Welcome, friends, to the most spectacular area of Colorado that I have laid eyes on in my year and a half living in state! If you’re like me, you’ve landed in Silverton for its famed natural beauty, and you’re determined to take advantage of it to the fullest in the time that you’re here. If you’re unsure where to begin, allow me to be of some assistance.
I am a huge hiking fanatic, so upon arriving at The Avon for a long holiday weekend, having never been to the San Juan Mountains before, I promptly scoured the internet for the “best hike near Silverton, Colorado.” And when I say that I scoured the internet, I mean I came across a description for Ice Lake Basin Trail and was immediately sold. The reviews were stellar, the photos spectacular, it was the perfect length at about 8.5 miles, and according to Google Maps, it was only an 18-minute drive from the historic hotel.
Early the next morning, free coffee in hand (thank you, Avon angels!), I plugged the coordinates into my GPS and headed for the trailhead. I was a tad nervous, as I have a small, non-four-wheel drive car and a description of the road to the trailhead that I came across let me warned me that I’d have to take a dirt road for a few miles to get there. In Colorado, you never know if a dirt road is going to be a simple, straightforward dirt road or one full of divots and boulders. My car does not do well with divots and boulders. Luckily, this one is mild, easy to drive on, and incredibly picturesque. I had to park about a quarter mile down from the trailhead as the parking area was packed to the brim with cars by the time I arrived at 8:30 am, but it was a pleasant walk and allowed my legs to warm up a little before beginning the ascent up the mountain.
Immediately upon beginning the hike, two things became clear. First, this hike was going to be no walk in the park. Though switchbacks abound on the climb up, the elevation is no joke. The trailhead begins at an elevation of 9,845 feet, and ascends steeply from there. Second, this trail was not going to disappoint. Vibrant wildflowers framed the dusty trail, and an avalanche stream was visible from a good chunk of the early parts of the trail. (See all those downed trees? I’m told this was from an avalanche over winter).
I’m a strong hiker and in pretty decent shape, but I found myself desperate to take breaks early and often on this hike. Even being used to life at 5,400 feet above sea level living in Boulder, beginning a hike at almost 10,000 feet was an entirely different ballgame. Luckily, there was plenty of scenery to take in on these breaks: waterfalls, meadows, creeks, greenery, wildflowers, peaks…. I locked eyes with a gentleman seated at the top of a particularly steep section of the trail and he chuckled and chuckled as I huffed and puffed my way up, having just been there himself. All in good fun.
The second half of the trail was even more beautiful and interesting than the first. Snow dotted the mountains ahead, Rocky Mountain columbines (the white and lavender state flower of Colorado) popped from the rocks and grass underfoot, the climbs got even steeper, and a couple of brooklets of snow melt passed straight through the trail. Luckily, I had brought my trekking poles, which proved to be tremendously helpful in keeping my balance and avoiding wet feet as I crossed them.
After an arduous climb, I at last reached a flat section of trail, pausing to ask a passerby if I was almost there. He assured me that I was, and pointed me forward in the direction of the lake. Only a short stroll later, I’d finally made it to Lower Ice Lake Basin, arriving at the most dazzlingly blue lake I’d ever seen. The color of sparkling sapphires, it was surrounded by striated mountains encrusted in emerald moss and decorated with bright white snow. It was, in a word, spectacular. I sat staring at the deep blue of the lake, snacking on cherries, and observing, appalled and entertained, as a couple of daredevils jumped into the frigid water for a swim. I layered up as the cool mountain air quickly decreased my core temperature, and headed on my way once I began to shiver. The higher you climb, after all, the colder the air tends to get.
From here, there is an option to visit a second lake—Upper Ice Lake Basin—which I’ve read is just as stunning and surrounded by peaks. If you take this route, you’ll continue to climb on up from Lower Ice Lake Basin, and you can make a loop rather than backtracking here. Personally, I did not have the juice in me to make it to the second lake that day (though something tells me that I’ll return sometime) so I simply made it an out-and-back from the lower lake.
I can honestly tell you that this was one of the most gorgeous hikes I’ve ever been on, and despite the high elevation and steep trail, it was one thousand percent worth the effort. I cannot recommend it enough during your stay at the Avon!
Audrey Payne, Guest Blogger (and an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker, Colorado Resident, and Huge Fan of the Avon Hotel)
Happy hiking, friends. I hope you enjoy your stay at the Avon and in Silverton as much as I did! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to take a look at my hiking and adventuring blog at audrey-adventures.com, and if you hike to Ice Lake Basin and enjoy it, drop me a note and let me know!