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.

Weird name...is it a state forest, or a state park? Yes, yes it is. In any case, a ton of variety…read moreover the sprawling park, with hiking trails of all lengths, fishing, 4x4, and camping. Lake Agnes can be a bit crowded on the weekends, but for good reason; otherwise, crowds are pretty thin.

First of all, the drive from the Denver area is fantastic (once you get off of I-25). Stop at the…read moreMoose Visitor Center first to see where moose have been spotted and to chat with the staff. (The wire sculptor out front is worth the stop, too.) Note that there is great bird watching and chipmunk watching from the back patio of the Center and there's a great picnic table tucked away there as well. We went to the North Michigan campgrounds. The lake is beautiful, but our reserved camp site was beyond that, up the mountain on Franciscan Rd. Great spot and great group camping available. I really wanted to find the yurts but know that most of them are hike in only (even outside of the winter season). We saw lots of rangers making their rounds. Lots of long hiking trails are around (4+ miles one way), but there are a couple of short ones on this end of the park too---Moose View and Beaver Pond. This beautiful place is serene and feels isolated. Depending on your campsite, it is.

I love coming here when I want to get away from the city and have a truly relaxing night or two. It…read moreis typically quiet, dark and can be very romantic. I personally love coming when it's snowing or when there is snow on the ground. In a clear night, you get the best view of the stars and sky. It's a hop skip and jump from Denver for a quick getaway, so I'm frequently here. There is no NO phone service, and please if coming in at night keep flashlights down to the ground as clothing is optional.

Strawberry Hot Spring's is about 9 miles from where we are staying in Steamboat Springs... The last…read more2 miles of the road is not paved... beautiful forest and creeks along the way... the springs are something to see... as it goes cold... warm... and warmer.... Cash only... no food or drinks allowed inside.

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.

Emerald lake is one of the stars of RMNP. Its a stunning place to hike to year round, and it's…read morepretty moderate as a hike so it's accessible to most people. I personally prefer the lake in winter when it's frozen; there's something about the towering peaks covered in snow when you can walk right up to where the flat surface of the lake meets the bank. It's just stunning! It is very slipper when there's that much snow though so come prepared -- crampons/shoe chains are very helpful, and snow shoes can also be helpful. There are areas of the trail that get buried pretty deep in snow. Watch your step! Even in summer there are a lot of steps so you can slide on rocks etc. But it is a truly beautiful hike, all the time. You pass nymph and dream lake on the way out to emerald and they are also absolutely stunning - actually I prefer dream in summer when it's defrosted :)

This was our first time on this trail. We only went as far as the barn because the trail past that…read morewas closed still due to fire. The path to the barn is just about 2 miles. we had 570 feet of elevation gain. all trails said it was like 850 or something like that but that was definitely a bit off. When you first start the trail is a bit of up but then it flattens out. There are so many lovely views along the way! i am not familiar with this area or not and if this is a off leash trail or not but every dog we encountered was off leash. So just be forewarned if you have a naughty dog this may not be the place for you. The trail was a little wider so we were able to walk in groups of two which was nice. the river below was frozen and there was snow on the other side of it. The trail however was dry and perfect for hiking The barn which is 2 miles in is great. Look for the secret door while you are there to a room! Would definitely go back if i were in the area. The kids we were with were mostly not experienced hikers and everyone did just fine on the trail.

This is my go to trail for a quick in and out trail. Easy to moderate trail depending if you go…read morepast the barn and creek. It can be muddy in the spring but I love the sound of the river churning below.

This is a beautiful trail! Most of it is paved, so almost anyone will be able to access the trail…read more There are different points of interest that you can walk to, and there are information stands that will tell you a bit about the area. There is a five dollar fee to park in the lot, but that's not a bad thing! I would highly recommend paying a visit to this location!

Hiked around this area, including the uranium mine trail on Monday. Nice trails with good views…read more There was plenty of parking ($5 entry fee) and also facilities onsite. Busy this time of year. We might try to go back to hike the actual falls trail.

If there were a way to give this place 10 stars, it would be an easy task and still not enough…read morestars. The phrases "picture perfect" and "like a postcard" are applicable. Breathtaking. Spiritual. Spectacular. Clean mountain air, crisp colors, pristine waters, stark rocky mountain terrain, tenacious plant specimens, and majestic animals. And yet, words truly do not do these amazing places justice. We saw bald eagles flying overhead, a moose wading knee-deep in a lake, and chipmunks. I was completely awestruck at every turn. I want to return to each of these places as often as possible for however many days I'm going to be bouncing around on this living planet. Wish I lived closer or was a hardier type of individual who could survive the harsh winters, but I'll have to be satisfied with visitation. Someone told me that I'd feel claustrophobic when I returned home, and they were 100% accurate.

Amazing place to visit. I hike the Snowy range loop (22 miles over three days)…read more Easy to get to from Colorado and much different vibe. Highly recommend the experience.

We had so much fun strolling about the lake looking for moose and yay saw two. It made our day. We…read morespotted a lizard in the water which was also very special.

I enjoyed visiting Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Not only is it a pretty lake, it is a…read moregreat spot for bird watching and to see wildlife up close. The ground squirrels were fun and entertaining to watch. Because they are used to people feeding them, they come right up to you and beg. The short trail around the lake is easy and level. It is about 0.8 miles round trip and offers great views of Longs Peak, Mount Meeker and Twin Sisters. If you want something more challenging, you can jump on the Storm Pass Trail from here. Rocky Mountain Park requires a online timed entry reservation made in advance during peak season.

What a great place for hiking! I'm from near Boulder, so getting in the car and driving an hour up…read morethe front range just to hike,we'll, we have hiking here too. But I was very impressed with the size and scope of this mountain park! Sitting right next to Lory State Park, you can really get a lot of distance done on these trails. It's a nominal fee to park, and there's maps and bathrooms at the trailhead. I found there to be parking much of the day. However, the waterfall attracts many folks on weekends. I would start with an ascent of Horsetooth Mountain, if you feel able. Even if you can't get all the way up, the views get better and better. There's lots of side trails to customize your adventure. However, don't get lost! The final few steps on the peak are a big rock scramble, so be careful! It's worth it though. I then went down to the cove and had a nice private lunch. Plenty of bikers use the trails on the lower half, so be aware. I found hiking before 10 am was best, and encountered few bikers out that early. This was a fantastic place to hike, and I got nearly 15 miles down. There's a beautiful section on the Stout Trail, and it leads down to a cool waterfall, so I'd definitely at least recommend that section!

An amazing and challenging outdoors experience not too far from town. A harder hike with a bit of a…read morechallenge to get up to the peak of horsetooth, but definitely doable with amazing views ! Parking: We went on Monday morning and there was plenty of parking. That being said, I can see how the parking lot would be full on a busier day or the weekend. Facilities: There are toilets and water fountains in the parking lot, as well as maps and a covered picnic table. There is a apy station at the entry to the hike as well. There is a bug posted map as well as some paler maps for you to take. Hikes: There seemed to be 2 major hikes according to the posted map. You can hike to the falls but make sure to check if they have water ahead of time. Since there wasn't water when we went, we opted for only doing the hike up to horse tooth itself. The trails are very clearly marked which is really appreciated! Each trail is marked by a color and there are colored arrows showing you which way to go on your chosen path. The hike up to horsetooth itself can be strenuous! Not being used to the elevation should definitely be something taken into consideration if you're new to the area. It's consistently uphill for the first half (and downhill for the 2nd half of course). The views are absolutely amazing the whole way with a great look over the huge reservoir! You may also run into some wildlife - we passed by some very calm deer right on the trail and met some very cute chipmunks who came right to us. There's also some benches along the trail to take a break and take in the views. Once you get to the top of the trail, you can climb to the top of horse tooth - and I mean climb! You definitely don't have to have rock climbing experience but you do need to be ready to use hands and feet to get up there. This trail is dog friendly and you will run into people with dogs. Leashes are required.

Great service. No issues. Power outages minimal…read more Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Michael Cooper