Isabelle Glacier - 8.75 Miles Round-Trip

Isabelle Glacier lies in a saddle between Apache (13,441') and Shoshoni (12,967') peaks in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. The short hike to Lake Isabelle is one of the area's most popular, however crowds thin on the rugged trek up-valley to its glacial origin. Isabelle Glacier is one of 14 officially named glaciers in the Colorado Front Range.

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Visitors will enjoy stunning alpine landscapes and a chance to explore the glacier on this highly rated trail:

A level path follows the north shore of Long Lake to the first of two connections with the Jean Lunning Trail (.2 miles : 10,524'). It undulates past a second Jean Lunning connection (1.2 miles : 10,674') to a clearing with a glimpse up-valley (1.6 miles : 10,716').

The trail steepens in a thinning forest to the Pawnee Pass Trail split (2.1 miles : 10,892'), and continues around a talus field on Isabelle Lake's north shore to its west inlet (2.4 miles).

The trail scales Isabelle's inlet falls to an alpine bench in the center valley (2.9 miles : 11,083'), followed by a similar push to a second (3.15 miles : 11,273'). The landscape opens with a revealing look at Isabelle in the northwest corner of the valley. Note that a smaller, unnamed glacier lies beneath Navajo Peak's 13,409' summit to the south.

Remain vigilant as the trail bends sharply south across the valley and loses clarity through marsh, willow, ponds and streams (3.2 miles : 11,295').

Conditions improve once on the valley's south side (3.45 miles : 11,360'), twisting steeply past treeline to a third bench at the foot of a glacial tarn (3.75 miles : 11,460').

The trail - now a rugged, uneven talus route marked sparingly by cairns - hugs the tarn's north side to a misty cascade (3.95 miles : 11,560').

Here it turns sharply north on a series of rugged, tightly-wound switchbacks; pay close attention to cairns, as the designated route offers the best footing through this terrain. The grade moderates and bends west on the final approach (4.2 miles : 11,915').

A direct, intuitive scramble negotiates the last talus field to Isabelle Glacier (4.35 miles : 12,025') . From these heights you'll enjoy up-close views of Navajo, Apache and Shoshoni peaks, and the finely sculpted rock pinnacles between them.

You can explore the glacier itself, though caution and light treading is a must on these unpredictable and occasionally unstable surfaces. A small tarn (snow covered and iced-over much of the year) lies below the glacier, an interesting excursion if conditions permit.