I was actually a little discouraged for the first three miles or so of the trail. It doesn’t help that I packed an extra 6 lb of packraft weight either… I was hurting. Parts of the Island Lake trail have been damaged by landslides, creating some exposed areas. Thank you so so much for sharing all of this! It’s such a gem of a place Hope you’re able to make it out to see it for yourself. The Hike. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Take a hike. Hello! Were there some spots that were covered? Local tips for hiking in Colorado… The lot isn’t too big so it’ll fill up … I want to do this hike/camping soon, do you know if bears are an issue to be worried about at all? In addition to that, were there a lot of tents around ice lake when you went there? The hike is a steady climb within a fairly narrow valley. The trail starts at the South Mineral Campground and heads straight into the forest at a steady ascent. Let’s get the dry, statistical information out of the way before delving into the juicy highlights for this adventure. Along the way there is some evidence of old mining activity, including mine tailings. Vanessa was so patient and even offered to hold my hand… those are the type of friends I’m extremely grateful to have in the mountains <3. Again, creek crossing shoes and poles may be helpful, especially early in the hiking season. Pay attention to whom your energy increases and de An amazing 8.4 mile round trip hike will take you up the 2,552-ft. to Island Lake. Check conditions (snowfields may persist through June, though unlikely this year) and head out on the Ice Lakes Trail past its namesake basin, which should be filled with an array of blooms in summer, near mile 2. There was just one really sketchy section of the ridge that’s narrow with a lot of loose little rocks and my fear of heights, or more like my fear of slipping and falling, got the better of me and I crawled. Words can not describe how gorgeous and pristine it … was. The trailhead is near Trappers Lake. I don’t think they’re known for bears there but you can call the ranger stations. Out and back, the hike to Ice Lake Basin is a 7 to 7 1/2 mile roundtrip, not including Island Lake. The parking area is limited in size and is less than a half mile short of Wood's Lake, which is on private property. Your email address will not be published. On the four-mile trail to the lakes, hikers pass several legacies of the fortune-seekers who settled Silverton in the late 1800s — mines and equipment abandoned when the price of metal fell in the 1920s (though the last large mine in the area didn’t close until 1991). Required fields are marked *, ✨New Blog Post: Hike Iron Mountain via Heaton Fl Map(s) - Trails Illustrated: #112 Poudre River Cameron Pass; Mountain Jay - Rawah Wilderness Map(s) - USGS 7-½ î Quadrangles: Chambers Lake, Clark Peak, Rawah Lakes TRAILHEAD LOCATION: Upper Poudre River Area: Drive 53.7 miles on CO-14 from Teds Place to mm 69.5. The trail over is short, only 30 minutes (shorter if you don’t stop for all the photos of the wildflowers) and all downhill from Island Lake to Ice Lake. Yes, you can camp at either lake for now and do not need a permit. [Day 1] We arrived Friday [Aug 30] around noon, started hiking by 1:52 pm and arrived at the majestic Island Lake 4:32 pm. To reach the trailhead from the intersection of Highway 550 and the turnoff to Silverton (Highway 110), drive 2 miles north on Highway 550 to County Road 7, located between mile markers 72 and 73. Trail Summary: Ice Lake & Island Lake are a pair of high alpine lakes located just outside of Silverton, Colorado. The hike to Island Lake via Ice Lake Trail is 3.23 miles directly from the parking lot near Silverton, CO. For Labor Day weekend, August 29 – Sept 2, 2019, I took a little road trip to finally hike in the San Juan Mountains. After traveling for one full day and the strenuous hike up with my packraft… it seemed like the right choice. The Ice Lakes trailhead is located about six miles west of Silverton. The hike to Ice Lake is a moderately steep climb of 3.2 miles to Ice Lake. The trailhead parking and campground lot are also visible some 2,300 feet below. Drive 1.6 miles to the trailhead parking for Eagle Lake. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. Thank you, Cait! Island Lake hosts two campgrounds (Island Lake & Little Bear) and is very close to the Grand Mesa Visitor Center so chances are, if you spend any time on Grand Mesa you will find yourself visiting Island Lake. The Ice Lakes Basin Trail is located near Silverton, Colorado, within the Columbine Ranger District of San Juan National Forest.The Ice Lakes Basin trailhead begins from the dirt parking lot across the road from South Mineral Campground.The parking lot is at N 37 48.394, W 107 46.428, The trail … Island Lake lies just 0.5 miles and 250 vertical feet above the Upper Ice Lakes. Island Lake surely got its name from the flat-topped rock that is visible whenever water levels ebb. There are many lakes in this area, but Island Lake is the only one with epic cliff jumping. Alas, no midday espresso either, unless you pack it in: Island Lake is 4.2 miles from the nearest trailhead. You’ll reach a waterfall one mile in and have another mile to go before you reach the junction that splits off to Ice lake and Island lake. Giveaway✨ because it’s the most wonderful time Red path is an estimation of the remainder of the trail.). Sweet success☺️ I finally hiked Iron Mountain Island Lake is located just north of Ice Lake in the San Juan National Forest near Silverton, Colorado. There was still snow by Island lake when we visited in August. The cliff is best to jump off mid summer when the water is the warmest, but it's always pretty cold. Colorado Hiking Tips. From the trailhead, the route to Lake Charles runs roughly 5 miles and ascends approximately 2000 vertical feet. Most people hike clockwise to Ice lake first and then Island lake after, but my friend recommended we go counter-clockwise first to Island Lake to get all the elevation over with which I’m glad we did. Island Lake Via Ice Lakes Trail [CLOSED] is a 7.2 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Ophir, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Ice Lake exceeded my expectations – the blue hue in the deep section of the lake and the aqua color of the shoreline were unreal… the morning reflection of the rainbow-colored mountain from all the wildflowers made it all more surreal. The hike to Island Lake via Ice Lake Trail is 3.23 miles directly from the parking lot near Silverton, CO. For Labor Day weekend, August 29 – Sept 2, 2019, I took a little road trip to finally hike in the San Juan Mountains. Fuller Lake is located above Ice Lake in the San Juan National Forest near Silverton, Colorado. Set up camp. Island Lake supports a small population of Brook trout. If you’re new to Colorado hiking, know that this state presents some unique … If you continue on to Mystic Island Lake, be prepared to hike an additional mile or so. No storms while we were there, but so darn windy all weekend. Jackie, Juno and I hiked up to the Ice Lakes & Island Lake in late September 2018. DIRECTIONS: Island Lake is located along Hwy 65 (Grand Mesa Scenic Byway), 23 miles south of the town of Mesa, CO or 16 miles north of Cedaredge, CO. There was still snow by Island lake when we visited in August. Thank you so much! Or a map that you can get to help guide the way? Ice Lake Basin / Island Lake is one of the prettiest places on the planet. The Best Lake Hikes in Colorado. The cliffs are about 30-50 feet tall. Your email address will not be published. We woke up to the heat of the sun but stepped outside to the chill mountain air, spent the entire day hanging out at camp, enjoying the lake from all sides, had a snowball fight, and even paddled to the island in the lake on my new packraft (definitely worth hauling up)! The trail begins at the trailhead next to the Fulford Cave Campground and meanders up to Lake Charles, a good destination for those wanting a shorter hike. Getting There To reach Island Lake in Nevada County, drive to the Carr Lake trailhead by taking Highway 20 from Highway 80 at Yuba Pass.Take Highway 20 west until you can turn right on Bowman Lake Road. It is a beautiful green lake with a rock island in the middle, which gives the lake its name. The trailhead is just outside Silverton, CO (southwest Colorado). If so, what did you do for food storage? [Day 2: Sat 8/31] For the second day, we were thinking about day hiking to Ice Lake, but it took so much effort and energy to make it to Island lake which I’ve been wanting to see for years that we decided to have my very first ever zero-day in the mountains at just enjoy Island Lake. Hi Anila, I’m glad you find this blog post helpful There was zero coverage to pop a squat near Island Lake, it’s a little hilly and some medium-sized boulders you can try to hide behind but you’re still very exposed and there’s no escaping that. This last 1.6 mile section is where a passenger vehicle with better than average clearance is desirable. When it comes to the best lake hikes in Colorado, this post has it all. & Take a wal, Colorful canyons and sunset on the mountains make, Resource Guide for How to Plan An Epic Backpacking Trip, Short Hike to a Swimming Hole in Stoddard Canyon, 3 Hikes in Lake Arrowhead: Plan a Weekend Getaway, Hike to Bighorn Peak in Angeles National Forest. There is a road from the west and Meeker, one from the east and Yampa or Phippsburg, one from the northeast and Oak Creek, one from the north and Hayden, and one from the northeast and Pagoda (village) and Hamilton. You touched upon it slightly but I’m really wondering how to go when nature calls without any tree cover or shade for some privacy. The entire mountain was covered with wildflowers everywhere! Once the trail starts to really flatten out, you know you’re about five minutes away from the beautiful turquoise lake. This blog is only for the highlight trail of the trip: Island Lake and Ice Lake in San Juan National Forest. Pack a bag. Trail Description: The hike to Ice Lakes begins from the South Mineral Campground in the San Juan National Forest near Silverton, Colorado. We saw a couple of hunters in the final mile of the hike; we were glad we were near The Blue Lake parking lot and trailhead will be on your right (west side of There are two trailheads, the eastern is located just to the east of the road to Cobbett Lake. You can camp anywhere around the lake and campfires are permitted. Thanks for sharing- this hiking trip looks awesome! The colors seem surreal, a beautiful turquoise lake, surrounded by high peaks. But some volunteer rangers were talking about banning camping up there in the future because the area is a tundra being destroyed by camping footprints so try to camp in areas that have previously been camped on. Don’t forget to pack it out! 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