Brainard Lake Recreation Area

Brainard Lake lies at about 10,300 feet in a glacially carved valley west of Ward, ringed by subalpine forest below the high peaks of the Continental Divide. Red Rock Lake, picnic sites, Pawnee Campground and the upper trailheads, near 10,500 feet, line the same road.

From Highway 72 at Ward, Brainard Lake Road runs 2.5 miles to the Brainard Gateway Trailhead, open year-round, and two more to the lake. Its gate is open about mid-June to mid-October; the upper trailheads open after the snow melts in July. Each vehicle parked inside needs a timed-entry reservation from Recreation.gov. Motor vehicles are prohibited inside from November 15 to April 30, and cell coverage is poor.

The Long Lake and Mitchell Lake trailheads lead into the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Plan to work outside it: commercial filming proposals there get additional Forest Service review, and drones cannot take off or land.

The USDA Forest Service’s Boulder Ranger District manages the area. Email SM.FS.ARPLands@usda.gov with dates, details and locations; the forest will determine whether a permit is required. No lead time is published. Coordinate commercial drone use with its fire aviation group.