City: Boulder, CO

Category: Parks & Recreation

Description: Many national forest summer hiking trails are used for cross-country skiing in the winter. For absolute beginners who want no hills or spills, the Brainard Lake Road offers nearly level terrain to the lake with no surprises and great scenery. Just follow the road up past the closure—2.2 miles to the lake.Left Hand Reservoir at Brainard Lake is more challenging, but the wide trail offers plenty of margin for error. Begin on the south side of the Brainard Road below the gate closure and follow the trail signs up a roadbed about 2 miles to the reservoir. There are thrilling downhill runs back on the wide trail.The Colorado Mountain Club South Trail begins on the south side of Brainard Road 50 yards west of the closure gate and is a bit longer and narrower through wooded areas. Climb a short hill and ski the rolling 2.5 miles to Brainard Lake.For intermediate to advanced skiers comfortable on narrow, steep hills and turns, there’s the Waldrop North Trail, about 5.5 miles round-trip, accessible just north of the closure.Buchanan Pass Trail begins at the curve on Highway 72 (5.8 miles north of Ward) at Peaceful Valley. Follow the trail on the north side of the creek west of Camp Dick campground. An 11-mile loop can be made by returning on the Middle St. Vrain four-wheel-drive road (some snowmobiles), but you can ski whatever distance you like.The Sourdough Trail is 17.5 miles long but has different segments at various trailheads. From Camp Dick Campground to Beaver Reservoir, it’s 2.3 miles. From Beaver Reservoir to Brainard Road, it’s 7.4 miles, and from Brainard Road to Rainbow Lakes Road, 7.8 miles. The trail was built mainly for ski touring and mountain biking, and is pleasant rolling terrain though the pines. All accesses to the various connections to the Sourdough Trail are on the Peak to Peak Highway (Highway 72), west of Nederland. Camp Dick Campground is on Middle St. Vrain Road, 5.8 miles north of Ward and 0.5 mile west of Peaceful Valley. One Sourdough trailhead is on the left-hand side of CR 96 just east of Beaver Reservoir, 2.5 miles north of Ward and 2 miles west on CR 96. Another Sourdough trailhead is on the right side of Rainbow Lakes Road (CR 116), 4.7 miles south of Ward (7 miles north of Nederland) and 0.4 mile west on CR 116. The Red Rock trailhead is on the right side of CR 102, just east of Red Rock Lake, 2.5 miles west on Brainard Lake Road.