Trip
Hiking – Island Lake Hike in the Rawah Wilderness
This will be a challenging out and back 14.5 mile hike to Island Lake in the Rawah Wilderness area. The Rawahs are an unsung corner of wilderness in northern Colorado. The trip is rated as challenging due to the total length and elevation gain of the hike.
- Wed, Aug 6, 2025
- Northern Colorado
- Hiking
- Adults
- Challenging
- Mileage: 14.5 mi
- Elevation Gain: 2,700 ft
- 5 (10 capacity)
- FULL (2 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
This hike will begin and end at the West Branch trailhead along Laramie River Road. We will hike along the West Branch Trail about 7 miles to Island Lake. We may also hike the additional 1/4 mile to Carey Lake. The trail begins along the road for a hundred yards before diving into thick willows heading west along the creek. The trail then arrives at a bridge which marks the start of the more narrow, uphill and root-strewn section which we can expect for the duration of the hike. The grade isn't bad, but it is sustained and some switchback sections can be tough. The tree cover and undergrowth make for a very pleasant hike and provides much appreciated for shade. The higher in elevation we get, the more frequent the meadow crossings with views of the peaks to the west. The creek is an ever-present with easy access for filterable water. There are a few water crossings with logs to assist in deeper creek crossings. The last mile of the trail, the grade kicks it up a notch as we get above timberline. The trail peters out at the end and will travel off-trail to the lake. The plan will be to stop along the way for clothing adjustments, snack breaks, etc. I would like to have our lunch break at the lake. After lunch and enjoying the views, we will follow our route back to the trailhead. When we hiked this area in mid July, the wild flowers were spectacular!!
If anyone has any questions about the hike, please feel free to phone/text me at 970-222-3398 or email me at trout.bill@gmail.com.
We will meet on the NW corner of King Soopers parking lot on North College Avenue. We will leave promptly at 5am. Ride share will be $12 per person.
Required Equipment
Everyone need to have their 10 essentials with them. Also recommended are rain jacket, gloves, and a light insulation layer. Thunderstorms can roll in most every afternoon and the temperature can drop quickly in the high country. I would also recommend trekking poles. They will be very useful for stream crossings. Each person should also have 2 liters of water, lunch and snacks. Mosquitos can be persistent, so bug spray, etc may come in handy. I spray a long sleeve shirt with permethrin and slip it on if they get annoying. And don't forget sunscreen.