Hiking the Ice & Island Lake Trail in Silverton, Colorado
Distance: 7.7 miles / 12.4 km
Elevation Gain: ~2,700 ft. / 823 m
Located in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, the Ice Lake Trail climbs to two of the most beautiful alpine lakes in the lower 48, outside of Glacier National Park.
That being said, both the Ice Lake and nearby Columbine Lake Trail are treated as sister hikes, with one not being more or less popular than the other.
To this point, both trails are two of the most popular day hikes within the San Juan Mountain Range, which is why I recommend hiking on a weekday over a weekend, especially during the busier summer travel season!
Ice & Island Lake vs. Columbine Lake
I have been fortunate enough to hike both the Ice and Island Lake Trail, as well as the Columbine Lake Trail.
In my opinion, I enjoyed the Columbine Lake Trail a little more because I felt that the hike, as well as the lake itself, was more beautiful.
However, this is just one person’s opinion, and saying this is truly splitting hairs, as both trails are truly stunning!
Read My Separate Post: Columbine Lake Trail
Ice & Island Lake Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Ice Lakes Trailhead is located adjacent to the South Mineral Campground, roughly 4.4 miles (7.1 km) down the dirt road off the Million Dollar Highway.
That being said, the drive should generally be passable for most 2WD vehicles, granted that the road is snow-free.
Google Maps Directions: Ice Lake Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - San Juan Mountains
Obviously, for camping, you will need general backpacking gear. For this reason, I wrote a separate post about what backpacking gear is worth the money, from my experience, and what the best alternatives are to save you money.
Read My Separate Post: Best Ultralight Backpacking Gear
In addition, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in the San Juan Mountains.
Hiking the Ice Lake Trail
Beginning from the Ice Lake Trailhead just below 10,000 ft. (3,048 m), the Ice and Island Lake Trail gains about 2,700 ft. (823 m) to where most turn around at Island Lake, located 3.9 miles (6.3 km) ahead.
After about 2 miles (3.2 km), the Ice Lake Trail climbs above the tree line—which is why it’s important to pack sunscreen and/ or a hooded sun shirt for the hike, especially when there are large snowfields on the ground.
Ice Lake
Then, at about 3.3 miles (5.3 km), the stunning turquoise-blue Ice Lake appears, which is where the Island Lake Trail begins.
Furthermore, there is a small path around Ice Lake, but in my opinion, the lake is most beautiful on the trail side, considering that the far side makes for a great mountain backdrop in photos.
Island Lake Trail
Essentially, the Island Lake Trail is, more or less, a 0.6-mile (1.0 km) extension with another 200 ft. (61 m) of elevation gain of the same Ice Lake Trail.
Island Lake
Typically speaking, Island Lake, at about 3.9 miles (6.3 km), is the end of the hike for most people.
That being said, the trail does continue up and over the mountain to Ophir, or it can be looped back down on the true Island Lake Trail and back to the Ice Lake Trailhead.
If you choose this option, the remaining Island Lake Trail is only 1.0 mile (1.6 km) of hiking on a new trail before joining back with the Ice Lake Trail from the beginning.
All said, there is a lot of snow in my pictures because these were taken at the beginning of October, which is fairly late compared to when most hikers visit during the summer.
Additional Early Season Gear
Depending on the winter snowpack, trails can be covered in snow well into June and even July, making some sections extremely dangerous when they are snowy and icy.
For this reason, micro-spikes may be necessary on the upper elevations of the trail, especially if you plan on hiking late in the season, as these photos show.
I personally use the Yaktrax below.
