Just across the Peak to Peak Highway from Ward, Colorado, sits Brainard Lake Recreation Area. Access to the scenic lakes, picnic areas, and trailheads now requires a parking reservation.

Brainard Lake sits at over 10,000 feet of elevation; views from the shoreline exhibit the peaks of the Continental Divide and Indian Peaks Wilderness. This recreation site is home to 30 picnic areas, 47 campsites, and a variety of hiking trails with a wide range of difficulty levels.

Hikers can opt for a nice stroll around Long Lake or take on the more challenging routes to Isabelle Glacier or Blue Lake.

Unlike many other popular points of interest in Colorado, the lake area and surrounding trails are not part of a national or state park. Brainard Lake is instead organized and maintained by The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland Department of the U.S. Forest Service.

The recreational area is a popular spot among locals and tourists alike, so the National Forest followed suit with local national and state parks and implemented the “Day Use Parking” reservation system on recreation.gov. This system requires that you arrive at the recreation area during your assigned window but allows you to enjoy the outdoors all day.

Reservation dates and times are released on a 14-day rolling window, with weekend slots typically filling up faster than weekdays. Rates for entry vary depending on vehicle size, but the reservation fee is $2 for all vehicles.

This is not the only point of interest in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland that requires proactive planning, as the drive up Mount Evans now also requires a timed reservation. With the rising interest in parks and recreational areas, be sure to check in advance whether your destination requires a reservation to best enjoy your experience outdoors.

For more information on Brainard Lake and the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland, visit their website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/ recarea/?recid=28182. For more information about reservations for Brainard Lake and other Colorado points of interest, visit https://www.recreation.gov/.