As I kayak on Brainard Lake I am taken by the signs of nature around me, subtly pleading for my attention:
- The sparkling flash of wings from a pair of ducks taking off, spooked by something unseen
- The seagrass lying flat in the water, but all perfectly painted in parallel on the surface of the lake telling me which direction the wind-blown waves are headed.
- A glint of a lost lure just out of reach under water, that one got away, lucky fish.
- Through the waves an undulation of speckled grey and white attracting my eye just over there, oh, alas a dead trout, perhaps it was her fight that was won with that lure only to die later from the strenuous battle.
- And then something I have never seen before in all my years of exploring the outdoors, a human couple practicing dancing on the shoreline, in perfect rhythm to my paddle stroke, swaying to the music … their bodies in harmony as they moved quite athletically. They were in tune with the flora and fauna around me, all signifying the cycle of life in this gorgeous place, two more animals in flow with nature.
and then to our horror, this cycle of life was rudely grasped by razor sharp teeth and shook violently, it was after all SHARK WEEK! Oh the humanity as our eyes landing on CORGI SHARK, the terror of the depths….
Okay my muse is being playful today … back to our story. We have always day-hiked the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, so it was a special treat to avail ourselves of the newly refurbished campground for a couple nights. Nicely spaced out and very accessible, the Pawnee Campground made an excellent base to launch from for kayaking of Brainard Lake and hiking to Mitchell Lake. If you haven’t been to the area in years, you will be surprised of what a great job the Forest Service has done in relocating parking, putting in facilities, and adding new trails to turn the Brainard Lake area into a much quieter hiking experience. Cars can no longer park around the lake, so it is not the zoo it once was.
The scenery here of the surrounding peaks amid the high forest lakes is breathtaking. There are many choices for trails and distances to travel in all seasons of the year. Being a favorite recreation area for “Boulderites”, beware that the massive parking lot can fill up fast, so get there early. Here are a few pictures of our recent trip.
