Island Lakes
- 19.3 mi
- round trip
- 1,165 ft
- climb
- 11,597 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Island Lakes open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Limited parking at Snowmass Creek Trailhead
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Grizzly Creek Trail Closure
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · Order 2026-02 · USFS · White River National Forest
Ruedi Marina Day Use area Dump Station is CLOSED
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Asbestos safety closure - Camp Hale
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Island Lakes is a hard hike in the Flat Tops Wilderness, part of the Blanco Ranger District of White River National Forest in Colorado. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is an out-and-back of about 19.3 miles, with a one-way climb of 1,165 feet from a low point of about 10,063 feet to a high of about 11,597 feet. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows horses, but bikes are not permitted. That makes it a practical choice for riders on horseback rather than on two wheels. The closest neighbors are South Derby, a hike about 0.8 miles away, and Deer Lake and the Deer Lake Trail, both about a mile off. For an overnight base, Bucks Campground sits roughly 5.8 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Flat Tops Wilderness Guides9 mi away
- Glenwood Canyon Resort27 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)North Derby
~10 min drive
4.35-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 757 ft gain and 11,197 ft max elevation.
HIKE
Deer Lake Trail
~2 min drive
7.60-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's White River National Forest with 695 ft gain.
HIKE
Turret
~6 min drive
6.62-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 887 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Smith Lake
~12 min drive
1.44-mile out-and-back hike to Smith Lake in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.
HIKE
W. Mountain
~4 min drive
4.62-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 286 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Derby Ridge
~8 min drive
7.14-mile out-and-back hike on Derby Ridge in Colorado's White River National Forest.
HIKE
South Derby
~1 min drive
5.10-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 799 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Roberts
~7 min drive
6.62-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 1,182 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Arthur H. Carhart
~9 min drive
5.35-mile loop in Colorado's White River National Forest with 175 ft gain.
HIKE
Hooper Lake Trail
~9 min drive
1.3-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 241 ft elevation gain.
