Emerald Lake Viewpoint–Bear Lake, 8 sights
16 mi · ▲ 3,390 ft · 7 hr 2 min
Emerald Lake Viewpoint–Bear Lake, 8 sights is a 16-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain National Park near Meeker Park, CO. The route passes Storm Pass, Bear Lake and Nymph Lake before reaching Emerald Lake Viewpoint at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 3,390 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 32/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Emerald Lake Viewpoint–Bear Lake, 8 sights
16 mi · ▲ 3,390 ft · 7 hr 2 min
Elevation 8,827–10,260 ft
Out & Back · Rocky Mountain National Park
Trailhead: 40.28340, -105.55356
Weather Sep 4: Rain, high 73°F / low 52° · precip 13% · wind 16 mph · sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:31 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Transit-accessible: Glacier Gorge stop 257 m from the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 350 ftSharp left, heading W.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Estes Cone Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miPass Storm Pass.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Storm Pass Trail, heading W.
- 3.8 miContinue straight onto Glacier Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 2 miBear left onto Glacier Gorge Trail, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Bear Lake / Glacier Gorge Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miPass Bear Lake.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Emerald Lake Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Bear Lake Trail, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miPass Nymph Lake.
- 200 ftBear left onto Emerald Lake Trail, heading W.
- 300 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftReach Emerald Lake Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Bear Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Emerald Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Bear Lake / Glacier Gorge Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Glacier Gorge Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right onto Glacier Creek Trail, heading E.
- 2 miContinue straight onto Storm Pass Trail, heading SE.
- 3.8 miTurn right onto Estes Cone Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.8 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 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 surface
Weather
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Transit-accessible: Glacier Gorge stop 257 m from the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Estes Cone–Storm Pass, 3 summits 4.2 mi · ▲ 1,724 ft
- Camp Timberline Trail & Eugena Mine Trail 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,048 ft
- Chasm Lake–Chasm Lake Trail, 3 sights 11.3 mi · ▲ 2,989 ft
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