Isabelle Glacier Out and Back

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Past lakes, rivers, and ending at a glacier, this hike is an all-around epic day out. The parking is crowded most of the year, but if you can snag a permitted entry, this hike is well worth the effort. This is a great place to see wildflowers and fall colors, depending on the time of year.

Parking reservations are required in spring through autumn. recreation.gov/timed-entry/…

From the Long Lake trailhead, head out on Pawnee Pass Trail past Long Lake. The trail is generally mellow grade for the first couple of miles. There is a little bit of a climb as you reach Lake Isabelle, but it levels out as you travel along the shore.

Head up past the shoreline and up the rocky alpine meadow. There is a small tarn below the final push to the glacier. It might be pretty strenuous getting up there, but hiking by what is left of this small glacier is a really cool experience. From here, you can head back the way you came.

However, if you are ready for a bit more adventure, take Airplane Gully Route to reach the ridge and have some more views. This is the only reasonable passage to ascend to Niwot Ridge. The gully is a steep 500 feet of loose rock and scree. After picking your way up this gully, you are rewarded with the wreckage of a small plane—the debris is all over the place. Soon after, you finally arrive at the ridge crest of Niwot Ridge, and you get a good view of Arikaree Peak, nestled within the state property of the Boulder Watershed.