4 Lakes in 4 Miles in Rocky Mountain National Park

During a long weekend in Denver, my friends and I drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park for an afternoon. Rocky Mountain is a great day trip from Denver, as it takes about two hours each way and leaves plenty of time for enjoying the park.

For our trip, we got timed-entry tickets to Bear Lake Road, which is one of the most popular parts of the park. We drove in as far as we could and then took a shuttle to the Bear Lake trailhead since parking there is very limited. The windy shuttle ride made me a little carsick, but it was so worth it once we started on the hike.

Hiking to Emerald Lake

The entire hike is just under 4 miles with less than 1,000 feet of elevation gain. It's an out-and-back trail, which is nice if you need to turn around at any time. I found it to be fairly easy with some moderate sections of steeper trail. Overall, the hike is so beautiful. There are gorgeous pine trees everywhere, and the alpine lakes are crystal clear. The trail follows Tyndall Creek, which feeds the lakes, so there are small waterfalls and charming wooden bridges all along the way. We enjoyed resting on some boulders and taking in the scenery, and what scenery there was! The views of the mountains are really special, and you can also glimpse waterfalls, snowy peaks, and glaciers in the distance.

1/ Bear Lake

The first lake on this hike is Bear Lake, and it's a really easy five-minute walk from the parking lot. It's really pretty with excellent views of the mountains in the distance and gorgeous yellow and orange foliage, thanks to the timing of our visit. If you're interested in a shorter hike, you can do the Bear Lake Loop, which is less than a mile and circumnavigates the lake, so you get all the views. Otherwise, do as we did, and hit the trail for the next lake!

2/ Nymph Lake

Just half a mile in, and you arrive at the next stop, Nymph Lake. This is the smallest of the group, but still quite charming and a nice spot to catch your breath. The lake was completely covered in lily pads and surrounded by large pine trees. The trail continues to the next lake via a route around and above Nymph Lake, so there are some great views along the way.

Before you get to Dream Lake, there's an awesome stop hidden behind the trees. A large boulder above the trail makes for an amazing photo opportunity with the mountains in the background. This was easily the best vista of the hike.

3/ Dream Lake

After hiking another half a mile from Nymph Lake, you'll arrive at the bottom of Dream Lake. This one was definitely the crowd favorite of everyone in our group. So if you can't finish the hike or if you start to feel the altitude getting to you, don't feel obliged to continue on to Emerald Lake.

Dream Lake is long and thin with boulders and driftwood along its edges. Just like Nymph Lake, the trail takes you up and around Dream Lake, so there are plenty of places to get a good photo of this area. There were a handful of people lounging at Dream Lake, as well as some folks fishing!

4/ Emerald Lake

About a mile from Dream Lake and up some of the steepest sections of the hike, Emerald Lake is the endpoint for this particular hike. It's a small and fairly shallow lake made impressive by the mountains. Standing on the shores of the lake, you can see massive mountains right in front of you. By this point, you are at just over 10,000 feet above sea level. Hallett Peak on the left is nearly 13,000 feet tall, and Flattop on the right summits at 12,300 feet. Tyndall Glacier is also between the two, but you can't really see it in the pictures below.

Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park

I am so glad to have finally been able to visit Rocky Mountain National Park! It has been on my bucket list for a while, and I would be lying if I said I've had my fill. Our trip was only for an afternoon, so I would love to go back and spend more time there. I would love to go further into the park and see Hidden Valley or go all the way up to Alpine Visitors Center, which is at a staggering 11,796 feet above sea level.

The closest town to Rocky Mountain National Park is called Estes Park, and seeing how cute it was as we drove through, I would also love the opportunity to spend some time there. I think it would make a great long weekend trip, though staying at a lower elevation like Denver and acclimating will certainly be a necessary part of the journey for a coastal resident like me.

How much does it cost to get into Rocky Mountain National Park?

Like most national parks, Rocky Mountain has an entrance fee of $30 at the time of this writing, but it's per car, so make sure to carpool with your friends! This is the standard fare, although there are discounts for folks with a National Park Pass. There is also a nominal $2 fee in order to secure a reservation for Bear Lake Road.

Do you need a reservation to get into Rocky Mountain National Park?

You don't need a reservation for the whole park generally, but you do need one if you want to drive down Bear Lake Road. This timed entry just serves to minimize traffic since it's a very popular area and the parking lots are pretty small. If you don't manage to get a reservation, you can enter other parts of the park and take a shuttle from another area.

What animals can you see in Rocky Mountain National Park?

Rocky Mountain has a lot of animals, including bears, which you probably (hopefully) won't see. On our trip, we saw prairie dogs, elk, deer, and tons of Steller's Jays, which are the western cousins of the eastern blue jay.