Brainard Cabin

Please view this document with everything you need to know about Indian Peaks Wilderness

The Boulder Group of the Colorado Mountain Club built the Brainard Cabin in 1928. The cabin is located at 10,405 feet in the busy, beautiful Brainard Lake Recreation Area of Roosevelt National Forest. The cabin provides an easy access to the eastern portion of the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, including Long, Isabelle, Mitchell, and Blue Lakes, as well as Mt. Audubon, Mt. Toll, Pawnee and several other peaks. The cabin requires hundreds of hours of volunteer effort to maintain. Please consider participating in the annual work party in September or other work days throughout the year.

Day Hosting

From about 10:00 to 2:30 on most weekends through the winter (mid-December to mid-April), the cabin is open for visitors to warm up and enjoy some hot cocoa. We ask everyone to sign the guest register and leave a $1 donation per person to help cover supplies. The cabin is hosted by volunteers who do their best to make sure the cabin is prepped for visitors. Visitors should abide by the same rules that we all follow to make shared time spent in a shared space pleasurable for everyone. Except in dire circumstances, outside of the "day-hosted" hours in the middle of the day, please respect the privacy of those who have made overnight reservations.

Overnight Reservations & Costs

2025-26 rates are listed here:

CMC member: $20 per person per night
Non-CMC member: $35 per person per night
Children (under 13) are half-price

The cabin may be reserved for overnight use by multiple groups, up to a total of 12 people. While you do not need to be a member of the CMC to reserve spots, at least one member of each group making reservations must be a Qualified User. To become a Qualified User you need to complete a training session (see below). Responsibility for the cabin, its contents, and party members, rests with the person who is issued the combination to the locks. Because of its proximity to the road, the cabin is vulnerable to vandalism and theft. Please keep the shutters closed and the door locked when you are not there. The cabin is supplied with the basic necessities; users need only to bring food, sleeping bags, and flashlights. (For the really light traveler, wool blankets & pillows are available at the cabin.)

The current Brainard Cabin reservation calendar can be viewed at any time, shows the current number of reserved spots, and is updated daily. Overnight costs are shown above. To get CMC discount pricing, supply your CMC membership number with your reservation request. To reserve spots in the cabin, please fill out the web based Reservation Request Form or send an email request to the Reservations Coordinator. 

Once the Reservations Coordinator has verified that you are a Qualified User (have been trained on cabin use), you will receive an email request for payment via PayPal. Payment may be made with any major credit or debit card. Payment is due within three days to hold your spots, regardless of whether you are a CMC member, staff member, or nonmember.

Once payment is received, your name and the number of people in your party will be added to the calendar. Except in extraordinary circumstances, there are no refunds. Regardless of the timing, if you cannot use all of the spots you've reserved, please let us know so that we don't report you as missing and so that others may enjoy the cabin. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE use the checklist in the Cabin Guide to be sure you close the cabin up properly when you leave. 

For more information go to: https://www.cmcboulder.org/brainard-cabin

• Seasons: Year-round
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Land Manager: U.S. Forest Service
• Parking Permit Required: Other
• Recommended Party Size: 12
• Maximum Party Size: 12
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12