Brainard Lake - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Mitchell Lake is a beautiful lake located .9 miles from Mitchell Lake Trailhead in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area. It occupies a broad, damp flat on Mt Audubon's south flank. Mild trail conditions are well-suited for families, winter recreation and those with limited time or abilities. It offers good views of surrounding peaks, abundant wildflowers, excellent fishing, and numerous outlying ponds to explore.

Isabelle Glacier is an alpine glacier located .25 mi southwest of Shoshoni Peak. This trail is best attempted July through September. Snow-packed conditions can exist during the remaining months of the year.The short hike to Lake Isabelle is one of the area's most popular, however crowds thin on the rugged trek up-valley to its glacial origin.

The Brainard Lake Recreation Area is the most popular destination on the Boulder Ranger District. Because of the area's high elevation, the best time to visit is after the snow melts in July and August.

Lake Isabelle is located 2.1 miles from Long Lake Trailhead in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area of the Indian Peaks Wilderness.Once at Isabelle the hike around the lake includes a bit of bouldering and goat-skills, but the experience is just as wonderful from the initial entry.

This is a popular trail for birding, hiking, and horseback riding, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. It is around 17.7-km out. It is generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 4 h 49 min to complete.

Mount Audubon is a high mountain summit of the Indian Peaks in the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 13,229-foot thirteener is located in the Indian Peaks Wilderness of Roosevelt National Forest, 5.6 miles west-northwest of the Town of Ward in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The mountain was named in honor of John James Audubon.