ice lakes

One of my favorites hikes in this area. Go in July when the wildflowers are at peak and go early if you can to beat the rush. We started at 7:30 and only had one other couple infront of us. took us roundtrip 7 hours.Went to the top and had a great picnic. went up to fuller lake which is above icelake. Fuller is not as pretty but you do get a great view of icelake from up above. The lakes are so beautiful.

This was the first hike we did after arriving in Colorado from sea level. We wanted a relatively easy hike before tackling some 14ers. I would call it a moderate hike. Ice lake is beautiful. Highly Recommended when in the area.

If you don't like waterfalls, this is not the hike for you. If pristine, turquoise mountain lakes irritate you, you will find yourself supremely annoyed. If a mind-blowing abundance of mid-summer alpine wildflowers gives you stomachaches, pack some Tums. And finally, if you can't stand being ringed in by soaring, jagged, red and yellow peaks, I suggest you go elsewhere. Far. Away from SW Colorado.There are no words that would do justice for this stunning hike, so I won’t wax poetic. Instead, I’ll lay out the facts during the mid-summer season.From the main trailhead, Ice Lake and the upper basin is about 3.8 mi one-way and 2400 ft elev gain. If you want to spend any sort of leisurely quality time at each Fuller and Island Lakes, plan to spend at least 6-7+ hours roundtrip (from Ice Lake, veer left and head up the slope for just under a mile and 335 ft elev gain to Fuller Lake and see an old ruin, then descend back to Ice Lake to ascend the 0.7 mi 130 ft elev gain slope on the opposite side to Island Lake). Watch for afternoon thunderstorms late June through early September.There are flat areas with some established backcountry camp sites at treeline in the lower basin, and these folks had views of waterfalls on three sides. Higher in the upper basin, we spied two more tents on the far side of Ice Lake, but it’s treeless and exposed up here.FR585 from US 550 is 4.4mi of dirt to the trailhead. It is maintained sometime between late May until the first snow for regular 2WD passenger vehicles. The TH is right next to South Mineral Campground (with Kendall, Goldenhorn, and Sultan & Anvil CGs found along the road).

When you get up to the first Lake the scenery is on par with Alaska and the Rockies. On June 8 the trails above the lake were blocked by snow except to the backcountry skier types.

Allow 4 hours, start early to avoid the thunderstorms and take a lunch and plenty of H2O! Oh, and don't forget the camera! Also, it is a great place to backpack and spend the night. Have done it several times and it is always an amazing experience. Have fun!

If you are wanting to do a challenging and rewarding hike in Colorado, Ice Lake is the one. The lake, itself, is a stunning blue with a backdrop of gorgeous peaks covered by little bits of snow in the summer. I want to do this hike in June when there's even more snow, as the contrast of colors makes for amazing pictures. Obviously, one of the attractions of doing this hike during summer are the abundant wildflowers. At times, they are waist and shoulder high! It is a photographers dream! I think this hike is pretty strenuous, but I am totally out of shape. There are actually two trailheads. The main one is the most popular. I discovered the second trailhead in a book and am glad I did because it saved me 500 feet of elevation gain! Nevertheless, the hike still kicked my butt. Here is how you get to the second trailhead: Take County Road 7 (South Mineral, just north of Silverton) for 3.6 miles to County Road 10 or 12, I forget, but it's the only other road you can take at 3.6 miles (veer to the right). I do not have a 4 wheel drive vehicle and I made it up this road ok, but it is very rocky so beware. At .80 miles, at the first switchback, is where you will park. There is only room for 5 or so cars, so get there early and don't block the road, obviously. The trailhead is right there, evident yet unmarked. A few minutes into the hike, you will cross a huge waterfall. I'm really glad I learned of the 2nd trailhead because, like I said, it saves you 500 ft in elevation, yet doesn't at all take away from the scenery, enjoyment, or challenge of this hike. Another thing I love about this hike is that you won't see any bikes or vehicles. You really feel like you are far from civilization. Next time I do this hike, I will make the little side trip to Island Lake, which adds on another 30-60 minutes (so I've read). I was simply too exausted to do it this time. But in hindsight, I should have just done it because I was already going to be sore anyway, why not see another beautiful blue lake?! So, the moral of the story is that you must do this hike if you are in southwestern CO. It is the most beautiful hike I've evern done.

This is nature @ its best. This trail is worth the steepness. Take lots of water and maybe a light lunch. It is gorgeous.

Ice Lakes in Silverton is by far the most beautiful hike I have ever been on. It is somewhat challenging, but the views are well worth it. If you make it to the lower lake, take a break and then keep on going. It's well worth the extra time it takes to make it to the top-30-45 minutes. Silverton is my favorite town in Colorado, also. Try camping at Molas Lake, hanging out in town for a day, enjoying the best that Colorado has to offer.

Don't need a 4wheel drive to get to this trail head. The trail is well marked. The hike is moderate and good for all ages. If you want to get into the middle of the mountains quickly this is a good trail to take. Pack a lunch and bring a camera it is beautiful.

We visited toward the tail end of the season last year at the end of September. The hike up to the basin and lakes is steep, but the distance is manageable and the payoff is absolutely worth it. We hiked up on a Friday afternoon after work and only had to share the basin with a few other parties. We beat the day-hiker crowd up to the lakes, but even at it's busiest there is plenty of room to explore without feeling crowded. I could go on and on about the beauty of this place, but out of the 47 states I've visited Colorado is right at the top of the list, and Ice Lakes is a worthy destination if you want to get away from the front range and off the beaten path a bit.

Ice Lakes is one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever been on. Beautiful wildflowers, streams, waterfalls, meadows and a gorgeous teal green lake at the top surrounded by mountains. If you want to cut off 1 mile, go to the upper trailhead. You won't regret doing this awesome hike!

There are no real signs to the trail. You must turn into the mineral creek camp ground, the road is #585, and drive until you see a switchback/road labeled clear lake. You need a four wheel drive to access this road. Stop at first major switch back and park on the elbow of the road. This cuts off 500 feet of elevation or half mile of hiking. Trust me you need this help. Elevation starts at 9800 and tops off at 12260. Trail is straight ahead and walk to the right. Take water and snack or lunch to regain your energy for your return trip. This hike is strenuous if you are not physically fit. It is a 2.2 mile to lower basin an additional nasty mile to reach upper ice lake. The last mile is all up hill with many switch backs. You start in timber and work your way beyond timberline, so bring a jacket/rain poncho. Most likely to rain in afternoon. Wild flowers all over, water falls are plentiful with great views of the mountains. When you reach to top it is sooooo worth it. The lake is feed by a glacier which creates a beautiful blue color. Only a few in the state of Colorado let alone the country. This was a bucket list for me and my husband.

So scenic you just can't beat it, great hiking trail but very vertical

This is what living in the mountains is all about. BEAUTY!!! 4-wheel as close as you can get then hike the rest of the way it's well worth it if you can take the altitude.

About as beautiful as it gets. Picture the finest of the Rockies and that's the Ice Lake area, surrounded by 14,000 peaks