If you’re sitting at an office desk, but craving the fresh mountain air, there is a group of mountain lakes and ponds in Colorado calling your name. You can spend your vacation time reveling in hiking, fishing, and camping, surrounded by stunning forests and natural outdoor beauty. The Rainbow Lakes, high in the mountains near Nederland, Colorado, are inside the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, with the Rainbow Lakes Campground right next door. If you’re going for the day, there is a short and easy hike that is family and dog-friendly, according to AllTrails, as well as a longer one for more seasoned hikers. The best part is that it’s just an hour drive from Boulder.
Whether you’re doing a day hike or staying at the campground, you can try your hand at fishing in the Rainbow Lakes. In fact, AllTrails lists the Rainbow Lakes Trail as one of the best fishing trails in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. One Redditor on an r/coloradohikers thread mentions catching a brook trout. Another says they hooked golden, brook, brown, and rainbow trout. Make sure you have a current Colorado fishing license, which you can get on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website. Before your hiking, fishing, or camping experience, pick up supplies in the nearby town of Nederland, at places like the Mountain Man Outdoor Store, which has new and used gear. You can also hit up The Market at Nederland for groceries.
Camping near Colorado’s Rainbow Lakes
If you want to stay overnight in this idyllic part of the Colorado wilderness, you can do so at Rainbow Lakes Campground. There are 18 sites, and they’re first-come, first-served. Each site has a 14′ x 16′ tent pad, and you can also bring a small trailer. Most sites can host up to eight people, though site #8 is large enough for 15. The campground is seasonal, and opens mid-June, staying open until mid-September.
The fee station is on the east side of the campground near the toilets. There is information at the trailhead about the area and what to watch out for. The road into the campsite (and the Rainbow Lakes Trail) is pretty rough, and a 4WD, high-clearance vehicle is recommended. This campground is a rustic one, with no drinking water access, so bring enough with you for all your needs. There are no showers, electricity, hook-ups, or dump stations. However, they do have picnic tables, vault toilets, trash services, and fire grates. You can bring your pup along with you, as long as they’re on a leash…