Best Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park

There's still a bit of snow/mud on the trail, but most of it was dry. The trail was mostly made up of rock stairs, which made the trail a little more difficult than expected. The falls were nice; powerful roaring water.

A short but nice hike to a nice waterfall.

I hiked this on 4/24 and found it to be a gorgeous and strenuous hike. I had mircospikes and my friend had poles and coming back down what I assume is usually the waterfall was very scary for us. We also lost the trail for a bit just before Sky Pond and opted to turn back there because we had both fallen into chest deep snow and had a bit of a challenge at getting out due to the melting snow and warm sun. Most of the trail was manageable but I would have felt very uncomfortable without the mircospikes. If you plan on doing this don't underestimate the difficulty of the hike and make sure you're prepared.

April 24. Rented micro spikes in town for $6.00 and so glad I did. Snow covering trails. Good on packed snow but just a little off trail you could sink to your calves. Was in 50s at trail head. Some were wearing shorts. Few wearing spikes but too slippery for me. Views were well worth the effort.

Nothing much changed since the previous (Kyle’s) review. Got about 3.1 then postholing waist deep.

Beautiful out and back through the canyon. Last mile to the falls was narrow with some blow down but easy to navigate.

(4/23)
Amazing hike. Got to the parking lot around noon (Tuesday) with ample spots still open. Snow on the trail was pretty well packed; and trail was mostly easy to follow. Definitely some slick/slushy spots, spikes are still a must especially on the last push up to the lake.

This is a stunning late winter/early spring hike up to Sky Pond. Most of the route was very easy to navigate. I had to get a little creative to get around the pond just before Sky Pond - just some rock scrambling. The route was perfectly fine for me without snowshoes or micro spikes.

I’m visiting from North Carolina and I’m not used to elevated hikes like this one. However, once I got going it was easier than I expected. Would definitely recommend to beginners and those visiting not used to the altitude.

the trail was great. got a bit snowy towards the last mile and it was nice to have spikes or poles, but we saw people do it without them. it was hot in the sun by 11am! highly recommend going early if you don't like crowds because a lot of people showed up by 9-10am when we were coming down. beautiful panorama views of the big peaks in the park and Estes park from the top. Also a great place to get engaged!! that's what we did!!

Great trail, lots of rocky areas and the views are amazing! Our time includes lots of photo stops as the views are amazing, and a couple of water/snack breaks.

I could not recommend this trail enough! It’s an incredibly easy hike and you get a beautiful view! If you’re near the YMCA stop by their Mountain Center and give it a shot!

Hiked 4.18.19, and great trail, first mile to maybe 1.5 there wasn’t snow but the last 2ish miles was snow almost until the top. Challenging but still saw a lot of different skill levels on this trail. We used hiking boots and managed fine, slippery but didn’t need spikes necessarily. That being said I wouldn’t have liked it with normal walking shoes.

Great views starting almost immediately and at the top worth the last .5 mile steep climb in that snow!

To add I tracked my hike at 6.3 and just over 1420 ft gain

Hiked 4/13/19. Rated as a 3 only due to inaccurate description. NOT a 5.6 mile trail with 1400 ft gains. Per fitness trackers + Rockymountainhikingtrails.com, this is an almost 7 mile trail with 1210 ft gains. spectacular scenery, but definitely a workout, especially at the end. don't let the decline throw you off - just keep going until you see the sign that points to you the right for the Deer Mountain summit! watch the weather; after all that work, we weren't able to see anything due to cloud cover :( will attempt again!

Fun hike, we got to see elk, wasn’t crowded at all.

I completed this trail with friends on 4/21/19. There was no snow at the top of the trail by the lake and the trail itself was easy to navigate and well maintained. I definitely noticed the altitude as we climbed higher. There is also a restroom right by the lake for those who want/need it. I highly recommend this hike to those who are interested in a moderate level hike!

Very easy and beautiful trail. Main purpose of this hike was try to enjoy the sunshine. We were planning for Dream Lake, but didn’t want to get up too early, so changed our plan heading to Sprague Lake instead.

We stayed at VRBO peak View retreat near RMNP, woke up at 5am, only took us 24 minutes to get there, only 1 car in the parking lot. We got there 5:45am, way before sunrise 6:14am. We can see the trail well steady because of the bright moonlight. Temperature was 46 degrees F. The road mostly clear except the northwest mountain side (about 0.15 mile) still cover with some snow.

Enjoyed very much with peace and quiet here, moonlight, Rocky Mountain pecks covered by snow. Since yesterday was cloudy, the sunrise didn’t shine on the pecks much. Definitely will come back here again and try for a better chance.

There are lots of picnic tables and BBQ grills by the parking lot. It’s a very popular spot in the summer.

The trail is very short and not much elevation grains. Good for kids and any one with different physical conditions.

4/15/2019 Bear Lake frozen, lots of snow on trail. Snow was packed down pretty well, we were able to do without spikes but did wish we had them as some spots were pretty slippery. Still beautiful!

Beautiful lake! Just a few small patches of snow on the side. Nothing needing any snow equipment. Beautiful views of Estes Park!

Gorgeous scenery. April 21st 2019- some patches of snow on the trail but primarily clear. Easy to get around or though where packed. No need for gators or spikes. Lots of sun, and a pack of Elk near the trails. Mostly flat, so great for trail running.

We were not expecting snow but there was still a ton of it! It made the trail a bit more challenging which was a blast, be careful where you step because the snow will give and you’ll fall in. Beautiful trail, a lot of fun but definitely challenging!

definitely a great trail to take the kids, beautiful trail with lots of water and greenery.

Snow and ice most of the way. Spikes recommend. Great hike!

Hiked end of April 2019. still lots of melting snow and mud. turned around around 3.5 miles in due to deep snow that was hard to stay on top of. otherwise a great hike!

Nice trail to begin a vacation in the Rockies. Part of it is fairly easy and part of it is moderate. A good bit of rocky parts to traverse. Some rocky switchbacks toward the end of the trail but not incredibly difficult. Gem Lake is a nice little peaceful spot to enjoy some rest time at the end of your hike before starting back out. My recording starts at the trailhead at the parking lot and ends there as well.

hiked on 4/20/19. still some snow/ice spots on the north facing parts of the trail and in steep areas, but manageable with caution. we thought the climb and descent was challenging. Excellent hike. recommended.

Great trail leading to Gem Lake! Continue on to the left to meet trail to Balanced Rock. Some snow on trail after you pass Gem Lake, but no need to extra gear. Some great uphill parts with large stone steps make for a good workout with some lesser inclines to help with recovery. Wonderful viewpoints along the way as you climb through the trees but not too much coverage. Gem Lake is smaller than expected but very tranquil and serene and Balanced Rock is impressive! Will return.