Rocky Mountain National Park is a massive and spectacularly beautiful area spanning 400 square miles. Like Bear Lake, it is an easy hike to get here. or a FWD is also fine? From here it takes an hour and a half to drive to Estes Park, the gateway into Rocky Mountain National Park. Park Fee: $25 per vehicle, valid for 1 day or $35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days. If you love mountains, this is the place for you. Get our top tips for visiting Rocky Mountain National Park including when to go, where to camp, hiking tips, how to beat the crowds, and more. Around mile six, youll come to Fern Falls, a picturesque waterfall, and over the next couple miles youll hike past two large boulders known as Arch Rocks. Thanks for sharing!!! If you are acclimated to the elevation, the hike to Chasm Lake is another one of our favorites in Rocky Mountain National Park. Alberta Falls | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK: For an overview of Rocky Mountain National Park and links to all of our RMNP articles, take a look at our Rocky MountainNational Park Travel Guide. 15 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park We divided this guide into three sections: easy, moderate, and challenging. See what else made the list! The Emerald Lake hike is one of the most popular hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. You mention some hikes starting at the ranger station. If you have more than a few days in RMNP and need some warm-up hikes, good options are Emerald Lake, Deer Mountain, and Twin Sisters. Explore Rocky Mountain National Parks best trails with this detailed list of my favorite day hikes. We wanted to do this, but it was incredibly windy and much colder above the treeline than in the parking lot. The elevation of the lowest sections of the park range from 5,600 to 9,500 feet. Between the end of May through early October, you must reserve a permit to visit the park. Reservations are made online on the recreation.gov website. This book was released on 2020-04-01 with total page 256 pages. The Best Easy Day Hikes series are handy, pocket-size guides for day hikers in America's most popular outdoor destinations. If you want to avoid the crowds, begin in the early morning as early as sunrise to have the best experience and the best lighting. If you want, you can choose to hike around the well-marked nature trail around Bear Lake. Trail Ridge Road runs along the top of the ridge in the distance. Way to answer the call and end up in a better place. On an early morning in July, it was only 34 degrees at the Alpine Visitor Center during our visit. Provided by Touchpoints How to get there:Highway 36 will take you directly into the park. Note: Many hikes start at or near Bear Lake: Emerald Lake, Lake Haiyaha, Sky Pond, Black Lake, Fern Lake, Flattop Mountain, and Hallett Peak. Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park 1. Heres the thing: this hike starts just under 12,000 feet of elevation. Distance: 9.8 miles Difficulty: Strenuous Length of Time: 4.5 to 6.5 hours Location: Poudre Lake/Milner Pass on Trail Ridge Road, 4.5 miles south of the Alpine Visitor Center, Continental Divide Trail | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Let us know in the comment section below. Its a flat, beautiful easy walk in the parkliterally. A water bottle is as essential as it gets. As such, it's a favorite spot of outdoorsmen, basically turning it into their home away from home or an office. This helps control crowd levels on the roads and hiking trails. Sign up for access to our free Member-only resources, packing lists, and itineraries. It's well worth making the effort to get here, as the trail passes through some spectacular scenery, traversing a dense pine forest and passing by the lovely Ouzel Falls, before finally reaching Bluebird Lake. 1. During this time, you get to enjoy panoramic views of Rocky Mountain National Park. From the Glacier Gorge parking lot, is a mostly uphill walk to get to Alberta Falls, but it is not too strenuous. At approximately 1.9 miles in, youll reach Lightning Bridge, a footbridge thats bookended by two signs warning hikers about lightening risk. For more tips for your first visit to RMNP, check out this blog post. This is a tough fourteener and many people who attempt it never make it to the summit, turning around early because of storms or the difficult conditions. Grab your trekking poles and take it slow. It includes Bear Lake Road and the hikes that start here (Bear Lake, Emerald and Dream Lakes, Alberta Falls, Sky Pond, Hallett Peak, and Sprague Lake). From here, at an elevation of 12,899 feet, the entire park stretches out before you. About a half of a mile past the falls, youll come to North Longs Peak Trail Junction. Each daily reservation costs $2 per vehicle, which is in addition to the $25 daily entrance fee or $35 weekly entrance fee per vehicle. 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If your visit to Rocky Mountain National Park is part of a bigger road trip through Colorado, here is more information for your trip. On our most recent visit we stayed in The Residences at #402 and it was wonderful. Cheers, Julie, The Rocky mountain national park looks amazing dear. and most convenient. Get There Early: There are two important reasons to begin your hikes early in the morning in Rocky Mountain National 1)The trail head parking lots fill up early, and 2) in the . Suggested Hikes - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service) Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado NPS.gov Park Home Plan Your Visit Things To Do Hiking Suggested Hikes Suggested Hikes Last updated: November 13, 2020 Was this page helpful? Happy hiking! From the Bear Lake Trailhead, follow signs to Alberta Falls. Youre not alone Check out our blog post with tips for taking friends hiking. The park is much less crowded at this time, but Trail Ridge Road is not open and many, if not all, of the hiking trails can be snow covered. During the climb up, the trail gets incrementally steeper and youll be taking switchbacks for most of the way. It's an 8.5-mile out-and-back hike that takes you past not one, not two but THREE beautiful mountain lakes AND Alberta Falls to top things off! If you choose to hike Chasm Lake, you will be skipping Bear Lake. WorldMark Estes Park. 3. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. 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. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. To visit Rocky Mountain National Park from May 26 to October 22, 2023, you will need to reserve a permit in advance. Its a scenic waterfall thats easily accessible, so be aware that due to its popularity it can get crowded. Make sure you bring extra layers, even during the summer months. There are three routes: the Bear Lake route, Hiker Express Route, and Moraine Park route. The Perfect Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary, 15 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, 10 Best Things to Do in Rocky Mountain National Park, Complete Guide to the Twin Sisters Peak Trail, RMNP. We hiked to Odessa Lake and Fern Lake as an out-and-back hike from Bear Lake. After one final short and strenuous climb you will be standing at Chasm Lake. Its time for the best scenic drive in Rocky Mountain National Park. This hike starts from the same trailhead as Black Lake and splits off a couple miles in. This historic hotel is one of the top places to stay in Estes Park. For more information about where to stay and where to eat, read our Guide to Estes Park. However, this is a good spot to put on a warmer layer, or even a rain jacket if you have one. With its short distance and manageable elevation gain, it is a great first hike in the park, as you acclimate to the higher elevation (if you havent already spent some time in the Rocky Mountains). There are two different types of timed entry permits. Since the trail isnt as well maintained here, allow yourself some extra time to get through this section. There are nearly 360 miles of hiking trails that range from very accessible to arduous and rewarding treks up to any number of incredible peaks within the park. If this is your first day at RMNP, and one of your first days in Colorado, be prepared to take a few breaks. To continue to Hallett Peak, follow the rocky, somewhat faint trail. I will discuss these hikes in more detail below, or you can click over to our Best Hikes in RMNP post now to learn more (it will open in a new browser tab so you wont lose your spot here). Distance: 4 miles Difficulty: Easy to moderate Length of Time: 1.5 to 3 hours Location: Ute Trailhead on Trail Ridge Road, 7 miles east of the Alpine Visitor Center, Tombstone Ridge | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, Ute Trail to Tombstone Ridge | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. After youve layered up, keep hiking to mile three, where there is a perfect place to rest and catch your breath at the Emerald Lake Overlook, 1,200 up. 7.4 miles (12 km). It doesnt take long until you get see amazing views of Longs Peak and Keyboard of the Winds. It might be brief, but this short hike to Emerald Lake brings big rewards. Cheers, Julie. After 3 pm, you dont need the pass. Outdoor Project may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. Covers one motorcycle. After about half a mile, youll notice that there are tombstone-shaped rocks that dot the ridgeline in the distance, hence the name of the Tombstone Trail. At just over a half of a mile, round trip, this hike sounds easy. 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). Thank you! It starts at 10,800 feet and tops out at 12,899 on Mt. For many visitors to Colorado, bagging one of the state's 53 highly coveted 14ers (peaks higher than 14,000 feet) can be top of the list. Well have to put it on our to do list when we are back in the area. We hiked Emerald Lake Trail in time for the sunset (not the best for photography at the lake) but the colors were pretty during our descent, and there were fewer people on the way down.It starts off at Bear Lake Trailhead, where youll hike past Nymph Lake within the first half of a mile, with views of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain in the distance. Heralded as Colorado's most popular park, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) is a wealth of natural wonder, with alpine meadows, craggy mountain summits, lush forests, and babbling rivers. This is the most popular hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. The classic hike for first-timers in Rocky Mountain National Park is a Bear Lake and Emerald Lake combo. You'll pass Nymph and Dream lakes on the way to your final destination, Emerald Lake with the surrounding peaks reflected on its surface. Several great hikes start at the Bear Lake Trailhead. How to get there:Take Highway 34 to Bear Lake Road. in advance if you plan to do this itinerary between May 27 and October 10, 2022. Sign up to receive our newsletter packed with the best adventure guides, travel ideas, news, and articles. 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. The Complete Guide to the US National Parks, 15 Great Hikes to do in Big Bend National Park, The Complete Guide to Hiking the Zion Narrows, 14 Best Things to do in Acadia National Park, The Perfect Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary, One Perfect Day in Rocky Mountain National Park, 10 Best Things to Do in Rocky Mountain National Park, Nymph, Dream & Emerald Lake Hike (+ How to Add on Bear Lake & Lake Haiyaha). This gives you a wonderful view down into the gorge below as the Icy Brooks waterfalls tumble down the mountainside. Ive always wanted to go hiking , Love the adventure just didnt have the friends or resourcefulness to survive out there. For the entire hike, you are walking along the alpine tundra, with unobstructed views of Longs Peak, Forest Canyon, and the Continental Divide. 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. Hello Matt. The Stanley Hotel. Your email address will not be published. Not only are the photos amazing, but the trail descriptions are spot on and the way the book is organized makes it very easy to find a hike thats right for you. Through this post, I have come to know a lot more about these adventurous hiking trails in Rockey Mountain National Park. The weather is warm, the days are long, and this is the best time to visit Rocky Mountain National Park if you plan to go hiking. In early autumn, the snow really returns, covering the roads and trails, turning the park into a wintery wonderland. A well-graded trail circles around the lake. This is a great hike for almost all ages and ability levels. The sweet spot months are from late May until mid-June and from early September after Labor Day until mid-October. If you are not acclimated to the higher elevation, its normal to get out of breath very easily. One of the most popular hikes in all of Rocky Mountain National Park is the Nymph, Dream, & Emerald Lakes Hike. If you have any questions about the permit, let us know in the comment section below. Adams Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park. Will have to pick one for next time Im out west. The rooms within the main hotel building get mixed reviews. Spectacular views of the Never Summer Mountains are only some of the peaks to be seen on this trail. Distance: 0.6 miles Difficulty: Easy Length of Time: 30 minutes Location: Alpine Visitor Center on Trail Ridge Road. Explore the full Adams Falls hike profile below for trail map, driving directions, and all the details you . Best day hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park While there are tons of hiking opportunities in the park, we've narrowed down our top picks for the best hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park to add to your itinerary. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. 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