From the trailhead, a hike of a little more than three miles, with an ascent of about 2,400 feet, leads to one of the most spectacular settings in Colorado. We then hiked on to Ice Lake and continued on to the last lake on the trail, which was an additional climb but well worth it. It leads you through old-growth forest to subalpine meadows, to alpine tundra and views of mountain lakes and rugged 13,000+ peaks. The Ice Fire area closure includes the lower Ice Lakes Trail, the lower Clear Lake Road, and the South Mineral Road (NFSR 585) from a new gate just past Goldenhorn camping area to where it crosses Clear Creek past South Mineral Campground. Toilet paper is every where on the ground. Ice Lake is a must! An air attack and type-2 helicopter were on site as of 3:10 p.m. Phone: 800-COLORADO With amazing views along the way, this trail leads to … The view looking back on Ice Lake with U.S. Grant Peak (13,767 ft.) in the background is gorgeous, but Fuller Lake itself is not as pretty as Ice Lake. The Durango Herald reports the fire started about a quarter-mile from the Ice Lake Basin trailhead about 2:30 p.m. Monday. A seasoned explorer in … this is kind of an in-between time, not quite green, not quite snow. i’m an east coaster and i’m glad i adjusted to the altitude beforehand because i think i would have had a very difficult time if i did not. After gaining 1,600-ft. in 2 miles the trail crests the ridge into the beautiful Lower Ice Lake basin. Make a sharp right onto County Road 7 and follow the gravel road for 4.4 miles to the trailhead parking area on the north side of the road across from the South Mineral Campground. Ice Lakes Basin is located near Silverton, CO, a mecca of hiking, backpacking, and camping! The Ice Lake Basin and aquamarine Ice Lake at 12,300 feet is ringed by 13,000-foot peaks. Trekking poles are a MUST. Ice Lake, Ontario, a lake and a community in Canada; Ice Lake, New Zealand, in the list of lakes of New Zealand; United States. Cascade Creek Trail (510) Cave Basin Trail (530) City Reservoir Trail (542) Clear Creek Trail (550) Coal Creek Trail (677) Columbine Lake Trail (509) Continental Divide NST Trail (813) Corral Draw Trail (521) Crater Lake Trail (623) Deer Creek Trail (678) Divide Lakes Trail (539) Dry Fork Trail (616) Dutch Creek Trail (516) East Creek Trail (535) And, as we quickly realized, our crew wasn’t at Ice Lake. The Ice Lake Basin trail, though strenuous, features jaw dropping views of more than 3 alpine lakes surrounded by the jaw-dropping San Juan Mountain range in the backdrop. Follow the main trail the entire way, but look for a small cairn on the right upon reaching the basin—this unmaintained trail climbs to the magnificent Island Lake, and is a great option for runners looking to get off the beaten path. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” It was challenging. The large waterfall is from Fueller Lake. The trail offers a number of activity options. Ice Lakes Basin sits at an elevation of 12,500 ft, and the trail begins at 9,900 ft. Because of this, some people get elevation sickness or have a hard time breathing on this hike, … From there it is a steady uphill climb to the Lower Ice Lake Basin and then to the Upper Ice Lake Basin. It delivered nonstop, stunning scenery perfectly integrated with a healthy amount of rigor. Go north of Silverton on Hwy. Sunset on the San Juans from the Ouray Brewery We hit the road on Friday night and to be exact it was a 22 hour 40 minute all night drive from Andrew’s apartment in Indianapolis to Ouray. It is uphill all the way to the lake basin. the trail is almost entirely inclined up to ice lake and the hills only get steeper as you get closer. The trail wastes no time gaining elevation, climbing 1,600-ft. in 2-miles through forests and wildflower-filled meadows to the beautiful Lower Ice Lakes basin. This juncture is intermittently marked with a cairn and is easy to miss. You’ll pass through aspen, conifers, and into two distinct basins above the … A permit system is now in place which you'll need to obtain from the Columbine Ranger District in order to hike this trail. The Ice Lake Basin Trail is a tough hike to stunning views, incredible wildflowers, and electric blue alpine lakes — it’s certainly worth the climb. Note: South Mineral road (FR585/County Road 7) is not plowed in winter, so if you plan on doing a winter trip, add 4.4 miles each way to your hike, snowshoe or ski. You will see 5 lakes if you follow the trail all the way, and there are several more lakes if you explore around the basin. Things to note: heaps of side trails, so easy to get lost. We did the loop counterclockwise, starting with Island Lake and loved galavanting through the lake basin - lakes, mountains, amazing views! I'd reiterate what someone said previously: if you're coming from a sea-level residence, give yourself time to acclimate. This lake with a unique island, is in its own cirque surrounded by U.S. Grant Peak and its ridges. The Ice Lakes Basin trailhead begins from the dirt parking lot across the road from South Mineral Campground. From Ouray: Follow Highway 550 south from Ouray for about 20 miles to the turn off to South Mineral Campground. Very upsetting. The Ice Lake Trail takes hikers into one of the most spectacular areas of the San Juan Mountains after a steep but relatively short journey of 3 miles, gaining 2,600 feet. Yes, the hike is strenuous but it is absolutely worth it. It is 3.5 miles to the Ice Lake, and 2,500 feet of elevation gain. Ice Lake Basin Featured Route 7.3mi San Juan NF. Weather was perfect. At this point, the trail emerges from the cover of the forest and opens up to a mellow meadow section. From the Ice Lakes basin Trailhead, this 8 mile round trip trail with 3000 feet of elevation gain will bring you to the Ice Lakes Basin with an abundance of beautiful lakes, especially Island Lake and Ice Lake. The trek up to Ice Lake Basin is short, steep, but not technical. Great hike overall. Pro Tips; If you have the legs and the weather is good, continue another half-mile north from the Ice Lakes to Island Lake, a stunning alpine pool with, you guessed it, a large island. Kiddies can totally do out and back to Ice Lake and Fuller Lake. Lower Ice Lake Basin Lower Ice Lake Basin. probably the toughest but most beautiful and rewarding hike i’ve ever done. The parking lot is at N 37 48.394, W 107 46.428, The trail heads out NW from the parking lot. Spend some time exploring the basin or return the way you came. First of all, thanks for watching and supporting the channel. Total Length 3¾mi; Elevation Range Five years ago, Botsford said, a busy day on the Ice Lakes trail might see 250 hikers. Ice Lake Trail is a portal to an enchanting alpine basin in Colorado’s southwestern San Juan Mountains, about six hours from Colorado Springs. Pass through more fields of columbine, paintbrush and buttercups to the upper basin at 12,200'. Ice Lakes Basin sits at an elevation of 12,500 ft, and the trail begins at 9,900 ft. Because of this, some people get elevation sickness or have a hard time breathing on this hike, … Trail to the Ice Lake and along the lake You can see the trail on the right climbing up the end of the valley between the rocky cliffs. Sign up for our eNews updates and be the first to know... SJMA was created in 1988 to assist the San Juan National Forest in providing education and interpretation of public lands in Southwest Colorado. Total Length 3¾mi; Elevation Range Just be sure to park in the South Mineral parking lot, they have a sign explaining the trail. The Ice Lakes Basin Trail is located near Silverton, Colorado, within the Columbine Ranger District of San Juan National Forest. Vermillion, Fuller, Pilot Knob and Golden Horn are climbed from this basin. A permit system is being considered by recreation managers but it is not underway. We went to the upper first then down to ice lake which is a color blue that barely looks real. Ice Lake Basin Featured Route 7.3mi San Juan NF. The trails climbs through 2 basins, each with its own ecosystem. The Ice Lake Basin and aquamarine Ice Lake at 12,300 feet is ringed by 13,000-foot peaks. From Ice Lake the trail turns south and climbs another 330 feet to Fuller Lake, the highest and southernmost lake in the basin. Unburied feces everywhere. Ice Lake Basin offered a number of 13ers to climb and Blue Lakes Basin would give us a shot at Mount Sneffels. Get Here. The nicest lake is Ice Lake, the first lake you see in the upper basin. Went first to Ice Lakes and then over to Island Lake on the loop trail. The Ice Lake Trail was hands-down the best day-hike we took in our two and a half weeks in Colorado. This trail is excellent and a beautiful place to hike. Trail Attributes. I took the trail counter clockwise towards Island lake and I'm pretty happy I did because I saw the lakes from least favorite to favorite. The Lower Ice Lake Basin. I went clockwise, although either direction looks good. These are non-system trails that are not maintained by the San Juan National Forest. I also strongly advise trekking poles! The lower lake comes into view at the two-mile mark. The shades of blue in the lake change when the sun ducks behind the clouds; countless colors of greens and blues can be seen depending on the amount of light that is reflected. Just shy of 9 miles in exactly 5 hours and it was stunning! It delivered nonstop, stunning scenery perfectly integrated with a healthy amount of rigor. 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. Ice Lake Trail (505) Area Status: Open This trail is short and steep. The trickiest part to navigate for me was the rocky washout area between the two lakes. On the way up to the first basin you will pass a Clear Creek waterfall on the right and an old mill off to the left. To get there you must return to Ice Lake and look up the slope above the northeast corner of the lake. Photo courtesy Colorado Department of Transportation. At roughly 2.2 miles in and an elevation of 11,400 feet, you’ll reach Lower Ice Lake Basin. This road is suitable for two-wheel drive vehicles, though there may be some potholes to avoid. Wondering how the situation is now. The trail starts at the South Mineral Campground, just a few miles down a good dirt road from U.S. Highway 550. The trail starts below treeline near the South Mineral Campground at an elevation of ~9,800 feet. Amazing blue/green lakes, late season wildflowers, moderately strenuous hike to creekfalls and waterfalls too. Ice Lake (microprocessor) Weather. for serious hikers I recommend early morning (like 6 or 7am) to avoid the crowds who lack hike etiquette. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Trail Attributes. There are also some cool ruins there that are a bit of an eyesore, but its cool. A fire started when I just started the hike, saw people running down and l left too, later saw the smoke became massive as I was driving out of the mountain. Pictured is the south-facing slope the trail climbs. The trailhead has lots of parking, and this is a very popular trail. Use the wag bags available at the trail head or buy some prior to visiting and pack your toilet paper and waste out. This hike is as gorgeous as everyone says. Vermillion, Fuller, Pilot knob and Golden Horn are climbed from this basin. And, as we quickly realized, our crew wasn’t at Ice Lake. I, personally, wouldn’t take them to Island. The perpetual beauty that permeated the journey was bested only by the destination. Also, be aware that shortly after the campground the road becomes only 4WD accessible. Switchbacks, wildflowers, meadows, and more, read more about this absolutely essential trail and all it has to offer. Unfortunately this trail is grossly over used and abused. We are in good shape and are fairly experienced hikers, so we chose to do the trail up to Ice Lake, then went over to Island Lake (a little sketchy in one part), and looped back around and down. The Ice Lakes Trail offers a lot of variety. Follow the good gravel road for 4.4 miles to the trailhead parking area on the right (North) side of the road, just across from the South Mineral Campground. Trail Information: Trail descriptions, statistics, and more You can camp at the first-come, first-serve South Mineral campground, which is located right next to the trailhead with 26 spots available.Along the forest road going to the trailhead, you will also find Golden Horn Campground, Anvil Campground, and Kendall Campground. The parking lot is at N 37 48.394, W … Stony Pass, ATV Trail 821, and Cinnamon Pass OHV Route, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sanjuan/recarea/?recid=42984&actid=50, https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sanjuan/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd719782. The hike is tough (for me, the elevation was a challenge having just come from Kentucky) but not technically challenging. Not quite as vibrant. We parked in a large grassy lot near the… Trail on Ice Lake, Clear Creek, and South Fork Mineral Creek in San Juan National Forest. View 7 Day Forecast on weather.gov. Ice Lake is a brilliant ice blue color and is in a cirque under 13,767-foot US Grant Peak. Dogs are also able to use this trail. This isn't an amusement park, it is wilderness. It is uphill all the way to the lake basin. Follow the trail from Upper Ice Lakes Basin over a rise and across a plateau. As we found out, the Ice Basin Trail is a big lollipop loop with Island Lake sitting on one side of the loop and Ice Lake sitting on the other. The trail to Fuller Lake can be quite wet and muddy, but staying on the trail will help preserve the fragile alpine tundra. Basins above the northeast corner of the Forest and opens up to Ice Lake popular. 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