Bear Lake

Estes Park, Colorado

4.6/5

based on 13 reviews

Save

View all 13 photos

All 13 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

0.67 miles

Elevation Gain

77.87 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Outbound

Bear Lake is an iconic lake in Rocky Mountain National Park with year-round photography access.

Bear Lake is a popular tourist destination in Rocky Mountain NP, but when the sun is low in the sky or the stars are out you'll find the big crowd are gone. The lake is beautiful at sunrise and sunset but especially photogenic in the fall or at winter's end. While it doesn't have the darkest night skies it can still serve as an excellent location to watch meteors or photograph star trails above Hallet Peak. The area is also frequented by wildlife and you might capture an elk harem, flock of turkeys, or lone fox.

Download Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Download GPX File

Features

Photography

Hiking

Bathrooms

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Forest

Lake

Scenic

Wildlife

ADA Accessible

Bear Lake Reviews

Allison Cole

Explorer

Bear Lake

12/30/22

I've walked around this lake during the spring, summer and winter. All four season offer a unique perspective to the lake. Winter was a personal favorite because the lake was frozen over and it was a beautiful sight. This is a great trail for all activity levels and ages.

5.0

John Clairmont

Explorer

Bear Lake

12/14/20

My wife and I added this to an already packed day of hiking simply because it was so easy to get to on our way back from a sunrise hike to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake. If you head up this way in RMNP, go check out this lake!

4.0

Kyle C

Explorer

Bear Lake

10/22/20

This lake is easy and handicapped accessed which is great but also makes it crowded. If you are planning on doing this early then you will find a spot, but I have also seen this parking lot fill up by 0700 on spring weekend

4.0

PRO

Lucas Bremer

PRO

Explorer

Bear Lake

09/22/20

This parking lot is one of the busiest in the Rockies and I always make sure to get here prior to sunrise to make sure I had a space.

5.0

Jenna Mulligan

Explorer

Bear Lake

07/01/20

Go for sunrise!

5.0

Alex Trudeau Viriato

Wayfinder

Bear Lake

05/21/17

We finished our hike to Emerald Lake and before returning to the car we decided to quickly check out Bear Lake. It was worth the very fast hike there. You can do a loop but we did not, we simply admired the lake, took a couple pictures and returned to our car. It was raining and the clouds were rolling in, making it particularly different and beautiful.

4.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Flattop Mountain Trail

Watch the sunrise from above treeline with great views below and to the south. This is my favorite place to view the sunrise is from just above the emerald lake overlook. The Bear Lake area is very crowded, but an early morning ascent of Flattop Mountain will provide ample opportunities for solitude! To catch the sunrise, begin at the Bear Lake trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. From t...

Snowshoe to Emerald Lake

Snowshoeing to Emerald Lake was completely different from hiking the trail during summer. Instead of hiking around Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake, I was able to go straight across them (check the ice to make sure it's thick enough to support your weight). Rocky Mountain National Park's trails get a lot of use even in winter, which makes it easier to find your way. When the snow cover...

Bear Lake to Fern Lake Trailhead

On this Rocky Mountain hike you’ll explore 4 picturesque mountain lakes and a 60 foot waterfall. Completing this hike requires familiarizing yourself with Rocky Mountain National Park’s free shuttle system. Hikes along Bear Lake Road are some of the busiest in the park. Trailhead parking lots fill up early in the morning, so avoid the trouble and use the shuttles. To access Bear Lake trailhead...

Ptarmigan Lake via Bear Lake Trailhead

The hike to Ptarmigan Lake has plenty of elevation gain for mountain lovers and views for miles from the Continental Divide. If you want to reach this spot for sunrise you'll need a very early start in the morning, but that also means you won't have to use the shuttle system to Bear Lake. The last half mile of the hike is off-trail so make sure to watch your step and practice Leave No Trace Pri...

Dream Lake

Begin at the Bear Lake Trailhead, located at the end of Bear Lake Road, 9 miles from the entrance on Highway 36. Follow the signs to Dream Lake, passing Nymph Lake about halfway through. At 1.1 miles you will reach Dream Lake. The views of 12,713-foot Hallett Peak and 12,324-foot Flattop Mountain from the east shore of this subalpine lake are incredible, and the perfect backdrop for this aptly ...

Dragon's Tail Couloir Climb

Start your day at the Bear Lake parking lot, and head out on the short 2-mile approach that winds uphill past Nymph and Dream Lake. After arriving at Emerald Lake, skirt around the shore on the left side to reach the bottom of the couloir, clearly visibile on the far side of the lake.The 1500 ft climb starts gradually and increases in steepness as the couloir narrows towards the top, reaching s...

Bear Lake

Details

Description

Download Outbound mobile app

Features

Bear Lake Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Flattop Mountain Trail

Snowshoe to Emerald Lake

Bear Lake to Fern Lake Trailhead

Ptarmigan Lake via Bear Lake Trailhead

Dream Lake

Dragon's Tail Couloir Climb

Discover

Community

Company

Follow Us

Mobile Apps