Basics
- Location:
- West of Boulder
- Setting:
- Mountainous
- Length:
- 2 mile roundtrip
- Difficulty:
- Easy
- Time:
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Trailhead Elevation:
- 10000 feet
- Elevation Change:
- 250 feet
- Season:
- June - October
Description
Rainbow Lakes Trail, #918, heads west from the trailhead. It soon enters the Indian Peaks Wilderness. The trail is an easy hike up to the Rainbow Lakes (ele. 10,200), a series of small lakes and beaver ponds.
Details
Location:
Setting:
Length:
Difficulty:
Time:
Trailhead Elevation:
Elevation Change:
Season:
Useful Map(s):
Additional Details:
Map + Directions
Basic Directions
Approximately 7 miles north of Nederland, on Highway 72, turn west onto Rainbow Lakes Road (a.k.a. County Road 116, and FDR 298).
Look for the University of Colorado Mountain Research Station sign. Drive past the Sourdough Trailhead, and after approximately 1 mile turn left (south) on FDR 298, following signs for Rainbow Lakes Campground.
This is a rough, native-surfaced road and it is about 5 miles from Hwy. 72 to the trailhead. High clearance vehicles are recommended, although passenger cars and other vehicles, driven slowly, should have no problem negotiating the road.
Trailhead parking is at the west end of the Rainbow Lakes Campground.
