We are blessed to live in a wonderful state that allows for many outings and exploring with our dogs. This summer, we have decided to visit many lakes and parks and do many hikes that we have not previously visited. So far we have visited two.
Brainard Lake Hike
The dogs really enjoyed Brainard Lake, near Nederland, CO. There were many hikes and lakes here but due to road closures and potential storms, we only visited one of the lakes in this area. The terrain was even and flat, and the trail was clearly marked, which is always a plus. There are not really any nearby facilities and the campground is closed indefinitely, but Nederland is nearby and has a few restaurants and shops.
Nederland is a very cute town and is worth a visit if you are passing this way.
 |
| Brainard Lake, Colorado |
 |
| What are you lookin' at? |
 |
| The dogs always manage to find a leftover snow pile :) |
Echo Lake Hike
The next lake on our adventure was Echo Lake, located near the entrance to Mt. Evans, one of the so-called "14-ers" in Colorado because its elevation is over 14,000 feet. Echo Lake is around 10, 300 ft elevation. This lake was a real surprise. Beautiful views await around every corner! There are many hiking trails here as well, but we only explored two this time: the perimeter lake trail and the Georgia lakes trail. The dogs really enjoyed the rocky hike and again found a leftover pile of snow to play in. This is one of my favorite areas I have explored in my area of Colorado. The Georgia lakes trail is not as family-friendly and wouldn't be ideal for small dogs due to the rocks, but the perimeter trail around Echo Lake is mostly flat and even. There are picnic tables, grills, facilities, a restaurant and a campground nearby. Our next adventure here will be camping out!
 |
| Echo Lake |
 |
| Taavi relaxing on a nice cool rock |
 |
| View from the trail |
 |
| Nella checks out the view |
We will be exploring more of this amazing state throughout the summer. Check back for more photos and descriptions of our adventures! :) Next stops are Rocky Mountain National Park and Lake Dillon!
