The short but manageable hike to Blue Lake in the Indian Peaks Wilderness lends a whole new meaning to the phrase sensory overload. This stunningly beautiful trail affords expansive vistas, alpine wildflowers, impressive boulders, reflective ponds, braided streams, and the grand finale of Blue Lake’s sapphire waters at 11,355 feet. As an added bonus, during the late summer and early fall, keep your eyes peeled for awe-inspiring glimpses of majestic moose hiding in the valley’s rich willow thickets along the trail and around the lakes. If you’re a lover of wildlife, lakes, and the outdoors, you absolutely have to visit this unfathomably gorgeous spot that most certainly boasts the bluest water near Denver!
Blue Lake and its crystal clear waters fill a rocky cirque at 11,355 feet, framed by Mt. Toll, Mt. Audobon, and Paiute Peak. This 2.55-mile one-way trail tucked away in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, offers an abundance of alpine beauty, including lakes, streams, mountains, valleys, and meadows.
The serenely blue waters of Mitchell Lake are breathtakingly beautiful in their own right, but if you continue just 1.6 miles up the trail, you will be privy to even more supremely stellar beauty and Rocky Mountain wonder.
The trail climbs gently to the center of the valley, with the cone-shaped summit of Mt. Toll (12,979') teasing the treasure of Blue Lake, located at its base.
Take time to explore the area fully and soak up the surrounding beauty of this magical valley. I suggest taking a camera, a picnic, and extra layers of clothing, as it can get fairly windy at this elevation.
The maintained trail ends at Blue Lake, but there is a fairly clear route than continues up the north shore to Upper Blue Lake (11,833') for those who are feeling ambitious.
