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    Alberta Falls

    4.9 (19 reviews)

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    Alyssa A.

    Alberta Falls was our "pivot" hike after our afternoon was derailed by a rainstorm. But it definitely didn't feel like a pivot when we reached the falls! Absolutely gorgeous and beautiful, we ended up staying nearly an hour just relaxing and enjoying the rushing water. Located on Bear Lake Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, you will need a separate reservation from the park's reservation to enter the road. The hike itself is about 1.6 miles roundtrip and was a relatively easy hike. Plenty of spots to sit on rocks and simply enjoy nature. We didn't have any issues parking in the trailhead parking lot, but we came in late afternoon. Bear Lake is definitely busy earlier in the day. If there's no parking, they do have lots further away and shuttles to take you to the trailhead. Highly recommend this hike. You will not be disappointed.

    Trail to Alberta Falls
    Travis T.

    This is a pretty hike to a gorgeous waterfall that isn't too difficult. The hike to Alberta Falls is 1.6-miles round trip with 160 feet of elevation gain. After spending the day at Bear Lake and doing the hike to Emerald Lake, I decided to do this hike as well. Mostly because I didn't want to deal with the timed entry situation to get into Bear Lake on another day. The hike to Alberta Falls begins at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. While on this hike, you will enjoy aspen groves and a mixed pine forest with some mountainous views along the way. You can hear Alberta Falls as you approach it. Alberta Falls is a 30-foot waterfall that pours into Glacier Creek. Alberta Falls is one of the most visited sections of Rocky Mountain National Park. You can access it by driving down Bear Lake Road after entering the Beaver Meadows Entrance. To access Bear Lake Road, you must book a timed entry reservation in advance. This is because of the popularity of this area. The trailhead begins at the beginning of the Bear Lake Trailhead. If you don't want to wait for a parking spot to open up, you can ride the free shuttle to the trailhead. Alberta Falls is named after Alberta Sprague, the wife of Abner Sprague. He was one of the first settlers in the Estes Park area before it became Rocky Mountain National Park. Sprague Lake is located off Bear Lake Road and is named for Abner Sprague.

    K G.

    You take the Bear Lake Road to get to this trail. Alberta Falls is a 1.6 mile hike with beautiful views in Rocky Mountain National Park. Rocky Mountain National Park entry fee is $20 for one day and $35 for 7 days and be aware of their timed entries before you go. It's not that challenging of a hike. It's a highly trafficked trail so be prepared to see lots of people on the trail. The views are great to stop and soak in.

    Rocky Mountain National Park is just about epic peaks?  Alberta Falls proves otherwise. Rees's Roots
    Rees's R.

    Alberta Falls is one of those places that proves you don't have to hike all day to see something spectacular in Rocky Mountain National Park. The trail to the falls is just under two miles round trip, making it super manageable for families, casual hikers, or anyone who wants a quick taste of Colorado's wild beauty without committing to a strenuous climb. The payoff is incredible for such a short hike. Alberta Falls plunges about 30 feet over rugged rock, creating a rushing cascade that's especially dramatic in spring and early summer when the snowmelt is at its peak. The sound of the water crashing down echoes through the pines, and there are plenty of spots nearby to sit, relax, and just soak it all in. In autumn, golden aspens light up the trail, giving it a whole different kind of magic. What I love most is that it's accessible yet still feels like a real Rocky Mountain adventure. You'll pass through shady forests, hear the roar of the falls before you see them, and feel like you've discovered a little pocket of wilderness. It's family-friendly, photo-worthy, and one of the park's must-see gems. Don't miss it! https://linktr.ee/reessroots

    Short Review
    Nikki D.

    The wheel of fun sent me here... Filmed a YouTube video and ended the day at Alberta Falls and it was STUNNING -- but we got totally lost on the way back because my friend left the map in the car..) And that's how we found a "elk-moose" The hike is beautiful and not too hard even after being lost for an additional few miles, that being said -- the trail signage could be better. So definitely bring a friend if you are not a professional! We ended up in the wrong lot and had to hitchhike back to our car with a stranger (iconic). Definitely bring a real map and don't rely on cell service, because there is none. 4.8 stars -- even with the detour only because it's a "touristy" area.

    Alberta falls
    Emilee R.

    This was honestly the coolest thing ever!!!! It was BEAUTIFUL!! I recommend everyone visit here at least once!

    Fall colors
    Boon C.

    Great trail with mid level challenge. The trail is 1.6 miles round trip with elevation 226 feet elevation gain. It is up hill climb to the fall. It located at Glacier Gorge trail head. You also can go from Bear Lake trailhead but have to spend additional 0.3 miles. The trail is beautiful at end of September because of fall colors. The entire trail take us less than 1 hours. Along the way, we walk beside the creek and pass through the river bridge. Trail is easy to follow. Marker is clear. The falls is located at elevation 9411 feet. So the entire course is a bit challenge for me that who use to 10 feet sea level.

    Ashlyn R.

    The trail is very shady for most part which is nice. The falls are beautiful and worth the hike. We loved seeing all the Burch trees.

    Alberta Falls
    Jacqueline T.

    This beautiful waterfall is easily access from the Glacier Gorge parking area or the Bear Lake parking area. Both lots fill up easily, so there's a shuttle that will drop you off at either. Masks are required, but don't expect people to keep them on. It's slightly shorter to hike from Glacier Gorge. I want to say the falls is about a 2 mile round trip hike from there. It's a pretty easy hike too. We went down toward the river a bit to get a better view of the falls. You can also climb up on the big rocks near the top of the falls. I would highly recommend continuing past the falls though. For just a 5.5 mile round trip hike, you can go to Loch Vale/The Loch. This lake is gorgeous and the hike is moderate. We continued all the way to Sky Pond which was 9.5 miles and strenuous. The views are unbelievable and completely worth it. Timberline Falls and Lake of Glass are also on the way to Sky Pond. Whatever kind of hike you're looking for, you can find Alberta Falls on your path!

    Alisa J.

    Really beautiful hike and easy 1 mile from the bear lake trailhead. Highly recommend and it's on the way to a bunch of other lakes and falls as well. Make sure to reserve on the system ahead of time to get into the park.

    Joey V.

    Did several hikes this week but the hike to Alberta Falls was my favorite one. Started off at the Glacier Gorge trail head. The hike is mostly up hill and slightly challenging with the thin air and high elevation. Along the way there are plenty of photo opportunities as the trail is very scenic. The entire route from Glacier Gorge to Alberta Falls is no more than two miles round trip. It's probably the easiest and most scenic trail in the area.

    Raymond J.

    A absolutely great place by itself and certainly a great to to stop on your way the Mill Lake or one of the other fantastic hikes in the area. From Bear Lake it's about 1.1 miles and the first half is down hill. Listed as moderate, it's pretty easy for those that can get around ok. Beautiful Aspen along the trail, although the road is near by its so peaceful and beautiful leading up to the falls. Once you're up there, well it's a different kind of peacefulness with the roaring water it's awesome and powerful and truly incredible beauty

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    Super short walk to see falls off the super cool one-way dirt road up to the highest peak in RMNP!

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    Review Highlights - Alberta Falls

    “This beautiful waterfall is easily access from the Glacier Gorge parking area or the Bear Lake parking area.”

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    Rocky Mountain National Park - Bear Lake

    Rocky Mountain National Park

    4.8(832 reviews)
    0.0 km

    This park is so heavily visited, so there are multiple visitor centers to help spread the load of…read moreaddressing all of the questions that tourists may have. Seriously, millions of visitors enjoy the park every year. I stayed in the gateway town of Estes Park, which is literally minutes away from the park entrance. I did the Nymph, Dream, Emerald, and Haiyaha Lakes via Nymph Lake Trail, as well as Bear Lake. The trails were in great condition, and even though the trails were heavily trafficked, everyone was pretty courteous. The views were simply amazing. Do note that you might need to be acclimated to the higher atmosphere (=thinner air) and so hiking may be more difficult than your usual if you're coming from lower elevations. I visited during elk mating season, and while I did see elk in the park, I saw even more in the parks of Estes Park!

    Lived in denver for 17 years, traveled all over the world and this is my first trip to RMNP. Wow,…read morewhat was I thinking waiting so long. One of the Crown Jewels of the National Park Service, RMNP sits just outside of Estes Park and 90 minutes from Denver. We camped at Moraine Park and with that came a guaranteed timed entry and all access to the park. It was the perfect way to avoid booking entry to the park and separate booking for Bear Lake area. Our campsite had a phenomenal view on Long's Peak and was walking distance to Elk meadow. Every morning and evening we were front row to the bull elk bugling and enjoyed a great camping experience. We saw so much wildlife but the stand outs were, Moose. Elk. Deer. Coyotes. Fox. Marmot. Pika. Blue Jay. The park is a spectacular spotlight on the Rocky Mountains. We hiked from meadows to mountain tops and enjoyed many epic views and endless fresh air. Got caught in a big rain storm and watched a hiker find his missing keys!! Please note, elk meadow is restricted a bit during this time to let the elk mate. We watched a coupled disregard that and wander down to get wedding photos near the elk herd, wedding dress and all. Park security did not find that amusing. I'm sure those were very expensive wedding photos lol. So much to see and experience. Now I understand why every tourist coming to Colorado needs to see this park.

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    Sprague Lake - Baby moose

    Sprague Lake

    4.9(14 reviews)
    0.0 km

    Sprague Lake is located on the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park, along the scenic Bear…read moreLake Road Corridor. The lake sits at about 8,700 feet, with beautiful views of the surrounding peaks and the Continental Divide. The 0.7-0.8 mile loop around the lake is peaceful, scenic, and especially family-friendly. The trail is stroller accessible, which made it perfect for exploring with our baby. We loved the reflections on the water, the mountain backdrop, and the peaceful alpine setting. A wonderful, easygoing stop in Rocky Mountain National Park--especially if you're traveling with little ones and want beautiful scenery without a strenuous hike.

    This lake has a nice scenic trail around it. The hike itself is half a mile long and easy to walk…read moreon. Sprague Lake is located off Bear Lake Road and has plenty of parking. It is a quiet peaceful lake to enjoy and is wheelchair accessible. Sprague Lake is one of the most popular places to fish at in Rocky Mountain National Park because it has an abundance of trout. I swung by here after spending most of my day at Bear Lake and enjoyed a nice walk around the lake after a long day. Sprague Lake is named after Abner E. Sprague who created this man-made lake. He once had a home here and opened a lodge for hunting and fishing. Sprague then added cabins to the property and made it a hotel in the early 1900's. This area eventually became a part of Rocky Mountain National Park.

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    Sprague Lake
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    Alberta Falls - hiking - Updated September 2026

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