes for a pretty easy day trip. This proximity, though, combined with the breathtaking scenery and relative accessibility of the trails also makes it an extremely popular destination. It’s one of those places that’s been getting loved to death.

A couple years ago, Brainard began requiring advanced purchase of timed entry parking reservations from June to October, and while there are downsides to this method – for example, you can’t just make a spur of the moment decision to head on up there – it has, in my opinion, vastly improved the visitor experience. The first time Pat and I visited Brainard, we left our house at 4:30am and arrived just after 6:00am to find that one of the parking lots was already full. Now, I rarely have a problem finding parking and the trails aren’t nearly as crowded.

Timed entry reservations are released on a rolling basis, becoming available on recreation.gov at 8:00am fifteen days in advance. The early morning time slots typically sell out quickly but there are usually still a few afternoon ones available up until the day before. You may also get lucky and be able to snag a morning reservation later on if someone cancels. These reservations allow for entry into Brainard during a specific window of time as well as parking in a specific lot. It’s important to look at a map of the area and choose the parking lot that best aligns with your desired hike or activity.

In addition to the timed entry parking reservation, Brainard Lake Rec Area is administered by the Forest Service and charges a $12/car day use fee. If you have an America the Beautiful pass, this covers the entrance fee but you will still need to pay the $2 timed entry reservation fee.

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Brainard Lake

Beyond the entrance gate, a narrow, paved road travels just over 2 miles (3.2 km) to Brainard Lake, passing the small but scenic Red Rock Lake along the way. There’s not a lot to do here, but it’s worth a quick stop.

Brainard Lake itself is a good destination if you’re looking to have a picnic, hang out on the lakeshore, or perhaps do some paddleboarding or kayaking. But beware… it’s almost always windy up here and may not be the most pleasant paddling experience.

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Hiking

You can park at the main Brainard Lake lot on the east side of the lake or around the west side at the Niwot Picnic Area and begin your hikes from there (add 3-4 miles/5-6.5 km roundtrip to the standard hike distances). However, the main trailheads are located further up the road. There are multiple destinations that can be reached from these trailheads, ranging from quick and easy strolls to challenging all day treks.

Note that most of these trails are within the Indian Peaks Wilderness, therefore they are subject to specific restrictions for purposes of environmental protection. This includes a limit on group size, permit requirements for larger groups, and a leash law for dogs.

I’ve hiked almost all these trails and would recommend any of them. It’s the kind of place where, no matter what trail you pick, you really can’t go wrong. I’ve previously written about most of these hikes; below you’ll find some photos, as well as links to those individual posts.

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Long Lake Trailhead

Beyond Brainard Lake, the road forks. The left fork leads to the Long Lake Trailhead which, in my experience, is the more popular of the two. To park here, you’ll need a Long Lake timed entry parking reservation. This parking lot and trailhead is open annually from roughly July 1-October 1.

From the trailhead, you have a few options. Long Lake is just 0.3 miles (0.4 km) and 50 feet (15 m) up the trail, and is a great little hike for families or those who aren’t up for walking very far. A 2.3 mile (3.7 km) relatively flat trail encircles the lake for a nice, easy stroll.

Alternately, follow this loop trail along the north shore of Long Lake and then, at the far end, keep right to continue to Lake Isabelle, about 2 miles (3.2 km) and 500 feet (150 m) beyond.

While most people turn around here, you can continue another 2 miles (3.2 km) and 1400 feet (425 m) up to Isabelle Glacier. Though not an actual glacier (it’s a permanent snowfield), this is a stunning hike that is well worth the effort.

• Long Lake/Lake Isabelle – summer/fall
• Long Lake/Lake Isabelle – winter
• Isabelle Glacier

From Lake Isabelle, you can also veer off to the right and ascend to Pawnee Pass, which is a hike that remains on my to-do list. Hopefully this summer!

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Mitchell Lake Trailhead

Back at the fork in the road, this time we’ll head right toward Mitchell Lake Trailhead. To park here, you’ll need a Mitchell Lake timed entry parking reservation. This parking lot and trailhead is open annually from roughly July 1-October 1.

Once again, there are multiple destinations that can be reached from here. About 1 mile (1.6 km) and 300 feet (90 m) up the main trail is Mitchell Lake. Continue another 1.5 miles (2.4 km) and 700 feet (215 m) to reach Blue Lake.

Alternately, you can take a lesser traveled trail from the northern edge of the parking lot up to the summit of 13er Mount Audubon. While Pat and I didn’t have the best experience on this hike due to what turned out to be some questionable decision-making, I still say it was worth it. The view of the lakes and the rest of the Indian Peaks from the summit is stellar! Round trip distance is about 7 miles (11 km) with 2700 feet (820 m) of elevation gain.

• Mitchell/Blue Lakes (updated post coming soon!)
• Mount Audubon

Though it’s not well known nor marked on many maps, there is a 0.8 mile (1.3 km) connector trail between the Long Lake and Mitchell Lake parking areas. While it makes for a very long day, it is possible to park at one of these trailheads, hike to one or two of the lakes, and then leave your car where it is and follow this connector trail to the other trailhead to hike to the other lakes. If you go all the way to Blue Lake and Lake Isabelle, your total for the day will be about 12 miles (19 km).

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Camping and backpacking

Pawnee Campground is the only one in Brainard Lake Rec Area, located near – but not directly on – the eastern edge of the lake. The campground is open annually from roughly mid-June through mid-September and sites are available by reservation only ($25/night, with reservations available 6 months in advance of your desired date of arrival). RVs are allowed but there are no hookups or dump stations. There are also no showers, but there are pit toilets and potable water. We’ve never actually stayed here so I don’t have any photos.

Backpacking is also allowed at Brainard annually between November 30-May 1. And nope, I didn’t accidentally list the dates backwards. To prevent overuse and protect the ecosystem, backpacking is not allowed in the Four Lakes Backcountry Zone during the summer season. However, backpacking is allowed on the west side of the Continental Divide (permit required), and you may choose to begin your trip from Long or Mitchell Trailheads and hike over the divide to reach your campsite.

In spring, fall, and winter, when backpacking is allowed at Brainard, campfires are prohibited. I have not backpacked here so I can’t provide any specifics on the experience.

Note that even with a camping or backpacking permit, you must still pay the rec area entrance fee. Additionally, if you plan to park at a trailhead during your stay, you will need a parking reservation. For backpacking, be sure to purchase an overnight one. Some of the overnight parking reservations are released on the first Tuesday in March, and it is encouraged to purchase one during this earlier window to ensure you will have a reserved parking space for your trip.

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Safety

I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve never been to Brainard Lake and not seen a moose. Actually, that’s not entirely true. I’ve never seen one here in the winter. But I’ve seen at least one on every single other visit. There are a lot of them in this area, especially early in the morning. I recommend brushing up on moose safety before your visit. The most important things to know are to not get too close (moose can run fast) and if you have a dog, keep it on a leash. Wolves are the only natural predator of a moose, so if they see, hear, or smell a dog they assume it’s a wolf and will react accordingly.

The other main thing to be aware of here is the climate. The entirety of the rec area, including the campground, sits above 10,000 feet (3050 m) of elevation. Not only will there be less oxygen than you’re used to, but the weather will also be more severe. The sun is intense at this elevation and sunburns can develop in as little as 10-15 minutes. Proper sun protection is important.

It’s also important to pack layers so you’re prepared for a variety of weather conditions. Expect wind year round, no matter what the forecast says. Even in the height of summer, temperatures rarely exceed 70°F (21°C) at this elevation. Clouds and storms roll in quickly, and may cause the temperature to drop by 10-20°F (6-12°C) in a matter of minutes. It’s not uncommon to go from shorts and sunglasses to rain gear and then back to sunglasses in less than an hour.

And speaking of rain, you don’t want to be caught out in the open in a thunderstorm (which is an almost daily occurrence in the mountains from May-August). A good rule of thumb is to be back below tree line by noon, which means you may need to start your hike very early. Thunderstorms are less common in September and October, but may still happen.

There is no phone service here, so be sure to let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return, pack the Ten Essentials, and carry an SOS device if you have one.

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Visiting in winter

Like so many places in Colorado, Brainard Lake Rec Area might just be prettier in the winter than it is in the summer. It’s also brutally windy here in the winter. Granted, all of the Colorado mountains are windy year round, but something about the topography here makes Brainard exceptionally windy. Sometimes you can’t even see across the lakes due to blowing snow.

But if you have the proper gear and you’re willing to brave the cold and make the drive up these winding two-lane roads, it’s usually worth it. Plus, it will be a lot less crowded.

From approximately October 1-June 1, access is by foot only. You can park outside the gates at the Brainard Gateway Trailhead and walk, snowshoe, ski, or bike up the road to Brainard Lake and beyond. Leashed dogs are also allowed on the roads. Additionally, there is a network of ski- and snowshoe-specific trails up to Brainard Lake. Dogs, bikes, and foot travel (without snowshoes or skis) are not allowed on these trails.

Timed entry reservations are not required to visit in the winter. However, as of 2024 it appears that a $10/day fee (or America the Beautiful pass) is being implemented for entry during the winter season.

We have snowshoed and skied at Brainard in the winter and, aside from one terribly cold and blustery day, it’s been an enjoyable experience. We’ve even made it as far as Lake Isabelle and Blue Lake in the winter, though both were long, exhausting days that I’m not sure I’d want to repeat.

The Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) owns and operates a cabin near Brainard Lake. On winter weekends, the cabin is typically staffed from 10:00am-2:30pm and visitors are welcome to stop by for a cup of hot chocolate. A $1 cash-only donation per person is requested, as this is entirely run by volunteers. After a couple hours out in the cold wind, nothing hits the spot quite like a crackling fire and a steaming mug of cocoa.

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And I think that’s about it. If you’re still with me, I hope this was helpful. And if you have any questions about visiting Brainard Lake Recreation Area, feel free to drop them in the comments.