Rainbow Lake

— Among several beautiful sites in Colorado, one thing that never seems to disappoint is the view of a Colorado lake. One can spend hours by a lake simply appreciating the reflections created in those calm waters.

This first photo here shows Rainbow Lake. This was the first hike we did on our recent trip to Silverthorne, Colorado, in early July 2022. This is an easy trail with beautiful views along the way. The out-and-back trail is only about 1.5 miles (2.4 km). If you wander past the lake area, you may also encounter other very pleasant areas to explore.

At the beginning of the trail, you will be walking on a boardwalk that creates the feeling of an enchanted forest. On this particular day, the number of dandelions along the trail was quite noticeable. Soon, you will be crossing some small creeks and waterfalls. The beauty of the area is quite remarkable. And when you add to that the wildflowers blooming at this time of the year, you find yourself constantly stopping to absorb nature’s beauty. Take a look at the next two photos. Even small scenes, such as a fallen tree across a creek, give you enough reason to pause and appreciate the balance of nature.

Along your path, the mountains surrounding you create other breathtaking views. You soon realize that the White River National Forest is vibrant everywhere you look. In case you are not familiar with it, the White River NF is home to “Maroon Bells and Hanging Lake, 11 ski resorts, 10 peaks over 14,000 feet, and eight wilderness areas that cover more than a third of its acreage,” according to its website. Several of the areas we hiked in were, in fact, inside the Eagles Nest Wilderness area. Views of Buffalo Mountain can be seen from just about all trails around the Silverthorne area.

As we reached Rainbow Lake, we walked around it and explored more of the scenery. These two ducks resting on a log in the middle of the lake, for example, were one of those moments that makes you feel blessed to witness. We sat there and just let nature soak in. It was peaceful to watch them clean their feathers and bask in the beauty of the sunlight. Their reflections in the lake waters were mesmerizing. I made several photos of this pair, but it was the one featured here that captivated me the most. I simply loved the parallel images they created with their heads tucked on their backs.

Further down, past the lake, we ran into more wildflowers and creeks. For this final photo, I noticed a family resting on the other side of a creek. I looked around but couldn’t see a trail. All I saw was a large trunk lying across the creek. That had to be what they used to cross the creek. I put my backpack down and started carefully walking on the trunk. It helped that there was another higher trunk to hold on to. It was like a natural bridge created by two fallen trees. I experimented with my phone first and feeling confident and safe, I decided to use my “real” camera. That is one of the shots I made below. The water was rushing fast and sprinkled my legs as I stood there. It was all very inviting, and also very cold.

In a future post, I will highlight some of the wildflowers we saw along this trail.