Pawnee Lake - 12.8 Miles Round-Trip

Pawnee Lake (10,877') is located 6.4 miles from Long Lake Trailhead in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. It lies at treeline west of the Continental Divide in a steep-walled valley below Pawnee Pass.

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Pawnee Lake is accessible from Monarch Lake (west of the Divide) via the Cascade Creek Trail, but the east-west route from Brainard Lake offers a decidedly more scenic trek that includes Long Lake, Lake Isabelle, Pawnee Pass and four miles of spectacular travel over treeline.

It follows the Pawnee Pass Trail up to the Divide, then drops 1665’ in just 1.85 miles to the lake. The trail is strenuous in both directions, particularly the climb from Pawnee Lake back to Pawnee Pass.

Backpackers will have little trouble timing their ascent to avoid weather, but day hikers should plan for a long day that may include waiting out storms before it’s safe to return:

The trail moves quickly up the north shore of Long Lake past two connections for the Jean Lunning Trail (1.2 miles : 10,674'). Travel steepens (1.85 miles) in a thinning forest to Lake Isabelle and the Pawnee Pass Trail split (2.1 miles : 10,892').

The Pawnee Pass Trail climbs steeply over Lake Isabelle on a shifting path that clears treeline and edges to the north side of the valley (2.8 miles : 11,425').

It briefly moderates across an alpine bench (3.5 miles : 11,770’) with exceptional views that include Navajo Peak (13,409'), Apache Peak (13,441') and Shoshoni Peak (12,967').

Methodical climbing resumes on switchbacks up the north valley wall (3.6 miles : 11,883') before leveling in open tundra to Pawnee Pass and the Continental Divide (4.55 miles : 12,541').

A few steps ahead lead to stunning views down the west side, and the beginning of a precipitous descent through rugged talus into the Pawnee Lake basin.

Rock yields to flower-riddled slopes through 5.4 miles (11,700’) across more even terrain. The forest gradually reconstitutes by 6.1 miles (11,150’), where you’ll find spurs that branch off for the lake.

Backpackers may find established sites off these social trails, but it’s otherwise advisable to remain on the designated trail for efficient travel.

Thicker timber signals proximity to the lake, which is now hidden from the trail. Look for a cairn marked spur at 6.37 miles, which veers left to Pawnee Lake (6.4 miles : 10,877’).

The lake is hemmed by steep south and west walls, but its east shore is long and accessible, albeit with minor encumbrances. Campers may find more accommodating terrain just above the lake.