North Inlet to Lake Pettingell [CLOSED] is a 16.2 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Grand Lake, Colorado that features a lake and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, fishing, and backpacking and is best used from July until October.
Note: As of October 2020, this area is closed due to wildfire. For more information, please visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm Rocky Mountain National Park charges a fee to enter. Fees are $25 per vehicle/motorcycle. If you are entering on foot, horse, or bike the fee is $15 per person. You can also purchase a park specific annual pass for $70.
Snowy trail but good with just microspikes/boots, snowshoes not required. Didn’t get a good view of the falls.
There is no way you can hike from Lake Nokoni to lake Pettingell. Simply there is not a trail as also confirmed by local Rangers. If you still want to attempt this loop All Trails is suggesting you will need to cross an area of high risk for rock falls and probably have some real climbing experience to go up to the ridge: it is very very steep! Also there is no trail that connects lake Pettingell to the CDT trail either. Long story short: always make some reasearch and don’t trust All Trails trails. We got up to lake Nokoni and it is simply beautiful, breath-taking landscape. Then turned around. Total 20miles and 7:30hrs hike.