3 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park
Headed to the Rocky Mountains any time soon? This is the perfect destination for fulfilling hikes, beautiful sites/wildlife, and ultimate adventures. In this post I’ll be touching on the 3 best hikes you won’t want to miss.
Let’s get into it!
Here are the 3 Best Hikes in Rocky National Park!
1. Emerald Lake Trail
I cannot recommend this one enough! Emerald Lake Trail is AWESOME.
The perfect level of difficulty. It will challenge you, but not enough to get it rated in the “hard” difficulty. You’ll get a good workout, you’ll be able to push yourself past your limits, and you’ll see some incredible views.
In the beginning expect it to be steep, and if you go when it recently rained be careful for muddy/slippery areas.
I went in the winter and I enjoyed it so much. It wasn’t too cold out, but there was still a lot of snow. At some parts on the way back we slid down on our butts because it was steep and we definitely would have slipped (honestly it was so much fun, I might bring a sled next time). If you don’t want to slide down on your butt (lol), wear chains or wear your hiking boots with spikes in the winter!
You’ll see three lakes on this trail (lymph, dream, and emerald), and each one is stunning and well worth the hike. At Emerald Lake you may even catch skiers getting dropped out of a helicopter onto the mountain on the opposite side of the lake. They looked like little ants! It was such a cool experience.
Recommendations:
- Start in the morning to avoid the heavy crowds around lunch
- Keep an eye out for elk and other little critters running around (marmots)
- For great picture opportunities try hiking at sunrise
- Give yourself about 2-3 hours to complete the trail
- Have fun!😊
2. Sky Pond via Glacier Gorge Trail
Here’s a little longer trail recommendation for you! Sky Pond via Glacier Gorge is a difficult rated 9.4 mile hike. If you woke up on the right side of the bed and are ready to knock out almost 10 miles of trail, sky pond is exactly what you’re looking for.
The trail is relatively easy until you get to the waterfall right before Lake Glass. It’s a rocky and unsteady climb up so be careful! Of course, when you get to the top the views are 100% worth it every time.
If parking is full at the trailhead and at Bear Lake, they have a park & ride system that can take you there. The lot can get full as early as 6:30-7am so if you don’t plan on getting there that early I would bank on using the park & ride system.
Plan on carving 5-6 hours out of your day to do this hike. Make sure to stop and take in the views whenever you can😊 It’s absolutely incredible and such a great way to spend your day in lovely Colorado!
3. Gem Lake Trail
A challenging 3.1 mile hike to the beautiful Gem Lake. Get ready to continue climbing and never stop! It’s entirely uphill which will get you huffing and puffing pretty quickly. Take breaks when you need to, take in the beautiful views, and have fun!
It’s rated as moderate and should only take you about 1.5-2 hours to finish depending on how many stops you take.
I recommend stepping off the trail a bit to see the views on the way up. You’ll interchange between forest shade and complete sun, so pack sunscreen and a lot of water! Like most hikes I recommend, try and start it in the morning to beat the crowds and beating sun!
P.S. when I say its uphill, it’s very uphill. Lots of people don’t expect this when they get there, so just a reminder to take a lot of stops and drink a lot of water – get ready for your legs to feel the burn!
I hope you enjoyed reading the 3 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park!
If you’re looking for an itinerary that hits the rocky mountains, check out this awesome road trip 7 Day Ultimate Road Trip Through Colorado, Utah, and Arizona! So much fun!
And if you’re looking for another insane/intense hiking trip, check out The Most Outstanding 3 Day Yosemite National Park Itinerary. Yosemite is known for its steep mountains, insane views, and challenging but fulfilling hikes. You’ll find the best itinerary here!
Let me know if you ever have any questions, want to chat, or want anymore hiking recommendations in the Rocky Mountains or Colorado in general😊
Talk to you later travel fam!