Nice hike near the town. Moderate in difficulty and shaded in some areas. Not much parking so get…read morethere early. Beautiful view of the falls at the top.

This is a great trail but the location shown here for it is wrong. The trail is in Rocky Mountain…read moreNational Park on the edge of Estes Park. This map is a small community 12 miles east of Estes Park. Please use google to find the real location of this trail!

We started off with snowshoes but, it wasn't necessary. We ended up switching to microspikes. About…read morea 1 mile in we encountered a moose on the trail. We tried waiting her out but, she was determined to eat from the trees right next to the trail. Therefore, we cut our hike short and went back. It is a beautiful area, there were no cars in the parking lot when we arrive around 8:15am on a Saturday morning.

I love this trail, and one of the reasons why is the end-as you finish up a great hike or ride, you…read morearrive near the parking area and there are some nice warm boulders by the river-take off your shoes, sit and feel the warmth of the sun radiating from the rock, soak your feet in the icy water...life is good. The trail starts at 8300 ft. From the parking area the trail travels a cushioned gentle slightly downhill roll through woods along the banks above the St. Vrain. Most of the first mile+ is cool and shady even in the summer and the smell of the pines fills your senses. For bikers, there are a few bumpy sections, not a lot. Further on you will get to more technical stuff when you reach a 4x4 road-plenty of steep and rocky. From 36 follow Left Hand Canyon to the fork, take right fork to Jamestown, go through Jamestown, follow to end of pavement, keep going about 1.5 miles

Our goal was to hike to Emerald Lake, and let me tell you... It was 100% worth it. On this 3.6 mile…read moreroundtrip hike, you'll also encounter Nymph Lake and Dream Lake. While they're both beautiful in their own right, neither one of them compare to the sheer beauty of Emerald Lake with the snowy mountains as a backdrop. As I said, it is a moderate hike. We started around 930am - would've been nicer to start earlier, but it still beat the full heat of the noon sun. There will be intermittent shade, but make sure you bring a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water. We visited in mid June. Once we neared Dream Lake, we started encountering snow on the ground. I used hiking sandals, and I was able to do it in those - just be careful. That being said, with the amount of snow that was on the trail to Lake Haiyaha was completely un-doable in my shoes. Once you reach Emerald Lake, find a place to sit and just take it all in. I could've sat there all afternoon, just being at peace with nature. Absolutely gorgeous. To get to Emerald Lake, you'll need access to Bear Lake Road. Just be aware that Bear Lake Road requires a reservation SEPARATE from the reservation to the national park. There's a big lot at the trailhead, but it gets filled up. They do have a park & ride a few miles away with plenty of shuttles ready to bring you in. If you're able to make the hike, hiking to Emerald Lake is wonderful. The hike itself is gorgeous, and the final lake is beautiful. Plan it in your schedule, and you will not be disappointed.

After spending a part of my morning at Bear Lake, I decided to do this hike to Emerald Lake the…read moresecond part of the day. This hike starts at the beginning of the Bear Lake trailhead and is 1.8 miles one way (3.6 miles RT). I would say that it is a moderate hike that has some elevation climb to it. You will pass both Nymph Lake and Dream Lake along way. The views along the way are spectacular. Emerald Lake is nestled in between some mountains at an elevation of 10,111 feet. You can see Hallett Peak and the jagged spires of Flattop Mountain across this iconic alpine lake. In between the two mountains is the Tyndall Gorge. There were some small ripples in the water caused but a slight wind. Several people that hiked here jumped in and swam in the water. I ended up relaxing on a large rock and eating my lunch while enjoying the view. Emerald Lake starts at the beginning of the Bear Lake Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. To reach this trail, you must drive ten miles on Bear Lake Road after entering through the Beaver Meadows Entrance. There is a separate timed entry reservation that is required to access Bear Lake Road. If you are unable to find parking at the Bear Lake Trailhead, there is a free shuttle that you can ride to the trailhead.

Bear Lake is located on the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park, in the popular Bear Lake…read moreRoad Corridor. It was absolutely beautiful, with the lake surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks and a peaceful alpine setting. We spotted adorable chipmunks and beautiful blue-feathered birds along the way, which made the experience even more memorable. The roughly half-mile walk around the lake was manageable with our baby in a stroller and was a wonderful family-friendly way to experience the park. A beautiful and easy-to-enjoy stop that I would definitely recommend when visiting Rocky Mountain National Park!

The serenity and beauty are 5 star without a doubt. The lake is probably the single most visited…read morelocation in the entire RMNP. As such, it is incredibly over-crowded and over-touristed. The parking lots to the lake are full by 7am. The Park Service runs a shuttle from Estes Park (the visitor center) which is the way to go. You still need to buy an entrance permit to the park and a $2 permit to visit the lake, but avoiding the hassle of having a car in the park is worth it. The shuttle runs on a defined schedule which is available in the visitor center. They run a tight ship so buses leave promptly. If you do the shuttle (which is free) you need to buy a 1 day untimed pass to the national park (no vehicle). For the Bear Lake pass, you need to go online (recreation.gov) for RMNP the day before you intend to travel at 7pm. Do it quickly because spaces sell out quickly. You will want to reserve a specific time to get on the bus. For example, we did the 10am bus. The shuttle bus schedule is in the visitor center. They send your pass to your email that you show to driver. The lake itself is beautiful. The lake is a 256 feet "hike" from the entrance to the lake. In other words, it is so easy and accessible that everyone does it. When I say everyone, I mean imagine half the population of Manhattan. There are so many people that it is impossible to find any peace or quiet. Some people call this escaping to nature. At the Bear Lake entrance there are other hikes that range in length. The trip to Emerald lake is 1.8 miles and also very popular so expect large crowds. Overall, it is great to be in nature but the big downside is the crowds.

A nice spot close to the heart of Boulder to have a picnic, go on a hike, or enjoy the warer. I…read morealso saw a few people fly fishing. The bathrooms were not operational during our visit (early July 2024) which was pretty inconvenient when you want to eat/drink by the water. The parking lot will fill up but there is some additional parking across the road. This spot could benefit from 1-2 more picnic tables.

Beautiful public access spot in Left Hand Creek Watershed! A great place for a picnic and walk…read morealong the creek!

This is one of the best easy trails in RMNP; off the beaten path, scenic, easy, with a great…read moredestination!! Access the trailhead at the very end of the road in Morraine Park. The trail is about 1.7 miles of easy sandy hiking along the headwaters of the Big Thompson river. Many folk hike in to fish here! There are aspen, big giant boulders (look up! They have fallen from 1000' up- scary!!), a babbling brooks, pine trees, and finally at the end, The Pool! We usually see an elk or deer along this path. The hike to the pool does not disappoint!!

Nice scenic overlook from Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. At around 12,000 feet…read moreelevation, this overlook gives you a nice view of the Never Summer Mountains and the Gore Range. The jagged peaks of the Gore Range are named for Sir St George Gore, an Irish aristocrat who went on a hunting expedition in the area in the 1850's. The Never Summer Mountains were created by volcanic activity between 29 and 24 million years ago. There is a small parking lot near the overlook that you can park at. I made a short stop here after visiting the nearby Alpine Visitor Center. The overlook can only be accessed in the summer months because Trail Ridge Road closes during the winter season.

A mile from Lava Cliffs Overlook, passing the Trail Ridge Summit, you arrive at Gore Range…read moreOverlook. Gorge Range is the highest point of the road at 12,183 feet and naturally offers dramatic snow-covered mountain views. Up ahead is the Alpine Visitor Center which makes a great stopping point if you're ready to head back. This is one of the best places to get a view of the west of the park, with spectacular views of the Gore Range mountains, which run for sixty miles. next stop--the Alpine Visitor Centre

Es dificil a veces saber a donde ir o que llevar cuando tienes ganas de viajar. Viajes Colorado me…read moredio una experiencia magica. No me tuve que preocupar de nada, llevaban ellos equipo, sabian las mejores zonas, tomaron las mejores fotos, me llevaron por excelente comida. Una experiencia relajante y aventurera que 100% recomiendo.

From the owner: Driven by a solution-oriented mindset and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Christian is…read morededicated to doing whatever it takes to help you create the best memories possible, ensuring that your experiences are both special and memorable.

This is a super lovely and quiet trail. Lion Gulch Trailhead is located on Hwy. 36. Thirteen miles…read morewest of Lyons and 8 miles east of Estes Park. From Estes Park travel to the 8-mile marker on Hwy. 36. It has a smaller parking lot probably could hold 10 cars. It starts off with a pretty steep climb, but there is a fair amount of shade and some water crossings along the way. This is a great trail in my opinion if you have dogs especially on the warmer sunny days. There is a bathroom at the beginning of the trail but there is not however any trash cans, so when you go you need to go with the intention of packing out all the bring you in. Including your dog poop. I can't remember if there were dog poop bags at the trail head so if you have a dog be sure to pack some with you (and then take them out with you) There are lots and lots of ways to go on teh trail and a variety of old homesteads to see. It is really quite cool. There are signs with some of the history along the route as well. Right now about half the trail is covered in ice, so if you dont have yak traks or spikes it would be best to not go until later as there are parts that are a sheet of ice.

Wow! It's so beautiful here. I enjoyed my solo take out dinner sitting on top of a boulder and…read moreenjoying the views of the lake and mountains. Plus, the lake is only. Short walk from the parking lot, so it is accessible to most. While on a short hike on the trail, I ran into a beautiful MOOSE and caught a few photos while he ate his dinner. Amazing experience!

Brainard NRA is stunning. I was surprised how fast the tickets go for this place during the summer…read moremonths - I went in mid September and the tickets for the morning times were fully gone within minutes after they dropped online a few weeks before I went Given RMNP tix go like that I was ready at 0900 for when they dropped, and actually within 1 min the 8-11a time slot sold out so I couldn't get it! But I did get the 5-8a slot which was fine. The area itself is very easy to find and navigate, and it is well maintained by the staff. When you arrive they do scan your day pass ticket and give you a pass to hang on your rear view mirror. The lot was plenty empty at Long lake trailhead (the start to get to Lake Isabelle) when I arrived around 0730. The day was fairly cool but not cold, and partly cloudy. It was absolutely gorgeous, the hike there was even more beautiful than the lake itself! I saw a moose along part of the trail too. The lake itself was surprisingly low, I'm not sure why the water level was that low but it looked much lower compared to the pictures/tiktoks I've seen online. That said, it is still very picturesque. There were lots of places to roam around the lake, and even tho it became SUPER windy when I got to the lake, I had a good time running around (but note - my nose was running like CRAZY, if you have allergies, come with tissues!). I did end up walking from long lake trailhead to the lake Mitchell trailhead and making the hike out there too; Isabelle is prettier imo but it was still a fun walk and the trailhead at Mitchell has plenty of parking too. There is a little trail, about 15 mins walk between long lake trailhead and Mitchell trailhead, although you do briefly have to walk along part of the road. Brainard lake itself is also lovely, I saw a moose hanging out right by this lake too!