AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Mountain National Park

Bear Lake–Dorsey Lake, 10 sights

15.3 mi · ▲ 3,272 ft · 6 hr 44 min

Bear Lake–Dorsey Lake, 10 sights is a 15.3-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain National Park near Beaver Point, CO. The route passes Dorsey Lake and Bear Lake. It climbs 3,272 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 11/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi7,842 – 9,800 ft · steepest grade: 18%16.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: B9 40.33684, -105.56547
Nearest town Beaver Point, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Bear Lake–Dorsey Lake, 10 sights

15.3 mi · ▲ 3,272 ft · 6 hr 44 min

Elevation 7,840–9,799 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Mountain National Park

Trailhead: B9 · 40.33684, -105.56547

Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:35 AM · sunset 7:28 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Wind River South, heading N.
  2. 0.1 miPass Dorsey Lake.
  3. 150 ftContinue straight onto Marsh Meadow Connector, heading N.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto Wind River South, heading N.
  5. 0.1 miBear left onto Dorsey Lake Trail, heading NW.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto Wind River North, heading NW.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  8. 50 ftTurn left onto River Camp Trail, heading NW.
  9. 50 ftContinue straight onto Wind River North, heading NW.
  10. 100 ftContinue straight onto Boone Family Mountain Center Trail, heading NW.
  11. 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
  12. 150 ftContinue straight onto Mountain Center Connector, heading N.
  13. 0.1 miTurn left onto Glacier Creek Stock Trail, heading W.
  14. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Glacier Creek Trail (GCT), heading SW.
  15. 50 ftContinue straight onto Glacier Creek Stock Trail, heading SW.
  16. 0.1 miBear right onto Friendship Trail, heading W.
  17. 50 ftBear left onto Glacier Creek Trail (GCT), heading W.
  18. 150 ftContinue straight onto Glacier Creek Stock Trail, heading SW.
  19. 300 ftBear right, heading W.
  20. 0.1 miTurn left onto Tuxedo Park Trail, heading W.
  21. 450 ftSharp left, heading W.
  22. 1.5 miContinue straight onto Hollowell Park Trail, heading NW.
  23. 0.7 miTurn left onto Mill Creek Basin Trail, heading W.
  24. 1 miBear left, heading NW.
  25. 0.2 miBear left onto Bierstadt Lake Trail, heading SE.
  26. 50 ftContinue straight onto Mill Creek Basin Trail, heading E.
  27. 0.4 miTurn left onto Bear Lake-Bierstadt Trail, heading SW.
  28. 0.9 miPass Bear Lake.
  29. 500 ftBear right onto Bear Lake Trail, heading E.
  30. 450 ftTurn right onto Emerald Lake Trail, heading W.
  31. 50 ftContinue straight onto Bear Lake / Glacier Gorge Trail, heading W.
  32. 0.3 miTurn left onto Glacier Gorge Trail, heading S.
  33. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Fire Trail, heading S.
  34. 0.9 miTurn right onto Glacier Gorge Trail, heading W.
  35. 100 ftReach Bear Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  36. 100 ftTurn left onto Fire Trail, heading W.
  37. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Glacier Gorge Trail, heading N.
  38. 0.1 miTurn right onto Bear Lake / Glacier Gorge Trail, heading N.
  39. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Emerald Lake Trail, heading NE.
  40. 50 ftTurn left onto Bear Lake Trail, heading NE.
  41. 450 ftBear left onto Bear Lake-Bierstadt Trail, heading E.
  42. 1 miTurn right onto Mill Creek Basin Trail, heading NE.
  43. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Bierstadt Lake Trail, heading N.
  44. 50 ftBear right onto Mill Creek Basin Trail, heading NE.
  45. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  46. 1 miTurn right onto Hollowell Park Trail, heading NW.
  47. 2.3 miSharp right onto Tuxedo Park Trail, heading E.
  48. 450 ftTurn right onto Tuxedo Park YMCA Camp Trail, heading E.
  49. 0.1 miBear left onto Glacier Creek Stock Trail, heading E.
  50. 300 ftContinue straight onto Glacier Creek Trail (GCT), heading NE.
  51. 150 ftBear right onto Friendship Trail, heading NE.
  52. 50 ftBear left onto Glacier Creek Stock Trail, heading NE.
  53. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Glacier Creek Trail (GCT), heading NE.
  54. 100 ftContinue straight onto Glacier Creek Stock Trail, heading NE.
  55. 0.3 miTurn right onto Mountain Center Connector, heading E.
  56. 0.2 miBear left onto Boone Family Mountain Center Trail, heading NE.
  57. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Wind River North, heading SE.
  58. 100 ftContinue straight onto River Camp Trail, heading SE.
  59. 50 ftTurn right onto Wind River North, heading S.
  60. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  61. 50 ftContinue straight onto Dorsey Lake Trail, heading SE.
  62. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  63. 50 ftContinue straight onto Wind River South, heading S.
  64. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Marsh Meadow Connector, heading E.
  65. 50 ftContinue straight onto Wind River South, heading E.
  66. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/bear-lake-dorsey-lake-out-back-13-sights

Trail surface

98% dirt1% paved1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:35 AMSunset 7:28 PM

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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