Mountain Hiking

by Harold Sears

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Boulder, Colorado

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Indian Peaks

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Happy Highways

Rainbow Lakes are a cluster of maybe a dozen small ponds located in the Indian Peaks Wilderness south of Silver Lake and the Boulder watershed. The drive in is a bit of a chore -- four miles of sometimes rough dirt road -- and at least in 2010, construction in the Rainbow Lakes Campground closed the trailhead and forced a somewhat bushwhack-like walk-around. But the walk is worth all that, and the construction, at least, will pass.

The trail is only about a mile and a gentle climb. We found the first lake to be small, shallow, and fairly thick with water weed. We agreed that the scene badly needed a moose to make it right. During early or late hours, there very well might have been one.

The second lake is larger and deeper, with clear water that sparkled in the sun and light breeze. The forests are mostly fir, but the shore shone with patches of golden fall color.

I climbed on to lakes three and four. I suppose that, if the campground had been open, I would have had company, but as it was, there was no one. To visit the other lakes shown on the map, I would have had to strike off through the trees on compass bearings. Even on a busy weekend, one could find solitude there.

From Boulder, drive west on Canyon Blvd. and 119 to Nederland. At the intersection with 72, turn north, drive about 6.5 miles, past mile marker 39, and left onto Rainbow Lakes Rd., forest road 116. There are signs to the CU Mountain Research Station and to Rainbow Lakes Campground. Drive about 4.0 miles to the Rainbow Lakes Campground and the trailhead.

Click on the thumbnail above for a piece of a trail map. A trail map for all of Boulder County is available from the Boulder Area Trails Coalition (find link on home page).

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Cautionary Note -- If any of the hikes described on this site sound like something you would like to do yourself, please use good judgment and prepare yourself according to your skills, your interests, and the season. What was fun for me under one set of circumstances might not be fun or even safe for another under other circumstances. Do not consider these descriptions to be unqualified recommendations.