Mitchell Lake Hike at Brainard Lake

Mitchell Lake Overview

Mitchell Lake is one of several lakes you can hike to inside Brainard Lake Recreation area. Only about one mile from the trailhead, and with less than 300 feet of elevation gain, the hike to Mitchell Lake is easy and enjoyable.

Mitchell Lake Hike : Before You Go

As part of Brainard Lake Recreation area, there are two things you will need to purchase before you’re able to hike to Mitchell Lake:

Timed Entry Parking Reservation ($2). Make your reservation online here: timed reservation for Brainard Lake Recreation Area. There are several different parking lots to choose from at Brainard Lake, but the most convenient option for this hike is Mitchell Lake Trailhead – Day Use Parking. The timed slots to choose from are: 5AM-8AM, 8AM-11AM, 11AM-2PM, 2PM-5PM, and 5PM-8PM. You must arrive within the window of time you select.

You’ll need to plan ahead for this, as the timed entry parking reservations are sold online in advance. The first batch of parking reservations is released at the end of May, and the second/final batch is released 15 days ahead of time (both at 8am). If you’re trying to make your reservation 15 days in advance like I did, it’s best to hop on right at 8am because they do go quickly (unless you’re ok with the 5-8PM slot which isn’t quite as popular)!

If Mitchell Lake Trailhead parking is full, you can try to snag a reservation at one of the other lots. Just be sure to factor in the extra distance you’ll be walking. The main Brainard Lake lot has more availability, but it is about a mile away from Mitchell Lake trailhead.

Entrance fee to Brainard Lake ($14/car). After you select a timed entry parking reservation, the booking system will automatically add the $14 entrance fee required to enter the main gate at Brainard Lake Recreation area.

If you have an annual America the Beautiful pass, that will cover the $14 fee. While checking out, be sure to click “add a pass” under the heading “Apply a Pass.” There you can select from a number of Interagency Annual/Lifetime Passes (and then make sure to bring your pass to show the ranger once you arrive at the entrance station).

Getting to Mitchell Lake

Use the map below to find directions from your location to Brainard Lake Recreation area. Once you get to Brainard Lake, head to whatever parking lot you were able to get a reservation for. I added orange markers to identify the four parking lot options at Brainard Lake:

Here is the Mitchell Lake parking lot/trailhead:

Hiking to Mitchell Lake

The hike begins in a forested area at about 10480 ft. elevation.

About a half mile in you cross a bridge over Mitchell Creek:

How Long Does it Take to Hike to MITCHELL Lake?

From the Mitchell Lake Trailhead it took us about 25 minutes to get to Mitchell Lake, though it probably would have been 20 without all the stops for photos. 🙂

At Mitchell Lake

Mitchell Lake sits at about 10720 ft. elevation. Once you arrive at the lake the trail follows along its south bank for a bit and there are a few places to cut through the trees to get a close view of the lake and the mountain peaks on the north side.

We didn’t see any moose but we did spot an old man skinny-dipping about 100 meters away. Exciting!

Is Mitchell Lake a Good hike for Kids?

Mitchell Lake is a great hike for kids. In fact, I specifically chose this hike because my ten-year old daughter Lucy was joining me, and it seemed like a doable hike for a kid. There’s not much incline, it’s not too long of a hike, and there’s always a small chance you’ll spot a moose when you visit Brainard Lake.

Facilities at Mitchell Lake

There are two vault toilets at the Mitchell Lake Trailhead/parking lot.

Plants Spotted at Mitchell Lake in Late August

Arrowleaf Ragwort and Purple Mountain Daisies:

Beyond Mitchell Lake – Hike to Blue Lake

If you continue hiking past Mitchell Lake for another mile and a half you’ll reach Blue Lake (elevation 11,300 ft.), which lies below Mt. Toll on the Continental Divide. There is more of an incline between Mitchell Lake and Blue Lake compared to the hike from the trailhead to Mitchell Lake. Unfortunately we only made it about a half mile past Mitchell Lake before it started raining and we had to turn around.

My favorite parts of the hike were actually spots beyond Mitchell Lake, like this opening in the trees with a nice view of the mountains and creek:

After climbing a bit, turn around for a nice view of Mitchell Lake from above:

Mitchell Lake Overall Thoughts

This is a great easy hike, wonderful for kids or if you’re looking for something quick and not too challenging. It’s not my favorite hike at the Brainard Lake recreation area though, so if you only have time for one, I’d recommend hiking to Lake Isabelle instead.

Pin For Later