Two of the best hikes to high alpine lakes near Silverton, Colorado
If you are planning to hike near Silverton, Colorado, these high alpine lakes should top your list of sites to see. These hikes are not for the unacclimated, however, as the elevation gain trip distances can present serious challenges to those who have not spent much time at high altitudes.
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Hike to some of the most beautiful high alpine lakes near Silverton
Silverton, Colorado is synonymous with towering peaks and high alpine ultramarathons like the Hardrock 100. The town provides access to many recreational activities and multiple beautiful alpine lakes. These are two of my favorite high-alpine hikes in the area that lead to amazingly picturesque lakes.
Columbine Lake
One of the beautiful hikes you can do in this area is hike the Columbine Lake Trail. This is a difficult hike with over 2,500 feet of elevation gain and over 6.5 miles of hiking. The trail begins with a series of 16 switchbacks straight up the side of a mountain, so be sure to take breaks often and save your legs for when you reach the steep climbs above tree line. Once you get above tree line, the trail goes up several steep inclines before finally cresting a ridge. After this ridge, you get a long stretch of fairly flat trail to let your legs recover.
As you finally approach the lake, there is another short section of incline before you are greeted by views of the spectacularly beautiful Columbine Lake. If you are a hiker, the one downside of this trail is that it is also open to mountain bikes and dirt bikes. Be on the lookout for these other trail users especially on the switchbacks where it can be a little hard to see what is around the next bend. The trail is generally accessible from July through mid to late October depending on snowpack. If you have AllTrails, you can see recent hiking conditions and reviews here.
The views of the lake set against the towering mountains is well worth the difficult hike
Panoramic view of Columbine Lake sitting at around 12,700 feet of elevation
Ice Lake and Island Lake
Ice Land and Island Lake both share the same trailhead outside of Silverton. This is another difficult hike with almost 2,900 feet of elevation gain and over 8.5 miles of roundtrip distance. There are also a lot of moose in the area, so be on the lookout for the chance to spot some wildlife along the way. This trail seems to continuously climb for most of the trail distance with few flat areas to rest your legs. If you hike this trail, I recommend visiting Ice Lake first as the reveal of the lake as you crest the final hill is pretty spectacular.
There is some exposure on the trail connecting Ice Lake and Island Lake, so be sure to take your time and pick your footsteps carefully. There are a lot of reviews online making this sound incredibly scary, but it is a very short stretch and not too challenging unless you are really afraid of heights and exposure. If this is the case, you might want to skip Island Lake. If you are okay with some exposure and heights, you definitely need to visit both lakes as they are both spectacular. You can check recent trail conditions and reviews on AllTrails here. This trail is also generally accessible from July to mid or late October.
If you are lucky enough to hike to Ice Lake after a dusting of snow, you will be greeted by an incredible landscape at the lake
Even if you do not catch Ice Lake after a dusting of snow, the lake is still stunning
The connecting trail between Ice Lake and Island Lake provides some impressive views of the San Juan Mountains
Island lake is also so picturesque tucked beneath towering cliff faces and steep slopes
Staying in Silverton or Ouray to access these trails
If you are looking to stay in this area and are not camping at a campground or disbursed camping, both Silverton and Ouray offer hotel options that are a relatively short drive to both trailheads. From Silverton, it is a 16-minute drive to Columbine Lake Trail and an 18-minute drive to Ice Lake Trail. From Ouray, it is 39-minute drive to Columbine Lake Trail and a 51-minute drive to Ice Lake Trail. Be sure to plan to arrive at either trailhead early as the parking is limited and the parking lots fill up early.
If you are planning to stay in Silverton, you check out top places to stay in Silverton here. Alternatively, if you plan to stay in Ouray, you can check out the top places to stay in Ouray here. If you stay in Silverton, you might also want to look into riding the Silverton/Durango Narrow-Gauge Railroad for a scenic train trip between Silverton and Durango. If you are staying in Ouray, check out The Wiesbaden Hot Springs Spa and Lodging for secluded hot springs and a vapor cave where you can relax and rejuvenate after your high alpine hikes. You can read more about the features of the Wiesbaden in my article here.
