Rainbow Lake Snowshoe

Distance: 3.3 miles round trip
Elevation: 9, 160 ft
Elevation Gain: nominal
Dogs: On leash on the bike path, off leash thereafter

Rainbow Lake on less than stellar day

Rainbow Lake near Frisco Colorado is pleasant winter jaunt to a frozen lake. The trail starts out at the parking area for the Frisco bike path, which consists of the first part of the route.

Leaving the parking lot and heading to the bike path

Walking along the snow-filled bike path

One house had filled its back yard with interesting cairns

Along the bike path you pass nice homes, some with unique decorations. At 0.41 miles is the trailhead for Mt. Royal and Masontown. At 0.75 miles is a large parking area with a sign for Zach's Stop. Turn in here and look for the brown Rainbow Lakes trail sign.

Standing in the Zach's Stop parking area. Note the brown trail sign.

A typical trail segment in the Aspens

Coming into Rainbow Lake

From this point, the trail wanders through willows and Aspens until it reaches the lake after a short rise.

Twisted roots in the snow

Heading back out

Passing a small stream with ice

On this trip, the weather was brutal with high winds, blowing snow, and overcast skies. Our motivation was to get the dogs out and anything above treeline on such a day would have been most unpleasant. I need to return and try this trail again on a nicer day.

Heading back through the willows