Best Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain is one of the most beautiful parks in the United States. It has so much to offer including wildlife, awesome campsites, thrilling roads and tons of hiking trails. Every time I have gone to Rocky Mountain I have seen a lot of wildlife including elk, moose, bighorn sheep and other small creatures such as chipmunks and marmots. The park also offers 5 campgrounds including winter camping in Moraine campground. We have been lucky enough to visit Rocky Mountain many times and to have gone on many hikes while there.

*Starting in May you will need a timed entry reservation to enter RMNP. There are two permits you can reserve. The first is for the Bear Lake Road Corridor and the second is for the rest of the park. The Bear Lake Road Corridor reservation period is from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the other is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can get your permit months in advance or they release 40% the day before. I have always been able to get a permit the day before, but you do need to be on the site right at 5 p.m. MT to snag one of these permits because they do sell out.

Toll Memorial Trail

Distance 1.1 miles round trip

Elevation:154ft

Trail Type: Out and back, Easy

This trail is located in the Alpine Tundra EcoSystem off of the Trail Ridge road. The parking lot is not very large, so you might have to wait for a spot to open up to hike up this easy and beautiful trail. The trail is paved and has many plaques on the side with great information about the surrounding tundra. The trail ends in big rock formations. Be careful climbing the rocks and surrounding areas especially with children as there are crazy drop offs all around. The views from this trail are spectacular. We spent a lot of time just admiring the views from the top and scrambling around the rocks. Be sure to stay off the fauna of the surrounding tundra. It can take hundreds of years to repair the damage of a few footsteps, because of the unique ecosystem at 11,000 feet up.

Bierstadt Lake

Distance: 2.8 miles round trip

Elevation: 566 ft

Trail type: Out and back, Moderate

This hike starts on the Bear Lake road corridor road. It is not as popular as other hikes on this road so there was plenty of room in the parking lot when we got there. We also did not pass many people on the trail. The first part of the trail is steep switchbacks in the open with no shade, but the views are incredible. You will then enter a thick forest of trees. You can hike around the lake but the best views turn off the main hiking route to the right (there is a sign) with a short walk through the trees and into the lake.

Emerald Lake Trail

Distance: 4.1 miles

Elevation: 744ft

Trail Type: Out and Back, Moderate

This hike is one of the most popular in the RMNP and there is a good reason why. The views from all the lakes on this hike are beautiful. This trail is also down the Bear Lake Road Corridor. The parking lot fills up fast so you could also take the shuttle to the trail head. On the way to Emerald lake you will pass the lily filled Nymph Lake and Dream Lake. Dream lake is a great place to stop along the hike and find a secluded spot. This trail is filled with people but you can find places to get away and enjoy the scenery right off the path. The last bit to Emerald lake can get congested with people but just be patient because the views from Emerald lake are worth it. There are many rocks and places to picnic around this lake too, but I would say it was very windy when we went to Emerald Lake.

Fern Lake Trail

Distance: 7.8 miles

Elevation:1375 ft

Trail Type: Out and Back, Moderate

I am going to start by saying we did not do the complete hike to the lake, but I wanted to include it on this post as one of my favorites for another reason. We did this hike over Memorial Day weekend. There was not a single soul on this trail but us, which is something we really enjoy. Other than that fact, the best thing about this trail was the wildlife. I am not kidding when I say we passed 3 moose right off the trail, a herd of elk including many large males and a couple of mule deer. Some of these encounters were even on the trail. We had to stop and wait for the animals to pass safely before continuing our hike. The part of the trail we hiked was a beautiful tree and flower filled forest without much elevation gain. Even our 1 year old was able to get out of the carrier and walk the trail. This was one of the best hikes I have ever been on and I can't recommend it enough.

Rocky Mountain has so many wonderful trails that can cater to so many levels of hikers. Even though it is one of the most visited National Parks you can still find secluded trails and moments of privacy. Leave a comment of any trails you think I should check out next time I am in RMNP.