RT Bear Lake Area

Scenic trailhead and destination in Rocky Mountain National Park with several trails, from easy strolls to strenuous hikes, start from the lake

General Information

Hours:

Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Fees:

1-Day Pass - Automobile - $25.00
Accepts America The Beautiful Pass

Pet Policy:

Pets not allowed on trails

Closest cities with hotels:

Estes Park

Seasons:

The lower elevations are always accessible, while Trail Ridge Road is open only between May and October. Trails are snow-free for varying durations; the highest routes just for 3 or 4 months in summer

Location:

Bear Lake Area, CO

Website:

Estes ParkWeather Forecast

How to Get There

From Estes Park (14 mi): Take US-36 W to the Beaver Meadows entrance, then follow Bear Lake Road about 9 miles to its end at the Bear Lake trailhead, or use the Park & Ride shuttle in summer.

Overview

Bear Lake at 9,450 feet is a scenic alpine lake and one of the most popular trailheads in Rocky Mountain National Park, at the end of Bear Lake Road, with a paved 0.6-mile loop around the water. Trails lead to Nymph, Dream, and Emerald lakes and up to Odessa Lake and Flattop Mountain. The parking lot fills by early morning in summer, so use the free shuttle or reserve a timed entry.

Top Trails

Trail	Length	Elevation Gain	Highlights
Bear Lake Loop	0.6 mile	Minimal	Paved, with views of Hallett Peak and Longs Peak
Emerald Lake	About 3.6 miles round trip	About 700 feet	Nymph, Dream, and Emerald lakes below Hallett Peak

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article and official pages for Bear Lake (Colorado), Rocky Mountain National Park, released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

Featured Locations and Trails

KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Adams Falls

★ 5.0

Yuya Sekiguchi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Bear Lake Trail

★ 5.0

0.6 mile loop, level

An excellent interpretive nature trail circles this popular subalpine lake at the end of Bear Lake Road

K. Lee (talk · contribs), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Bierstadt Lake Trail

★ 5.0

A quiet alpine lake formed by glacial debris and surrounded by dense subalpine forest, offering expansive mountain views and reflective waters at high elevation.

Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Cub Lake Trail

★ 5.0

2.3 miles round-trip, 540 feet

A scenic subalpine lake reached by a gradual forest and meadow hike, featuring wildlife-rich wetlands, beaver ponds, and expansive mountain views.

U.S. Department of the Interior, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Dream Lake

★ 5.0

2 miles round-trip, 426 feet

Pimlico27, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Flattop Mountain

★ 5.0

8.2 miles round-trip, 2870 ft

A strenuous alpine ascent to the Continental Divide, delivering sweeping 360° views, tundra landscapes, and dramatic overlooks of iconic Rocky Mountain lakes.

Michael Murphy, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Hallett Peak

★ 5.0

5.8 miles loop, 1138 feet

Mountain summit in the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with 12,720-foot (3,877 m) peak located in Rocky Mountain National Park

NPS Natural Resources, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Lake Haiyaha

★ 5.0

Wallygva, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

The Loch via Glacier Gorge Trail

★ 5.0

5.4 miles round-trip, 1056 feet

One of three spectacular lakes comprising the scenic Loch Vale

Hogs555, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Ouzel Falls

★ 5.0

2.7 miles round-trip, 960 feet

A scenic waterfall hike in the quieter Wild Basin area, featuring multiple cascades along a forested trail that leads to a dramatic alpine waterfall.

Christian Collins, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted

Sprague Lake Loop

★ 5.0

0.8 mile loop, 39 feet

A serene, family-friendly lake loop with stunning mountain reflections, offering one of the easiest and most accessible scenic walks in Rocky Mountain National Park.