Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes

There are several scenic day hikes within Rocky Mountain National Park that can be done separately or combined to form much longer hikes. Popular destinations can be accessed from Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge (see map below) and from several locations outside of the park. Get a map and plan your trip according to your fitness level and personal desires.

Many great hikes originate from Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge

Bear Lake is a popular spot, accessible by all, young/old, strong/weak, while Dream and Emerald Lakes are located approximately 1.1 and 1.6 miles, respectively, from Bear Lake with moderate climbs along the way, but still accessible to most. Hiking to Fern Lake, which is ~5.5 miles from Bear Lake, is steep and rugged and a little more strenuous, but you will be rewarded with fantastic views and burning quads.

We hiked a huge (~12-mile loop) beginning at Bear Lake, passing several lakes, including Odessa and Fern, before reaching the beautiful Fern Falls (Note that it's quicker to access Fern Falls via the Fern Lake Trailhead, only a 2.7-mile hike). We passed several named and unnamed waterfalls before making a sharp southernly turn at the popular "Pool" and Cub Lake. Continuing on through Mill Creek Basin, we returned to Bear Lake nearly 7 hours later.

Near Dream Lake

There are many other popular destinations on this side of the park including:

• Lake Haiyaha, ~2.1 miles from Bear Lake
• Alberta Falls, ~0.8 miles from Glacier Gorge Junction
• Mills Lake, ~2.5 miles from Glacier Gorge Junction
• Lake of Glass, ~4.2 miles from Glacier Gorge Junction

Plan ahead based on your own fitness level and personal desires. There are significan uphill/downhill portions that can be challenging if you're not in good physical condition. The elevations average about 10,000 feet, plenty high enough to get altitude sickness, especially if you're hiking hard and not staying properly hydrated. Furthermore, the weather can change quickly and afternoon thunderstorms are common during the summer so be prepared. When we hiked these trails, we were blessed by the sight of grouse, elk, deer, marmots, picas, chipmunks, squirrels, and jays.

There are a few places to filter water and fill up your water bottle along the way.

Trailheads are accessible by the National Park hiker shuttle, which quits running at 8:00pm at night. Due to construction in the park, car access is limited to before 9:00am and after 4:00pm. However, if you take the shuttle, not only is it more ecologically friendly, but you can also avoid the $20 park entrance fee.

There are several great trails that originate outside of the park that will also get you within the park boundaries; however, be prepared for a couple thousand feet of elevation change. Estes Cone, for example, is accessible starting outside of the national park at Lily Lake.

Sweaty self portrait at the top of Estes Cone

Estes Cone at 7:30pm at the conclusion
of our hike with thunderstorms surrounding us.

Be sure to carry plenty of food and water, a water filter, extra clothes, rain poncho, flashlight, and emergency supplies, including cell phone (there's intermittent service on the trails). The number of people on the trails decreases exponentially as you get further from the trailheads, a mixed blessing since there's no one around in case you run into problems.


~Lori Dotson, CPT, CPFT, PES, BA, MS
President, DotsoFit, LLC

Copyright © 2012