Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests · Colorado

Pawnee Pass

7.8 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 907 · trail class 2 · typical grade 12-20% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, bike · seasonal: hiking 06/01-10/31

Trailhead Long Lake Trailhead Drive there

Long Lake Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

Day Use Area (Passenger Vehicle) Per vehicle, per day $16<br /> Day Use Area (Up to 15-Person Van) Per vehicle, per day $38<br /> Day Use Area (Bus) Per vehicle, per day $61<br /> Day Use Area (Motorcycles) Per vehicle, per day&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;$9<br /> Day Use Area (Cyclists &amp; Pedestrian Access) Per person, per day $0

One of the most popular trailheads on the Boulder Ranger District, Long Lake Trailhead is located at the west end of the Brainard Lake Recreation Area . Parking is available for 30 vehicles. In the summer, hosts are available to answer questions. This trailhead provides access to Pawnee Pass, Jean Lunning, and Isabelle Glacier trails within the Indian Peaks Wilderness .

Visitors that hike trails leading west from the Long Lake or Mitchell Lake Trailhead, are responsible for following all Indian Peaks Wilderness regulations and permit requirements!

COTREX Map

Trailhead Map

Crater Lake Designated Campsite Map

This trailhead is open seasonally. For current information on road openings and closures, check the Road Status Table .

Restrictions <ul><li><strong>Prohibited:</strong> Pack animals (horses/llamas); recreational shooting (except for legal hunting) and being on trails posted as closed.</li><li><strong>Brainard Lake Recreation Area Summer Season</strong> (May 1 - Nov 14): Dogs must be on a hand-held leash at all times;&nbsp;when open, developed camping is only allowed&nbsp;at Pawnee Campground&nbsp;(no camping in&nbsp;closed campgrounds); dispersed camping is only allowed north of the South St Vrain Creek.</li><li><strong>Brainard Lake Recreation Area Winter Season</strong> (Nov 15 - Apr 30): Motorized vehicles are prohibited; dogs allowed only on the Brainard Lake and Lefthand Park Reservoir Roads; camping is prohibited within 1/4 mile of developed recreation sites except Red Rock Lake; skis only on Little Raven and CMC Ski Trail.</li><li>Practice <a href="http://lnt.org/why/7-principles/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhsvkoYej7AIVjYTICh2FQgqwEAAYASABEgK3nvD_BwE">Leave No Trace principles.</a></li></ul><strong>Fishing and Hunting:</strong> Permitted in accordance&nbsp;with regulations established by Colorado Parks &amp; Wildlife.

Accessibility <p>Due to its high elevation, the Brainard area is not generally snow-free until July. The seasonally-open Brainard Lake Road typically opens in late June and closes mid-October.</p>

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

All 460 trails in Arapaho and Roosevelt National ForestsFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.