Gem Lake | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. You can add on Lake Haiyaha for a total distance of 6.2 miles. For the ultimate hiking experience in Rocky Mountain National Park, put Longs Peak on the top of your list. How crowded does Rocky Mountain National Park get? There is never a boring moment on this trail. Typically, trails at higher elevations are still covered in snow until late-April. NATIONAL PARKS: In our Guide to the US National Parks, get the full list of national parks with important travel planning information, such as things to do in the parks and sample itineraries. The Loch Hike details. Take a left onto Bear Lake Road, and arrive at the Glacier Gorge trailhead. Rainbow Curve Overlook, Forest Canyon Overlook. Make sure you bring extra layers, even during the summer months. Hiking is one of my favorite and all-the-time go-to activities during my trip abroad. Each guide describes approximately 20-30 easy-to-follow, scenic trails in and around national parks, cities and urban areas, and popular outdoor destinations across America. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to Your Places, click Maps, and you will see this map on your list. For the full list, read our article about the Best Scenic Drives in Colorado. The summit at just over 10,000 feet, provides commanding 360-degree views of Estes Park, Moraine Park, the Mummy Range, Longs Peak . With one day in Rocky Mountain National Park, here are the best things to see and do: Rocky Mountain National Park is best seen from a hiking trail. But the whole reason to do this hike is for the view of Sky Pond, one of the most spectacular lakes in the park. During my trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, our goal was to hike as much as possible and to experience the amazing scenery and wildlife that this place has to offer. Due to the popularity of the trail, this is a great time to use the shuttle. During the climb up, the trail gets incrementally steeper and youll be taking switchbacks for most of the way. This 3.5-mile roundtrip hike fits in a ton of incredible scenery in a short distance. Continue hiking past Alberta Falls and turn left at Mills Junction until you reach Mills Lake. Go up there for the solitude and to soak up all the amazing views of the lake, valley, and peaks that surround you. We plan to visit for 2 half days this September. This is a nice hike but honestly not one of our favorites. Provided by Touchpoints PRO TRAVEL TIP: For the hikes that start on Bear Lake Road (Bear Lake, Alberta Falls, Mills & Black Lake, Sky Pond, Fern Lake, Hallett Peak) consider either arriving very early in the day (by 7 am) or taking the free park shuttle. The trail starts at the Bear Lake trailhead, and heads left soon after. This moderate hike starts at the Bear Lake Trailhead and follows Tyndall Creek via the Emerald Lake Trail all the way up to Emerald Lake. Adams Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park. Maligne Canyon Ice Walk . We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. The next morning we plan on taking a hike on Bear Lake and would need the Park Access+. It might be brief, but this short hike to Emerald Lake brings big rewards. Ida), Chasm Lake (another gorgeous lake hike), and Tombstone Ridge (its short, its easy, the views are amazing, and most people can handle this hike). Trailhead: Glacier Gorge Round Trip Distance: 5.9 mi. I know some of the trails will be closed due to the 2020 fires, but there are still a lot open. This trail is not paved (its a gravel trail for most of its length) but it is considered handicap accessible. The trailhead serves as a starting point for several different routes, including a short loop around the stunning Bear Lake. 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. All great (especially sky pond). Distance: 5 miles round trip (from Wild Basin Winter trailhead which adds about 1.5 miles round trip) Difficulty: Easy Located in the stunning but less-frequented southeast corner of Rocky Mountain National Park, this hike delivers not just gorgeous views at the end, but glimpses of various waterfalls throughout the journey. Many even consider it to be one of the best waterfalls in the park. This road connects Central City with Estes Park, running alongside the eastern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. 800-715-HIKE (4453) (9-4:30 Every Day) Here in the heart of the Rockies, its not hard to see why this is one of the best hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. See what else made the list! Park Fee: $25 per vehicle, valid for 1 day or $35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days. For 48 miles, this road runs from Estes Park in the east to Grand Lake in the west. This is another great spot to take a break and appreciate the views before heading on just remember not to break trail to protect the alpine vegetation. Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado on a summer day (Image credit: Roschetzkylstockphoto) Distance: 14.8 miles Difficulty: Extremely difficult. As such, it's a favorite spot of outdoorsmen, basically turning it into their home away from home or an office. Its a scenic waterfall thats easily accessible, so be aware that due to its popularity it can get crowded. CCY Route (Chapin-Chiqiuta-Ypsilon route) Bluebird Lake. However, this property gets rave reviews. Way to answer the call and end up in a better place. Take advantage of the shuttle and park at the Park and Ride, and then shuttle up to the start at Bear Lake. This is our favorite short, easy hike in RMNP. For the first part of the hike, you will share the trail with hikers on their way to Longs Peak. And for Rocky Mountain National Park, it is. Hi Deanna, thank you so much for pointing that out and for being here! The Emerald Lake hike is a family friendly hike and it also makes a great intro to hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. From here, at an elevation of 12,899 feet, the entire park stretches out before you. At 14,433 feet, Mount Elbert is the tallest 14er in Colorado and the highest peak in the entire Rocky Mountain Range. Reservations are made online on the recreation.gov website. Have saved for later when we can go again. They are also all under 10 miles, well-signed, and easily done within a day. The hiking trails will still be open, but you will need to wear snowshoes or traction devices. MORE GREAT HIKES IN THE NATIONAL PARKS: From hikes to the tallest peaks to beautiful coast trails, read our Guide to the Best Day Hikes in the US National Parks. Bearfoot Theory is one of the leading hiking, camping, and van life blogs powered by an all-female team. 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. Dogs: Leashed. You can either hike to Fern Lakes and Odessa Lake as a point-to-point hike, starting at Bear Lake and ending at Moraine Park (or vice versa). Rocky Mountain National Park's 30 Best Hikes Explore an adventure playground full of 14ers, alpine lakes, and over 300 miles of trails. 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. Hello Matt. Many of the best hiking trails are situated within Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). This list starts with the easiest trails and progresses to the longer, more challenging hikes. In the summer months, it is best to hike in the morning, in order to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms. This takes you directly up a short scramble for about 100 feet. This is the most popular hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. Chasm Lake | Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. 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 . This is where the views really start to open up and you can see across the valley towards Longs Peak. Get all of the details on how to do this hike in our post about Fern Lake. 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 hike feels tough, a combination of the high elevation with the long stair climb. 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 14,259 feet, the only fourteener on this list, the trek up Longs Peak is one of the most epic hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. Learn how to combine them all together into one epic road trip in our 10 Day Colorado Itinerary. For more information about where to stay and where to eat, read our Guide to Estes Park. In the summertime youll be surrounded by wildflowers. Chasm Lake. The ever changing views and trail conditions really keep this hike interesting. 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. Past the waterfall, follow the signs to Mills Lake. and most convenient. Longs Peak, at 14,259 feet, is the only fourteener in the park. This is the shortest, most popular hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. Im glad we could help! However, snow is possible at both times at higher . 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). 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! Denver International Airport is the closest major airport. This hike takes about 30 minutes of your time. How to get there:Highway 36 will take you directly into the park. How to get there:Take Highway 34 to Bear Lake Road. If you are looking for a short, easy hike with spectacular views of Rocky Mountain National Park, put this hike at the top of your list. 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