Its not a big deal but doing this will eat up some of your precious time. From its high glacial snow fields, rounded cirques, and jagged mountain peaks to its placid lakes and stunning montane forests, Rocky Mountain National Park is a territory of extraordinary beauty on a grand scale. Continue hiking past Alberta Falls and turn left at Mills Junction until you reach Mills Lake. The entire hike is less than a mile in length, making it great for all ages and ability levels. Its nearby neighbors of Bear Lake, Emerald Lake, and Dream Lake get a lot more visitors, so if you are looking for a relatively uncrowded trail with the chance to visit multiple alpine lakes, this is a nice hike to consider. Alberta Falls | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Alberta Falls. You also have the option to add on a fifth lake, Lake Haiyaha, making this hike a total of 6.2 miles. Grab your trekking poles and take it slow. Top 10 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. During the remainder of the year it is closed due to snow. Do we need a AWD car ? As you ascend higher, the trees disappear, as you enter the subalpine region. Best Easy Day Hikes Rocky Mountain National Park (Best Easy Day Hikes Series) Kent Dannen 105 Paperback 30 offers from $9.05 Rocky Mountain National Park (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map) Trails Illustrated Maps 629 Map 15 offers from $11.16 Rocky Mountain National Park: The Complete Guide: (Color Travel Guide) James Kaiser 30 Paperback Forest Canyon Overlook. This saves you time from driving into Estes Park to get lunch. But once at the top, the view is very nice. Sky Pond is one of the best hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park for good reason. Stick to the maintained trail, and whenever possible, step on rocks instead of vegetation. Distance: 0.6 miles Difficulty: Easy Length of Time: 30 minutes Location: Alpine Visitor Center on Trail Ridge Road. How to get there:Highway 36 will take you directly into the park. You can stay in a cozy cabin with a river view or a well-decorated suite. During the 15+ miles of hiking, you will ascend more that 5,000 feet. Bear Lake Trail Image by Wendy Harrison Lawrence via Alltrails Distance: 0.7-mile loop Elevation: 49 feet Difficulty Rating: Easy Also, it can snow every month of the year in Rocky Mountain National Park. Have saved for later when we can go again. Cross over to the outlet and boulder hop your way to the right side of the lake to find a private spot to sit and take it all in. The permit is in effect from 9 am to 2 pm. We plan to visit for 2 half days this September. Explore the full Adams Falls hike profile below for trail map, driving directions, and all the details you . If you want a quiet lunch spot, keep hiking around the lake to escape the crowds. Like Bear Lake, it is an easy hike to get here. Thank you! Rocky Mountain National Park is bursting with an abundance of natural beautyincluding six glaciers, some of the highest mountains in the continental U.S., and, on either side of the Continental Divide, over 100 pristine mountain lakes, forested valleys, and the kind of majestic high . A steep ascent will take you up towards Flattop Mountain Trail (this is one of the most difficult climbs), which has stunning views of Longs Peak, Chiefs Head Peak, and Keyboard of the Winds. The parking lot at Bear Lake is large but it fills up fast! And you can also visit the Alpine Visitor Center, the highest visitor center in the USA. Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park: On a Map. Emerald Lake hike (passing Bear Lake and Dream Lake) is about 3.5 miles in total and takes 2-3 hours depending on your hiking speed and the number of photo stops. For the first part of the hike, you will share the trail with hikers on their way to Longs Peak. The trail starts to climb higher, eventually taking you up rock steps then down to Emerald Lake. This road connects Central City with Estes Park, running alongside the eastern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. Some visitors complain of noise and hot temperatures in the summer (there is no air conditioning). Unless you're Superman (I very much am not), you can't possibly cover this much ground in one day. If this sounds like a hike you would like to do, it will take some planning and patience. It might be brief, but this short hike to Emerald Lake brings big rewards. Ive always wanted to go hiking , Love the adventure just didnt have the friends or resourcefulness to survive out there. Hang in there and take breaks when you need, because the views of Chiefs Head Peak illuminated in the distance are worth it. However, this is a good spot to put on a warmer layer, or even a rain jacket if you have one. These are some of the best hikes in the park. Stay to the left and continue on to Alberta Falls, where youll get to hike through an evolving backdrop of beautiful pine forests into the aspen groves. Middle Taylor Creek. How to Get There:From Estes Park, take Highway 36 to Bear Lake Road until you reach the trailhead and parking lot. Look for an unmarked trail thats a quick hike out to Lake Helene. Our favorite hikes are Sky Pond (super fun hike to a beautiful alpine lake), Mt. The trail starts at the Bear Lake trailhead, and heads left soon after. If you prefer to keep your hikes short and sweet, read our guide to the Best Short Hikes in the National Parks. Distance: 7.5 to 10 miles, depending on the route you choose Difficulty: Moderate Length of Time: 4 to 7 hours Location: Bear Lake Trailhead or Moraine Park, Fern Lake | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. The best path up the scramble is to follow the crushed and broken rocks, indicating a footpath worn in by previous hikers. This gives you a wonderful view down into the gorge below as the Icy Brooks waterfalls tumble down the mountainside. If you want to leave the crowds behind, Twin Sisters, Mt. Take a 0.4-mile detour to Lake Haiyaha for an added bonus. Visit recreation.gov to make your reservation. From here it takes an hour and a half to drive to Estes Park, the gateway into Rocky Mountain National Park. Ida. When is the best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park? 1-Day Pass - Per Person - $15.00 Valid for date of purchase. The craggy Teton peaks reach as high as 13,770 feet, forming a bony ridge through Wyoming along the Continental Divide. Moraine Park is another popular area that sees quite a bit of traffic too. This hike is much different than many other hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. This is a great stop to enjoy a short break by the waterfall, or avoid the crowds and push on. Located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Jasper National Park was officially established in 1907, after a group of Canadian Pacific Railway . Expect lots of wind and cold temperatures, even during the summer months. The hike up Deer Mountain is one of the easier hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park that offers high mountain views. On this hike, you get to see four very pretty alpine lakes (Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake), over a relatively short distance. Along the way, there is a good chance that you will spot bighorn sheep and elk. You can also hike to Fern Lake out-and-back from either Bear Lake or Moraine Park. BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON: In our article How to Visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison, we cover the best things to do on the North and South Rims and include several itineraries to help you plan your visit. There will also be three amazing lakes. Those looking for a shorter, easier hike can turn around at this point. Note: if you plan to hike Sky Pond, it is better to park at the Glacier Gorge parking lot, which is also on Bear Lake Road. The classic hike for first-timers in Rocky Mountain National Park is a Bear Lake and Emerald Lake combo. Its about more than standing on the mountain top. If you have plans to hike one of these trails, adding on Bear Lake is quick, easy, and wont take up much of your time. If you want to check them out for yourself, youre in luck because they both leave from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. Cheers, Julie. Snowshoeing to Dream Lake is a popular winter time activity, as is cross-country skiing. The park encompasses over 400 square miles of Colorados Front Range, which juts up suddenly at the western edge of the Great Plains to create one ofthe most scenic and dramatic alpine areas in the country. Your email address will not be published. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Rest your legs here, especially if you have sensitive knees because it only continues to go down (and at some points never seems to end). Driving distances and times to nearby destinations: If you are on a road trip through Colorado, I recommend driving the Peak to Peak Scenic By-way, either before or after your visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. View from Deer Mountain | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Hi guys I am a big fan and lived by your Sedona hikes. As you hike in, youll start to get views of Longs Head Peak and Chiefs Head Peak in the distance. If you're after something moderate but rewarding a visit to The Loch, an iconic subalpine lake framed epicly by the Sharktooth (12,530') and Mt. Spend several days in the park, hiking the other trails, to acclimate yourself to the higher elevation. SCENIC DRIVES IN COLORADO: Pikes Peak, the Million Dollar Highway, and the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway is just a short list of the scenic drives you can do in Colorado. Theres a series of gentle climbs up and small descents, with some threat of mud and rough rocky terrain to be aware of on the trail. From what we noticed, most of the people on this trail were either locals (this is a popular trail running route) or those who had already checked off a bunch of hikes in RMNP. If you want to stay in the park, you will be limited to campgrounds. Chasm Lake. Parking in the lot at the end of Bear Lake Road adds roughly .4 miles to the hiking distance above. You can arrive mid-morning, hike one of the trails that start at Bear Lake, and then spend the afternoon and evening at Estes Park. Not only is this a scenic walk around a lake, but this also can be a learning experience. To get to the peak, its an almost constant uphill walk through an evergreen forest. Its a one-way hike that utilizes the Parks free shuttle system to get you back to your car after youre done with the hike. Distance: 10 miles Difficulty: Moderate Length of Time: 5 to 7 hours Location: Glacier Gorge Trailhead on Bear Lake Road, Mills Lake | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Each of these hikes is a day hike, so they can all be completed in one day. If you are looking for a short, family-friendly hike, and dont mind a bit of a stair climb at times, this is a good hike to add to your to-do list. At roughly three miles into the hike, you will reach Mills Lake. Way to answer the call and end up in a better place. Spectacular views of the Never Summer Mountains are only some of the peaks to be seen on this trail. The descent down towards Fern Lake is just as scenic, with a new vantage point of the same mountains, and a deep blue alpine lake. Dig in and hike the rest of the way to the summit of Flattop Mountain, where it is more of a plateau rather than a peak, but nevertheless, offers panoramic views of nearby mountain ranges like Mummy Range and Notchtop Mountain in the distance. Alberta Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls to visit in Rocky Mountain National Park. All of these day hikes are centrally located, so that you can spend less time driving, with many of them accessible via Rocky Mountain National Parks free shuttle. Several great hikes start at the Bear Lake Trailhead. Are we only allowed to be on the trail ridge road until 3? Let us know in the comment section below. The Ute Trail to Tombstone Ridge is a wonderful, short, easy hike to do in Rocky Mountain National Park. Heres the thing: this hike starts just under 12,000 feet of elevation. It is 4 miles round-trip and great for kids. This is a very pretty hike, but there are several other lake hikes that we would recommend first, before putting this hike on your list. To help you plan your trip, we also have articles about the best things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park and how to plan the perfect itinerary. Sometimes, we just need to start small and do simple walks with our friends to get them stoked on doing more outside. Ida, and Tombstone Ridge are the best hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park for your list. Visit our. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. What a great place to live! A short hike with plenty of scenery, the Emerald Lake trail is one of the most popular hikes in the park for good reason. Very nice list, Sky Pond is my favorite, as well as Black Lake. COLORADO ITINERARY: With 10 days in Colorado, road trip to all four national parks (Rocky Mountain, Great Sand Dunes, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Mesa Verde), linking them together with some very scenic drives. This is a much longer hike, coming in at 10.7 miles. View from the Alpine Ridge Trail | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Elevation Gain: 1,062' Max Elevation: 10,210' Winter Skill Level: Beginner Why it rocks. 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