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PARKS
Rocky Mountain National Park
Hiking
On a crisp winter day, from a high point in west Denver, Long's Peak towers over the Front Range, its white summit jutting into a deep blue sky. That mountain symbolizes Rocky Mountain National Park beckoning you to come up and take a hike. My favorite walk in the park climbs up a steep ridge to the base of Long's Peak, then flattens out on the east shore of Chasm Lake. West of the lake, you will likely see the bright red sweater of a climber hundreds of feet up the wall that rises from the water's edge, trying to conquer one more fourteener!
Rocky Mountain is a dayhiking park par excellence. Almost all the trails are less than ten miles, most are less than five, and with easily accessible trailheads. If you're itching for a longer, multi-day backpacking trip, don't fret. You can always string a few trails together for a tailor-made excursion. Start your research at our comprehensive list of trailheads and trails.
Going in winter? Many of the trails in lower elevations on the eastern side of the park remain hikeable while the park's western side and higher elevations are slammed with snow. Check our winter hiking page for some good ideas.
Choosing the best from the park's dozens of trails is an impossible task. Take this selection as a taste of what you will find when you go exploring. . .
—Bill Greer
Chasm Lake | Black Lake | Old Ute Trail | Flattop Mountain | Storm Pass and Estes Cone
Chasm Lake
Length: 8.4 miles round trip
Rating: Strenuous
Elevation: 9400' to 11800'
The trail starts at the Long Peak's Ranger Station. It ascends moderately through conifer forest. At a third of a mile, the trail to Estes Cone branches right. You stay left and continue through the woods. At a little under two miles, the track hits timberline. At this point, you will be glad you started early. Late afternoon thunderstorms can make this open terrain treacherous. You continue onward through a slope covered with evergreens hugging the ground but no trees blocking the vista. At about 3 miles, bear left; the right fork heads for Granite Pass and the Keyhole. You have a little over a mile to go. The first stretch is along the marshy banks of the headwaters of Roaring Fork Creek. Once you pass Peacock Pool, a ridge rises sharply ahead - still no sign of the lake itself. You need to clamber up the steep rocky slope. A couple of false summits will have you questioning whether the pool really exists, but as you scramble over the top, a scene of unbelievable majesty unfolds before your eyes, dominated by the Diamond - the world class climb of Long's Peak east face!
Black Lake
Length: 8.4 miles roundtrip
Rating: Moderate
Elevation: 9240' to 10620'
Black Lake is a final jewel along the mystic Glacier Gorge. The trail starts at Glacier Gorge Junction on the road to Bear Lake. It follows up Glacier Creek, through stands of Aspen and across boardwalks over marshy areas. The mountain walls frequently feel like they are closing in as you stroll up the narrow canyon. The sites are a lesson in the power of water. Alberta Falls plunges into the creek at a little over half a mile. At two miles, the trail to the Loch branches right, a fabulous destination in itself if you want a shorter round trip (5.5 miles). Bearing left, Mill's Lake follows next, named for Enos Mills, one of the early naturalists that ventured into the area. The path then winds through a landscape of dwarf fir until steep walls block the canyon. Here lies Black Lake, with the dark wall of McHenry's peak reflecting in its surface.
Old Ute Trail
Length: 6 mile point to point; or go out and back
Rating: Moderate
Elevation: 11,250' to 8,250'
When you are crossing the barren windswept slope of Tombstone Ridge, try to picture the highway this trail used to be. The Utes traversed similar vast stretches all along the Continental Divide as they traveled from village to village. The trail begins off Trail Ridge Road below the Forest Canyon Overlook. You are on top of the world here—one of your few chances to hike downhill for the day. The low life of Alpine tundra surrounds you and Long's Peak stands guard to the south. You can hike as far as your legs will carry, enjoying the expansive scene. But remember, you go 6 miles to Upper Beaver Meadows or a steep climb back to Trail Ridge Road.
Flat Top Mountain
Length: 8.0 miles round trip
Rating: Strenuous
Elevation: 9,500' to 12,300'
Departing around the north side of Bear Lake, the Flattop Trail offers more of the alpine tundra hiking so outstanding in Rocky Mountain National Park. You rise steadily through the various ecological zones, starting with the conifer forest around Bear Lake. After a couple of miles, the terrain will have opened up and you can peer straight down to Emerald Lake, more than a thousand fee below the trail. You will continue climbing until the mountain really flattens out. You will feel like your are on an enormous plateau at an elevation where the Gods live. There is nothing particularly distinct about Flattop itself, but you can take in the park's beauty in almost every direction. At 4 miles, you will have reached your destination, but if your stamina still holds, you can take the left fork at the junction, to Hallet Peak, another mile and another few hundred feet up.
Storm Pass and Estes Cone
Length: 6.6 miles
Rating: Moderate
Elevation: 9,400' to 11,000'
Storm Pass is a great place to head for a warm-up hike when you are acclimating to Rocky Mountain altitudes. The trail starts at the Long Peak's Ranger Station. Follow the Chasm Lake trail for a third mile, then branch right. At 2.5 miles, you will have climbed almost 1,000 feet, but your legs will scream more thanks to a lot of ups and downs. The trail splits here, the left branch heading miles further to Glacier Basin, the right climbing 750 feet to the Estes Cone. If you are warming up, turn around here. If you still have energy to burn, scramble up the scree to enjoy the Cone's panorama of the Twin Sisters, Mount Meeker, and Long's Peak.
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