lily pad lake

MadcityWIMilwaukee

My wife, sister, and I recently traveled to the Silverthorne area from the low elevations of Wisconsin. Lily Pad Lake was a great first hike in Colorado to help us get acclimated to the elevation and get in better hiking shape for later hikes on the trip. Being able to prepare yourself for longer hikes while also taking in the fresh mountain air and beautiful lake views made for a perfect hike for us. There is still plenty to see to make it worthwhile even for the more experienced hiker. We made this hike on a chilly but beautiful Labor Day and it still was not crowded.

374SarahJ

It took us a while to find this trail, but glad we finally did. Limited parking; popular with families. Enjoyed the wild flowers along the way. Make sure to wear good shoes, as there were several wet areas.

679mikek

This was the first hike we attempted with our 6 and 9 year old kids. It was raining most of our hike, but the trail was still very manageable. The worse part of the hike was the gravel road hill at the beginning. There were a handful of fun bridges and some wonderful creeks along the path. The lakes, flowers, and lily pads were beautiful. The kids really enjoyed the chipmunks at the lakes as they came right up to join us for a snack. A very good hike for a family!

Jen00W

Lily Pad Lake hike is a beautiful hike that is great for young children, and long enough to feel like you have taken a good walk. Flowers, water, pine trees, meadows--and tons of lily pads--it was a perfect family hike.

Indymediatypes

We enjoyed our hike with a teenager and young adult children along. It was beautiful and we saw a moose right off the trail. Great for out-of-towners not used to more difficult hikes. We found it to be about a two hour hike with taking time to enjoy the trail.

tvonruex

First the sad part: I brought the ashes of my best friend here. That's what he asked for. I know why. This is a magical place in the summer and the nature, peace and quiet (and the Lily on the lake of course) will touch you too. When I hikes there last summer, we were surprised to be assaulted by mosquitos - did not expect that, but Colorado had lots of rain - so brings mosquito spray! Don't miss this easy, 1hour hike from the street.

Velophile

We've done this hike several times with our kids, and although the sign at the trail head says it is a 1.32 mile trail (2.6 round trip), our mileage always comes out about a mile longer. Not a big deal, but be prepared for a slightly longer hike, especially if your hiking companions have short legs. The parking area along the road fills up quickly on weekends, so be sure to arrive early to get a decent spot, and to avoid the mid-afternoon thunderstorms that occur so frequently in this part of Colorado. Towards the beginning of the trail, a vast portion of the hillside has been killed to remove trees affected by the pine beetles. While it's not the most pleasant part of the trail, the cutting did open up a great view of Lake Dillon and Keystone. The hike is generally a slow climb, bot nothing steep or technical. There are lots of tree roots and boulders along the trail, so leave the stroller back at the car. In wetter conditions, several parts of the trail can become muddy; embrace the nature and deal with it, rather than creating your own side trails. Dirt washes out most of the time.

880SusanK

Great picnic hike. Beautfiul view. DO BRING BUG REPELLENT. This is a moderate family and dog friendly hike. There are a couple of stream crossings, but nothing dangerous. EAsy parking at the trail head.

Patty35

We love this hike in the winter and the summer. Beautiful vistas, lots of people, awesome little lakes and a great spot for a picnic! We live just down the road and will always enjoy our Lily Pad Lake hikes!

jcrumley

The trail to reach the lake isn't that long or difficult. The views are worth the short hike. There are several lakes or ponds. It's a good place to take the dog. They can romp around on the lake shores or in the water. It would probably be a good place to take kids due to the ease of the trails and short distance. It is a short drive from Denver. You have to drive to Silverthorne, exit on the left side and go up the hill past the Outlet Mall. It makes a good day trip or could be included as part of a tour of one of the many beautiful places to visit.

dclark0437

Very popular hike in Summit County. Can be reached from the Frisco side or the Silverthorne side however the Frisco side has lots of beetle kill trees that are down. The two lakes are very close to each other and you can catch the lily pads blooming if you are there at the right time. Like I said, it is a very popular hike so can be very busy.

vchik

This is termed an easy hike by quidebooks, but I think it's easy only for Coloradoans! Flatlanders will breathe hard in several places. The terrain is rock strewn and there are lots of tree roots, you won't be able to walk this in flip-flops, delicate sandals or with strollers or wheelchairs. We saw plenty of people on the trail, most had children (walking or carrying them on their backs) and or dogs. Our little guy (10 lb Yorkie Mix) was with us, I think he most enjoyed the ducks in the lake and a very curious chipmunk that stopped by to check him out while we eat our lunch. It's been years since I've been hiking in the woods and mountains, I forgot how much I love it. We'll be back.

Thetravelfanatic

This a fairly easy hike, even though rough at times due to roots and rocks on the trail. But that makes it more interesting. The reward is the sight of beaver ponds, wildlife, lodgepole pine and aspen forest, lots of wild flowers, two alpine lakes, and obviously lily pads on one of them. After reaching the lake, instead of returning the same way we decided to continue hiking south, now on the Meadow Creek trail, for a total hike of 3.5 mi. The issue then was going back! The trail info paper we got at our hotel indicated that we would be able to ride the Summit County bus back from the Meadow Creek Trail head to the Lili Pad Trail head, however when we got there there was no sign of bus stop anywhere. Luckily a really good local Samaritan gave us a ride back to our car, which was not a short drive!

ColoradoTallman

Easy to get to, generally flat terrain, and a pretty reward when you get there. Remember to pack it in and pack it out and keep your dog on a leash!

JohnH629

This is supposed to be a very easy hike but I found the trail VERY rough and rock strewn. There is little elevation gain so that is not a problem, though you are up around 10,000' or so. Large swaths of forest have been cleared at the start, I presume for fire mitigation for the Wildernest residential area. Nice for a walk.