After a long week in Colorado Springs, we needed an escape.

We settled on a place that sure seemed promising: Lakes of the Clouds.

It proved to be a good choice.

High in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Westcliffe, the air was cool and the only sound was the water’s gentle lapping at the shore. The water was brisk and clear, reflecting the jagged spires of the peaks above. Pumped through a filter, it tasted sweet.

This was wilderness therapy, a reminder that despite the fury of the most destructive wildfire in state history, not all of Colorado was burning.

And these are just three of the thousands of high-altitude lakes in the state, fed by snowmelt, the water and fish trapped by geography, remote and beyond the reach of those unwilling to work to get there. They make some of the best summer destinations in Colorado.

These three lakes at 11,200 feet are less than 2 hours’ drive from Colorado Springs, but you’ll feel a million miles away. The drive is easy but the hike isn’t — on a rocky and, at times, agonizingly steep trail that seems to run forever through aspen and pine forests. There are three lakes within a half-mile of each other, each prettier than the last. They’re known for great trout fishing, and on a recent weekend many fisherman had made the long trek.

To get there: From Westcliffe, take Hermit Road west to where it ends at Sampson Ridge Road, nearly 6 miles, to County Road 172. Turn left and continue to the trailhead. The last 1.5 miles require a high-clearance vehicle.

The hike: 9 miles round-trip, 2,200 feet of elevation gain. Follow the Rainbow Trail north to the Swift Creek Trail.

Overnight trips: There is camping near the lakes. For the best sites, go right at the lower lake, left across the creek just below the middle lake and camp near the shores of the upper lake. Non-backpackers can find a couple of campsites near the trailhead.

Optional: Make it more of an adventure with a climb, from the upper lake, of 13,423-foot Spread Eagle Peak. The trail is faint and often disappears, and there’s an exhilarating amount of exposure near the top, so this one is not for beginners.