Lake
Bear Lake
Estes Park, Colorado
Easy loop around a small alpine lake with a stack of bigger hikes starting from the same car park.
- Price
- Park entry fee applies
- Booking
- Best to book
- Time to allow
- 60 min
A flat half-mile loop circles Bear Lake with peaks reflected in the water on a calm morning. It is also the trailhead for Nymph, Dream and Emerald lakes if you want a longer walk. The car park fills early, so use the park shuttle if the lot is full.
Good to know
- Arrive before 8am or take the shuttle
- Emerald Lake is a moderate 3.6 mile round trip
- Reservations may be needed in summer, check NPS
- Best time
- Sunrise or early morning
- Open
- Mostly year round, road can be snowy in winter
- Getting there
- Paved road and car park, small lot fills early
- Vehicles
- Fine in any car
- Dogs
- No dogs
Facilities
- Picnic tables
- Toilets
Data: Roadtrip. Things change: check opening times, prices and rules before you go.
Know what the drive costs
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Rated 4.7 by drivers · 700,000 downloads
