Columbine Lake Out-and-Back

The trail begins on a rocky jeep road that steepens to an unmarked fork;keep left (1.0 mile: 10,350 ft). It rises to a large meadow at the Indian Peaks Wilderness Boundary, past which dogs must be leashed (1.28 miles: 10,420 ft). The trail arcs around the meadow, veers left at a re-vegetation sign (1.55 miles) and switchbacks up to the Caribou Pass - Columbine Lake split (1.95 miles: 10,570 ft). The Columbine Lake Trail twists up to another large meadow (2.4 miles) and levels to a smaller meadow framed by a steep rock wall (2.7 miles: 10,750 ft). The trail has been improved over the past few years to prevent hiking through a wet bog below the steep rock wall. It turns right and crosses the meadow to join the creek, where it steepens on a shifty path through a high alpine forest to Columbine Lake (3.4 miles: 11,060 ft).

There are some old cabins and outhouses along the early portions of the trail.