hiking
views
wildlife
wild flowers
walking
forest
birding
nature trips
no dogs
lake
river
horseback riding
waterfall
kid friendly
trail running
snowshoeing
camping
fishing
backpacking
fly fishing
wheelchair friendly
This section of the Rocky Mountains has ecosystems varying in elevation from the over 150 riparian lakes to Montane and subalpine forests to the alpine tundra. Large wildlife including mule deer, bighorn sheep, black bears, and cougars inhabit these igneous mountains and glacier valleys. The fourteener Longs Peak and Bear Lake are popular destinations.
Great place to camp (permit needed), but might not be great as a day trek. My GPS marked us at 4.7 with 1950 ft of elevation gain. So pretty damn difficult (especially with a all your gear on your back). The lake is gorgeous and the beach is nice. Bring bug spray.
The loop trail around Lily Lake is flat and easy to follow, making it a great choice for folks who don't have the time or physical ability to take on RMNP's tougher trails. Lily Lake is gorgeous, especially when surrounded by wildflowers in the summer.
Absolutely Breathtaking!
I've been hiking Colorado all summer long, and this was by far the most unique hike I've done out here, and others in my group agreed. The rock formations just keep getting more and more fascinating as you make your way up. There are so many little side trails you can take to continue exploring, as well as tons of super fun boulders to climb on. I can't say enough about this hike, I will be taking anyone that visits me out here for sure!
It was a very easy hike as well, none of our group had any issues and not all of us are experienced hikers.
The lake at the top is STUNNING, and although it's a small lake it has really cool reflections of rock formations and the sky (see the pictures I posted) I don't know why the other reviews are saying that the lake was unimpressive. Tons of chipmunks up there, fair warning. But they're super cute so we didn't mind too much. If you don't go up the boulders behind the lake you are missing out on a stellar 360 degree view. We spent a total of four hours there, with lots of detours along the way.
The most gorgeous hike ever! it does get a little tough after the Dream lake, but it's totally worth it! My favorite was the Dream lake... breathtakingly beautiful and so serene!!
Great experience! We went yesterday, March 15, and the trail was snow packed. Hiking boots and snow spikes worked perfectly!
Gorgeous hike all the way through, even before the lake.
Great views, not too hard, perfect for adjusting to the altitude before getting to more serious hikes.
Not too over-run on a very busy summer Saturday. The fairly steep initial portion keeps the traffic down. The lake is lovely.
Amazing hike and lives up to the hype! It's not particularly difficult, I would rate it as moderate. The climb up the waterfall can get tricky because of the wet rocks but good shoes should help with it! It's one of the most beautiful hikes in Colorado with gorgeous greenery and lots of smaller waterfalls throughout!