Trip
RMOTHG Trip – Arapaho Glacier Trail - Rainbow Lakes TH
WHOOPS, This is a clerical error this is not an actual hike!!! This is a beautiful expansive high altitude hike (11,625' high point) along Caribou Ridge way above the Rainbow Lakes that has great close-up views of Indian Peaks, Boulder Watershed Lakes & more. Please read Leader's Notes below.
Contacts
- Wed, Aug 26, 2026
- Rocky Mountain Over the Hill Gang
- Hiking
- Adults
- Moderate
- Mileage: 8.9 mi
- Elevation Gain: 1,965 ft
- High Point Elevation: 11,890 ft
- Pace: Moderate (1.8 – 2.0 avg moving speed)
- 10 (10 capacity)
- 2 (2 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
I liked this hike enough to do it the week after the original hike! And I really want to get to the top. I'll send out an email with weather and smoke the day before the hike.
The trail is steep in a few places but it is a gradual incline until the last .8 where it gets steeper (the last .8 will be exploratory for me). It has the typical loose rock/root sections. After hiking 2.25 miles, we will have gorgeous views of some of the Indian Peaks as well as the Boulder Watershed Lakes below. (We'll view the Arapaho Glacier from this distance as the actual overlook to the glacier is a 12 mile out-and-back from our TH.)
304 10th Street, Golden - 6:30AM Departure Time (this is the free lot next to the old CMC Headquarters).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xwtBa9SbLHTQuWS46
The Rainbow Lakes trailhead is 5 miles off of the Peak to Peak Highway on CO116. CO116 is a dirt road and has a fair number of potholes. A high clearance vehicle is recommended, but 4WD is not necessary. We'll need two drivers and two NP Senior Passes (I have one).
Required Equipment
Trekking Poles, 10 Essentials