Bucket List Hike: Ice Lake Basin & Island Lake (Silverton, CO)

Hiking Ice Lake Basin, just outside Silverton, Colorado, has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. If you’ve ever seen photos of the area, the images just stick with you. Ice Lake Basin and its sister lake, Island Lake, which is just a bit further up the trail, are true SW Colorado gems and worth every bit of effort that it takes to reach them. In fact, when I was doing my research for the hike, one reviewer said, “5 stars is not enough.” I couldn’t agree more. It is everything that I love about Colorado all packed into one amazing day hike.

First off, The water at Ice Lake Basin is truly an indescribable cobalt blue, while Island Lake is an equally stunning turquoise blue. The trails leading to both lakes are littered with endless views of alpine wildflowers if timed correctly. I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the Colorado Blue Columbines! They went on for as far as I could see. I have never seen so many columbines in one place! It was magical. As if that wasn’t enough, the mountain views, waterfalls, rivers, and streams are like icing on the cake. If you want a hike that packs in the jaw-dropping scenery the entire way, not just at the end, this is definitely a good one!

There’s a lot of information already out there about Ice Lake Basin and Island Lake, but I wanted to share a piece of our adventure with you. So, don’t miss all the photos at the bottom of this post! The rest of this post is just to help answer some common questions that you may have while planning your hike/visit and give you some insights based on our experience. Blessings, my friends!

The Nitty Gritty:

Ice Lake Basin and Island Lake are located in the San Juan National Forest. The trailhead is just outside Silverton, CO (southwest Colorado). We chose the out and back option, not the loop option. Out and back, the hike to Ice Lake Basin is a 7 to 7 1/2 mile roundtrip, not including Island Lake. Island Lake is just over 1/2 mile further up the trail. Ice Lake Basin is rated as “hard” or “difficult.” Want to see recent hiker reviews? Click here to visit alltrails.com. You’ll start out close to 9,850′ elevation at the trailhead and end up close to 12,275′ at Ice Lake Basin or just under 12,400′ at Island Lake. It’s a heavily trafficked and popular trail due to its abundance of wildflowers, waterfalls, and mountain scenery and of course, the stunning lakes!

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. When should I go if I want to see all the wildflowers?
2. How difficult is the hike?
3. Why is the water so blue?
4. Is the extra hike to Island Lake really worth it?
5. How do I get to the trailhead?
6. Where can I camp?
7. What time of day should I start and how many hours should I plan to spend on the trail?
8. I’m confused…is it a loop trail or an out-and-back trail? Why is the mileage different on different sites?
9. Do you have any extra tips, insights, or notes for our hike/visit?

Below are our own personal insights and tips regarding the frequently asked questions above. These insights are based on our experience with this hike, but do not reflect anything other than personal opinions. Please be safe out there and take appropriate steps and precautions to ensure that you are physically able and prepared for this hike.

All of the photos included in this blog post were taken by the author.

1. When should I go if I want to see all the wildflowers?

When I finally had the chance to go, it happened to be a year where Colorado was feeling the effects of a very heavy winter. Most high mountain trails were unusually delayed in opening. Snow and avalanche debris was on the trails even in late July and early August. We were supposed to use this hike as our annual “Ladies Weekend Hiking Trip,” but the plans kept shifting due to all of the snow delays. By the time we could finally nail down a date, only two of us were left that could swing it. So, of course, we decided to bring the entire family and our husband’s did the hike too (on a different day). All this is to say that there are so many factors that affect the when to go question.

God blessed us with the most glorious views on our trip, but the best time of year to go changes annually. Typically, wildflower season in the high mountains is late July to mid-August, but this can change based on winter snowpack, moisture levels, and so on. It has been rumored that this trail does not even open until July. That is a bit misleading. Again, it depends on how heavy of a winter the high mountains experienced and how accessible the road and trail to Ice Lake Basin are. We went in mid-August and it was glorious, but if the snowpack was light the winter before your hike, I would suggest a mid-to-late July trip for more wildflowers.

A few additional notes about when to go… If you go early in the season, please be cautious. You can get yourself in a situation where you encounter deep snowpack, ice, or even a freak spring snowstorm. If you go during the summer, we often have early afternoon storms that blow through fast and furious and you can be caught in lightning, hail, or rain while on the mountain. It’s recommended that you peak before noon. Always check the weather forecast before you head out because weather in the San Juans can change rapidly.

2. How difficult is the hike?

Keep in mind that (in my opinion) this hike is absolutely worth every bit of effort that it requires. That said, I won’t lie. The hike is difficult. It’s strenuous and long. At times, it feels like you’re literally hiking uphill for 3.5 miles. Towards the end, you’re exhausted and your legs are tired. If you’re from lower elevations, you’re probably fighting a little altitude adjustment too. Even being from this area, we found ourselves short of breath at the end of the trail and taking many breaks. That said, you are rewarded along the entire trail with glorious views, so you have plenty of excuses for photo breaks. Take them! You won’t regret it.

Tip: There are some narrow and/or rocky parts of the trail, plus a log bridge crossing and a creek crossing, so bring poles if you have them. The basin can be a bit chilly, so pack some extra layers for when you want to sit and enjoy the lake.

3. Why is the water so blue?

Borrowed from Spencer McKee at outtherecolorado.com: “In fact, these lakes are so blue because of the presence of something floating in the water. As the warmer months hit, glaciers melt, thus filling these pools with their water. With this glacial melt comes something called glacial flour. It’s basically finely ground rock. Unlike other objects that make their way into the lake water, this glacial flour is so light that it doesn’t sink. Instead, it stays suspended in the liquid, most clearly visible near the surface. These particles distort the wavelengths of lights that hit the lake, reflecting visible hues that fall in the blueish-green end of the spectrum.” Read more about that here: https://www.outtherecolorado.com/what-makes-mountain-lakes-so-blue/

4. Is the extra hike to Island Lake really worth it?

Yes, yes, and yes! Provided that weather is not a limiting factor, and that you are physically able to make the trip, this lake is absolutely stunning and 100% worth the extra effort. We were exhausted by the time we made it to Ice Lake Basin, but we knew that we couldn’t put in all that work and not see Island Lake too. We have zero regrets about making the extra haul. Not only is it absolutely beautiful, but when we visited, it was so quiet. Ice Lake Basin is typically packed with visitors, but many of them never venture up the trail to Island Lake. We almost had the lake to ourselves, with only 3-5 other visitors there the entire time. It was peaceful and stunning, and almost surreal. So let me say it louder for those in the back… make the extra haul to Island Lake! You won’t regret it!

5. How do I get to the trailhead?

Finding the trailhead for this hike is surprisingly easy! It’s literally located opposite South Mineral Campground on County Road 7 in Silverton, CO. Once you exit Hwy. 550 onto County Road 7, you’ll travel 4.4 miles to the trailhead parking lot (right side of road) and South Mineral Campground (left side of road). During summer months, the road is easily passable with a 2WD vehicle.

Tip: The trailhead parking area for this hike fills up early! Think 6-7am early, based on our experience. South Mineral Campground (across the road) is a pay-to-stay campground and does not allow for extra overflow trail parking, so you’ll typically see cars parked down the side of the road for a very long distance. If you want to avoid a long walk to the trailhead from your parking spot, go extra early.

6. Where can I camp?

There are several campgrounds on County Road 7, as well as dispersed camping areas. All of the photos below were taken from our time spent camping along County Road 7. Not only is the location stunning, but there’s a peaceful river that flows right by you and you can’t beat the ease of access to the trailhead the next morning!

7. What time of day should I start and how many hours should I plan to spend on the trail?

We recommend an early start for two reasons… 1) The trailhead parking lot fills up really early! (see #5 above) … and… 2) You’ll want to avoid being at or near the summit if one of our afternoon thunderstorms rolls in. These storms are pretty common during summer months. A lot of people plan to hit the trail between 6am and 7am.

Before our trek up this trail, we had an idea as to how long it would take us to get up and down, based on the mileage. What we failed to consider was that the difficulty level, paired with the jaw-dropping scenery that screamed “photograph me,” would cause our trip to be a lot longer than anticipated. This seems to be a pretty common occurrence on this trail. You’ll find reviewers that took anywhere from 5 hours to 8 hours (or more) to make the trek up and down. So, if you’re like us and you love to soak up the experience and the scenery, take breaks, take lots of photos, and relax for a while at the top, give yourself some extra time in your “plan.” It’s not an easy hike and you deserve a break. And, take the photos! You’ll be glad you did!

8. I’m confused… is it a loop trail or an out-and-back trail? Why is the mileage different on different sites?

Both! There’s a loop on this trail that will take you to three different lakes. That is why you’ll find that sites like alltrails.com may have mileage totals that differ from what you have heard elsewhere. So, before your hike, take some time and explore your options regarding ways to navigate the trails so that you know what to do before you get there. Once you figure out the route you want to take, the trails are very easy to follow. As for us, we did more of an out-and-back style trail approach. We hiked to Ice Lake Basin, took the side trail to Island Lake, and then turned around and followed the exact same trail all the way back to the trailhead.

9. Do you have any extra tips, insights, or notes for our hike/visit?

There are lots of tips throughout this post, but here are some of my favorite from our experience with the hike:

• As always, check the weather forecast and trail conditions before you head out.
• Get an early start to avoid afternoon storms or restricted parking.
• Pack lots of water!
• Bring hiking poles to help with slippery, narrow, or rocky regions of the trail, plus the log bridge crossing and creek crossing.
• Waterproof shoes – they will get wet!
• Bring extra layers. You may be very warm while hiking, but Ice Lake Basin can be a bit chilly.
• Bring plenty of snacks! This hike is strenuous and you will work up an appetite!
• The grade/climb on this hike is difficult. Make sure you are prepared for all of the physical aspects of this hike, including the changes in altitude.
• Watch out for lightning. According to the US National Weather Service, “Lightning kills 20 or more people in the United States each year, and hundreds more are severely injured.” Lightning is especially dangerous in the high country where hikers are more exposed. Please be careful!
• This is a heavily trafficked trail, so be courteous, as always.
• Practice “leave no trace” and “stay on the trail” please.
• Oh… and pack a small Colorado or USA flag! We had lots of fun taking photos with it!

While you’re here, drop into Silverton for some coffee at the Coffee Bear! Silverton is a very charming little community that has roots dating back to the 1800’s and a population of less than 1,000 people. You’ll find great little mom-and-pop restaurants, ice cream shops, souvenir shops, and more! If you’re really lucky, you’ll be in town when the famous Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train rolls in (right downtown)! The absolute best part about Silverton is that the hospitality of the residents make any visitor feel right at home! So don’t miss visiting this great little town!

Additional Photos From Our Trip:

…and one last photo from the trail, paired with some inspiration…

Blessings, My Friends!

Please drop us a comment and let us know how your hike went!

We love hearing from you!