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    Wild Basin

    4.0 (1 review)

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    2 years ago

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    Emerald Lake - Lake

    Emerald Lake

    5.0(29 reviews)
    8.5 mi

    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.

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    Emerald Lake - Friends

    Friends

    Emerald Lake - Me

    Me

    Emerald Lake - Lake

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    Lake

    Bear Lake - Aster

    Bear Lake

    4.8(47 reviews)
    8.2 mi

    I enjoyed hiking the nature trail here at Bear Lake. Because this is such a popular area of Rocky…read moreMountain National Park, it requires a timed entry reservation with Bear Lake Road access to get in. To reach Bear Lake, must enter through the Beaver Meadows entrance station to get into the park. Rocky Mountain National Park requires a timed entry reservation to enter the park during certain hours. After entering, you then have to show your "Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road" reservation at another entrance station at the beginning of Bear Lake Road. The road to Bear Lake is around ten miles. Just keep in mind that the parking lot will probably be full upon arrive. They do have a free shuttle that will take you to the beginning of the trailheads if you are not able to find parking. I got lucky and was able to pull into a parking spot when a car was leaving. I did three hikes during my full day here at Bear Lake. I started off with the nature loop that goes around Bear Lake. Then I did the hike to Alberta Falls followed by the hike to Emerald Lake. All of these trails start at the same place. There is a ranger station at the beginning of the trail that has a park ranger on hand to answer questions and to hand out maps. Bear Lake is so beautiful. The walk around the lake is easy and scenic. The Bear Lake loop trail offers spectacular views of Hallett Peak and the surrounding mountain peaks. Bear lake was formed during the ice age by a big chunk of ice. Keep an eye out for wildlife and other little critters that hang around the lake. I was able to do some bird watching while on my hike. A Steller's Jay followed me around the whole time that I was on the trail and provided some fun entertainment. I also enjoyed photographing the colorful wildflowers along the trail.

    Bear Lake is a popular destination within Rocky Mountain National Park. Many trails start and end…read morewith Bear Lake, ones that are both easy and more challenging. It is stunningly beautiful. We did not set out to do this trail. We took the Mills Lake via Glacier Gorge Trail (a little over 5 mile hike) and saw a sign that Bear was an additional 0.6 miles out to it and back to the trail we took so we added this to our hike. Bear Lake sits at 9,450 feet in elevation so make sure to give your body time to acclimate to the high altitude before doing any strenuous hikes if you are new to hiking in high elevation. It's a gorgeous lake with benches around to sit down and soak in the views and is a peaceful place to visit.

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    Bear Lake
    Bear Lake
    Bear Lake - Bear Lake Ranger Station and Visitors Shuttle

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    Bear Lake Ranger Station and Visitors Shuttle

    Wild Basin - hiking - Updated May 2026

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