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    Emerald Lake

    5.0 (30 reviews)

    Emerald Lake Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Emerald Lake

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    Emerald Lake with Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain and the Tyndall Gorge in between
    Travis T.

    After spending a part of my morning at Bear Lake, I decided to do this hike to Emerald Lake the second 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.

    Lake
    Shaun D.

    Absolutely stunning lake! Definitely come here in the evening if you want to see wildlife! We saw 3 HUGE elk bucks, and one massive one who sat right next to the trail and kept posing for us. We also saw a lonely fox out looking for its dinner. A little chilly and very windy so be sure to bring a jacket! Bring a camera, jacket, and good company for an amazing time ;)

    Boon C.

    Nice challenge trail. The trail round trip is 3.16 miles. The elevation gain 702 feet. To me is very challenge due we are at sea level of 10,100 feet. Since stop and visit the other two lake along the way, it take us 2.5 hours to complete the round trip of the trail. To prepare the trail, you will need to reserve a access permit pass before noon for you to have enough time to enjoy your hike. During fall weather, the trail hike is more pleasant due to leave color change and the nice weather. Along the way you will pass through two other different lake. Take your time to enjoy the view. At the emerald lake, you will notice a nice mountain peak with little glacier on top. The dead wood at the edge of the lake is beautiful. The water in the lake is clear. You can spot some trout there.

    Ashlyn R.

    This hike is our favorite. We took our 5 month old and he did great. It does get very busy, but so so awesome!

    Emerald Lake behind me!
    Shayla B.

    A really stunning trail through the beautiful Rocky Mountain! I can see why the hike to Emerald Lake is one of the most popular trails in the park. You can actually shorten and extend this hike to your liking. The actual trail from the Bear Lake Staging Area to Emerald Lake is 1.8 miles one way. It starts off on a moderate incline up a beautiful rocky ridge and follows a sanded path passed 2 other lakes (Nymph Lake and Dream Lake) until it ends at Emerald Lake. I ended up doing a 7.5 mile loop and also hit Bear Lake and Lake Haiyaha (my favorite lake of the bunch). There were lots of people on the trails in mid-October, many of whom were not wearing masks. I of course stayed diligent and wore mine (not trying to catch that 'rona). If this is a concern for you, I'd opt for a less busier trail. Also, this is one of the few trails where I never shed my extra layers. It was COLD! Some of the lakes were already frozen over and there were patches on snow around some parts of the trail. Would highly advise that you dress in layers if coming in October or later because it's cold, and once you reach Emerald Lake, you'll be FREEZING your ass off with all of those high winds. Trust me, you won't be hanging around at the lake for too long once you get there. I met a lady from Chicago who even said that the Windy City didn't even get this windy. Believe it, folks! But anyways, the lakes are all really charming and the views of the mountain side are so gorgeous. Although Emerald Lake seems to be all the rave, I have to say that Dream Lake was the most breathtaking while I was on this trail (Lake Haiyaha was an amazing off lake and hike). It's HUGE and the snow covered mountainous backdrop will literally make your heart melt. Plus, it's not nearly as windy and cold as it is at Emerald Lake. Definitely wear some comfortable shoes with good ankle support. The trail is very rocky and a few spots are steep, but nothing that even the most actively challenged couldn't handle without taking their time. Also, this staging area fills up QUICKLY! If you don't get here by 8:00 am-ish, just park at the park n' ride and take the shuttle there. But just beware; the shuttle is operating at limited capacity and the wait times are extremely long, especially getting back. Just plan for some additional waiting time unless you can make it here before 8 am. Restrooms are available at Bear Lake parking lot. All in all, I really enjoyed the hike out to Emerald Lake. If you have some extra time and are looking for a much more secluded hike and a bit more of a difficult hike, I'd 100% recommend the hike up to Lake Haiyaha! This was my favorite hike and you can combine it with the hike to Emerald Lake as well. Happy hiking!

    Dream Lake
    Jacqueline T.

    This trail starts at Bear Lake and gives you 4 different lakes to see along the way (including the one you start at)! It's about a 4 mile round trip hike that's pretty easy/moderate for the area. In the order you pass them, you'll see: Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake. In theory, there are great mountain views along the way as well. We were fogged in because of the September snow storm so we couldn't see those. We also added on Lake Haiyaha to our hike, which from the pictures I've seen, would normally be well worth it. It was the highest in elevation so it was the foggiest lake for us and we couldn't see much. This trail is incredibly popular, so expect it to be crowded. I'm sure the snow caused there to be less people when we were there and it was still fairly crowded. People wearing masks aren't common. Either plan to get an early start to get a parking spot or plan to take the shuttle. Overall, definitely a great trail in RMNP!

    Jason Z.

    Gorgeous hiking trail, probably the best in the entire park. Get your winter gear ready. This trail has very heavy foot traffic but the views are amazing and if you come from an area without much snow, it is a treat.

    Nymph Lake in July 2018.
    Nancy C.

    This is a super popular trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, and for good reason! In the span of less than two miles, we were rewarded with three gorgeous lakes: Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake at the very end. The trail is well-defined and curated, as well as a fairly easy hike in and out. We brought our 1-year-old in a child carrier, though I can picture us taking him on foot once he's older. Despite the ~700 ft elevation gain, it's fairly gradual and barely noticeable since there were several lakes to stop at and enjoy along the way. A perk of the elevation gain is that it's in the first half of the hike going in, so it's easier going back down and out. In addition to the gorgeous trees, mountains, and alpine lakes, there were cute creatures all around. My little one enjoyed seeing a yellow bellied marmot scurrying next to us during a small part of our hike, as well as the many chipmunks that seem to gravitate towards humans for some strange reason? Due to the popularity of this trail, I would suggest coming early...very early. We arrived by 9am on a Saturday in July, and the parking lot by Bear Lake was already full. We ended up just hanging out at one of the visitor's centers and driving around a bit to kill time until we were allowed into the Beak Lake parking lot at 1pm.

    Isabelle M.

    Emerald lake is an awesome hike! The hike to this lake includes passing 4 other beautiful lakes. You start of a Bear Lake Loop Trailhead. A lot of this hike is paved because these trails do get busy at times. This would be a great hike for families or people who just want to do a little hiking without the huge commitment of hiking wayyyy up into the mountains. I think emerald lake is a true gem in the Rocky Mountains. I definitely recommend this hike.

    Trailhead sign
    Maggie C.

    Located in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), Emerald Lake Trail (at elevation 9475ft) is an easy and popular trail that can be done year round. Definitely a "best value hike," if you will, as you get to visit three lakes (Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake) on ONE short easy trail! The shortest and most direct path starts at Bear Lake Trailhead. To get there, from Estes Park, enter RMNP through the Headquarters Entrance, just a little past the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, and then follow the signs to Bear Lake Trailhead (ranger station and restrooms are onsite). Basic stats: Length: 3.6 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 615 feet Start-End Elevation: 9,475' - 9,705' (Nymph): 9,912' (Dream): 10,090' (Emerald) Elevation Change: +230' (Nymph): +437' (Dream): +615' (Emerald) Duration: 2-3 hours at leisure pace We went during wintertime when the trail was blanketed by snow. It was absolutely fun and relaxing! Lots of hikers and cross-country skiers (beware when they come out flying out of the blues zooming through the trail) come here. The trail was not marked clearly, but we were able to follow the footprints and asked the hikers along the trail for directions. The lakes were frozen, and we had fun gliding and sliding across, but it was VERY slippery, so exercise caution. As we progressed from one lake to another, the view became more intense and stunning, with views of Flattop Mountain, Hallett Peak, and Glacier Gorge. Can't wait to hike the trail in spring/fall to see the seasonal colors. TIPS: - In winter, be sure to wear waterproof hiking boots at a minimum. The hard pack ice can be slippery at various areas. - Snowshoes were not required IF the snow was hard packed; if there were fresh powder, then definitely gear up on snowshoes. - Good area to snowshoe - No dogs allowed on trail - Park Entry $20 for 7 days, $40 for annual RMNP pass, or $80 America The Beautiful Annual Pass (can be used for all national parks)

    Nymph Lake May 2018
    Kim N.

    May 2018 Hike Review This was my first time at Rocky Mountain National Park and I'm so glad we decided to get away from our visit to Denver to come here. It was definitely the highlight of my trip! We weren't 100% sure of the trail we would hike upon arrival, so we looked at the map and determined how long we would stay in the park and voila - the hike to Emerald Lake seemed doable. It's RT of 3.6 miles (in and back). Once we started the trail there was slush immediately. The snow hadn't melted away yet and by then I really wanted to turnaround, but as other hikers were coming out of the trail with SNEAKERS on, I knew I would be OK with my hiking boots (no spikes). The trail wasn't difficult during this time but we had to be sure to follow the trail since it was easy to get lost in a separate route. You pass by 2 other lakes to get to Emerald and each one was so beautiful with the lake frozen over. I would consider this a moderate hike because the snow was a bit difficult to trudge through where we were sliding (and fell) in some areas. :) Also, there were quite a bit of people considering the state of the trail. It wasn't super crowded or busy, but you continuously run into people on the trail so it helps to know you're headed in the right direction! I'll have to be back to see the view during the fall time.

    Gregory S.

    Knocked this little gem of a hike off in mid August. Perfect time of year, no snow to speak of. Camping was great, 38 over night. The trail is well Maintained, lots of foot traffic. When I'm RMNP do check this hike out. Perfect for beginners and true back packers as well

    Jean Y.

    Our favorite hiking trail in RMNP. We tried to hiking this trail in July with friends out of town, but it was so busy, long wait for bus shuttles, so we gave up. Last Sunday 10/29/2017, we made it to the bear lake parking lot at 10:30am, parking lot was 1/2 full. We visited bear lake then hiked Emerald Lake Trail. Some incline in 1st 0.5 mile to Nymph Lake. Had a thin layer of ice on the surface already. Another 0.6 miles up, it's our favorite spot-Dream Lake! Also turned into ice lake! So different then summer views, so beautiful! The ice still not thick enough for people to walk on it yet, be careful! Continue 0.7 mile up, reached Emerald Lake, surprised the lake still not iced yet, but windy and cold. It's above 10k ft elevations, gorgeous views! We left by 1:30pm, there was a line of 10+ car waiting to get in the parking lot, and there were parking spots available. We enjoyed it very much! No wonder it's the no.1 hiking trail in RMNP.

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    Ask the Community - Emerald Lake

    Review Highlights - Emerald Lake

    “In the order you pass them, you'll see: Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake.”

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    Rocky Mountain National Park - Bear Lake

    Rocky Mountain National Park

    4.8(832 reviews)
    8.0 mi

    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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    Emerald Lake - hiking - Updated September 2026

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