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- Length:
- 1.6 miles (out and back)
- Difficulty:
- Easy
- Trailhead:
- Peaks (39.56899, -106.09965)
- Why we love it:
- Bump elbows with locals at this easy-access spot, just blocks from downtown.
- When to go:
- Year-round; foliage peaks in late September, and the path is snowpacked by December.
- Pre-hike fuel:
- Try a chopped brisket and curly fry breakfast burrito from Wildflower BBQ for on-the-go noshing, or sit down for a feast of biscuits and gravy and frittatas at Butterhorn Bakery.
- Post-hike buzz:
- Highside Brewing’s dog-friendly Frisco outpost is a laid-back spot for lagers, sours, and IPAs.
- Restrooms:
- Find portable toilets at the trailhead.
- Dogs:
- Allowed on leash
Minutes from Frisco’s buzzing Main Street, Rainbow Lake is where moose munch on grasses and locals snap pics of quaking aspens reflected on glassy alpine water. The path is mostly flat, gaining just 170 feet in elevation over 0.8 miles (with options to extend), and features multiple boardwalk crossings. If you have an hour to burn (while waiting out traffic, say), pack a hammock and pass the time by this placid, wooded lake.
To reach Rainbow Lake, begin at the Peaks trailhead, which is snugged into a little neighborhood on the southwest side of town. (Tip: Arrive before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m. for the best chance of nabbing a spot in this popular free lot.)
From there, head east on the well-marked Peaks Trail. The mellow path zigzags across wetlands in a forest of lodgepole pines before gently ascending into a tall aspen grove. Nab peekaboo views of Peak 1 and Mt. Royal to the west as you maneuver rock-studded sections and creeks (manageable for small pups and young kiddos with a little hand-holding). Keep your eyes peeled for moose.
Pass signs for Hattie’s Trail and Bill’s Ranch Trail, continuing east past piles of downed fire-mitigation trees. Near mile 0.8, come up on a clearing in the trees, revealing petite Rainbow Lake. A narrow dirt footpath encircles the tarn, perfect for exploring its shores.
Retrace your steps on the return, or follow the Peaks Trail to the east side of the lake and down to Miners Creek Road, which links up with the Ten Mile Rec Path. Follow it west through town and back to your car.
Read More: Hike We Like: Mt. Royal in Frisco
Getting there: From Denver, take I-70 west to Exit 201 for W. Main St. toward Frisco. Cross under the highway and go roughly 0.7 miles to 2nd Ave. Turn right and take it to its terminus. The trailhead is at the end of S. Cabin Green.
Read more: Our Favorite Close-to-Home Hikes
