Great Snowshoeing!
Great rolling hills. Trails through the woods and a main snow packed
road.
Location: Brainard Lake is located just west of the Peak
to Peak Highway just west of Ward and North of Nederland. Please
see our map for driving directions. Brainard Lake is open year round.
In the summer it is great for hiking and biking and in the winter
it offers some of the best snowshoeing around. Our map is also downloadable
in pdf format and we have a map that can be loaded onto a Garmin
GPS.
 Description: Brainard Lake area is a great place to snowshoe or cross country ski because it does not have as much vertical as many areas in the Colorado Mountains. Most trails around Colorado
climb for the entire trail until you decide to come down. Brainard Lake
area climbs gradually to the West. There is a closed road that heads West
out of the parking area. The road is usually windy and the snow wind blown,
but there are trails on each side of the road that parallel the road that
are great. There are also trails that travel North and South. You can
head West from the parking area for about 2 miles before you start to
climb more seriously into the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area.
Please keep in mind that many people do not follow trails
in this area. You may be following snowshoe or ski tracks, but not be
on a trail. It is fun to blaze your own trails, just keep in mind that
people get lost in this area all the time. Because the area is rolling
in nature, it can be difficult to know which direction is back to the
parking area. Please bring a compass, GPS or both. If you depend on a
GPS, please bring spare batteries and keep the batteries in an inside
pocket so they stay warm.
Please note that certain trails are designated for skiers only, and to watch for signs to that effect posted in the area.
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