Bear Lake Trailhead
Bear Lake Trailhead
4.5
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This easy, half-mile hike will take you past beautiful alpine lakes and forests.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
393 reviews
Excellent
293
Very good
77
Average
15
Poor
6
Terrible
2
SongBird1278
213 contributions
Jul 2020
We started by viewing Bear Lake, which we thought was nice but didn't see why it was such a big deal. We then ended up hiking to Alberta Fall since it was less busy than the trail to all the lakes. From there we looked at the map the park ranger had given us and decided to loop around to Lake Haiyaha (which is the best) and Nymph and Dream lakes back to the trailhead as it didn't look long. I must say it was long - according to my Fitbit we hiked roughly 7.5 miles by the time we were done. What we thought might take an hour or so ended up being 3.5 hours. it was a bit steep at times, but not bad compared to some of the hikes we had done earlier in the week This trail was worth it! We saw so much: waterfalls, lakes, wide open views, gorges, etc. My husband said it was in the top 3 of his favorite hikes we have ever taken.
Written July 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margaret H
Warrington, PA5 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
We started the morning at Sprague Lake to watch the sunrise and fortunate enough to see a moose herd eating in the lake. Then we adventured to Bear Lake and hiked past Alberta Falls to Mills and Jewel Lakes. It’s a 6+ mile uphill hike with some rocky trails but worth the effort. We were also fortunate to see a herd of elk at the tip of a jewel Lake. The round trip hike took us about 3hr and we walk at a relatively brisk pace. The views are spectacular!
Written August 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maggie E
Saint Louis, MO93 contributions
Jun 2020
Bear lake trailhead is your gateway to some of the best hikes in the park! You can take an easy walk around beautiful bear lake itself to get started! A super easy and accessible walk. We always parked at the Park & Ride. Took the shuttle up. This is your gateway to Nymph, Dream, and Emerald lakes which is NOT to be missed. You can also hike down to the Glacier Gorge area and directly onto the trail for Alberta Falls too!
Written June 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
George S
Miami Beach, FL1,104 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
This is the trailhead that you should choose if you are short on time at the Park. A lot of nice and interesting trails / sites radiate from this trailhead. Parking here gets filled up very early, so use the Park & Ride service take the free bus here.
Written October 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adventurers11805
Charlotte, NC215 contributions
May 2022
Awesome short hike, recommend early morning visit either by car or shuttle bus. We saw some ladies hiking in flip flops - bad idea especially if you take trail to Victoria Falls. Walking stick was very helpful. Snow still on trail late May. It may not melt til late June. The views of snowy peaks and the lake were awesome😃
Written May 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hilary
Rochester, MN7 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
My hike started at the Bear Lake Trailhead. From there, I hiked the Dream Lake - Lake Haiyaha Trail to Emerald Lake. The trails were really busy, especially near Bear Lake. The temps were in the mid to upper 20’s F. There was packed snow and ice on the trail. I rented micro spikes from a local mountain supply store. Well worth it. Spectacular hike!!
Written November 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MyHumbleOpinion
Tulsa, OK360 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Enjoyed this nice walk that provides lots of good pictures in the late afternoon early evening. The flies biting were next level. Bring your spray even though it’s a quick walk around the lake.
Written September 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikki B
Libertyville, IL68 contributions
Jul 2020
If you get the chance, talk to one of the rangers at this popular spot. We met a really nice retired school teacher from northwest Indiana. He told us to do the Bear Lake hike, then take the trail for Alberta Falls. From the Falls, take the Glacier Gorge trail, and catch the shuttle there. It saved us a tough uphill hike back to Bear Lake. Glad we were able to utilize the shuttle in that way.
Written August 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
boilerbc
Harrisonburg, VA28 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Nice trail to Emerald Lake. Uphill quite a bit but some great scenery, some of the best on the east side. I think Dream Lake is the best in that 3 lake series. Fairly heavily trafficked.
Written July 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rebecki14
Fort Collins, CO743 contributions
We took a wonderful hike starting at the Bear Lake Trailhead. We took the trail towards Odessa Lake and ended at the Fern Lake Trailhead.
The hike is 8.5 miles from the Bear Lake trailhead to Fern Lake Trailhead. You can catch the shuttle at the end of the hike to go back to Bear Lake trailhead to the parking lot if you park there. Although the Bear Lake Trailhead is one of the most used trails, most people just go for a mile or so and then turn around, so we only saw 3 groups of hikers once we got past Bear Lake.
The hike starts out with a bit of a steep climb for about half a mile or so, from there it is a steady uphill climb, but nothing too hard. After you hit Odessa Lake, it is mostly down hill the rest of the way. You come across several lakes and waterfalls, an the views are beautiful! I'd reccommend this hike to any one who isn't looking for a hard hike, but wants to experience some great views and scenery.
The hike is 8.5 miles from the Bear Lake trailhead to Fern Lake Trailhead. You can catch the shuttle at the end of the hike to go back to Bear Lake trailhead to the parking lot if you park there. Although the Bear Lake Trailhead is one of the most used trails, most people just go for a mile or so and then turn around, so we only saw 3 groups of hikers once we got past Bear Lake.
The hike starts out with a bit of a steep climb for about half a mile or so, from there it is a steady uphill climb, but nothing too hard. After you hit Odessa Lake, it is mostly down hill the rest of the way. You come across several lakes and waterfalls, an the views are beautiful! I'd reccommend this hike to any one who isn't looking for a hard hike, but wants to experience some great views and scenery.
Written June 22, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Averi F
7 contributions
Are there a lot of butterflies on this trail? Can you go off trail to photograph them?
sunnygrl98
Texas127 contributions
Do I need to arrive super early on a Tuesday morning also? I read a lot of reviews that talk about parking lots filling up quickly. Is that every day or just mostly on the weekends? (Going mid-August)
Daryll J
Lincoln, Nebraska1 contribution
Hi, about how long does it take to hike from Bear Lake to Mills Lake and back?
Mike G
Palm Harbor, FL1 contribution
Hi, what will the weather here be like at the end of March? Will it be open to visitors or do the roads get closed leading to Bear Lake? Do you think there will still be snow? Can you tell I live in Florida? :)
Mike G
Palm Harbor, FL1 contribution
Hi. Is the hike around Bear Lake fairly easy for a family with two small kids ages 2 and 5? Is it paved? Thanks.
RxT
Missouri205 contributions
Hi. The Bear Lake Trail would be a wonderful place for the kids to hike. I don't believe it was paved, but it's very flat with plenty of opportunities for the best family pictures! Keep track of them of course, but let them explore. You'll love it. The Rocky Mountain Nat'l park has a twitter page I believe where you can keep track of the crown level. The parking lot fills up fast, and you may have to park in Estes Park Garage and take the free trolley. We did.
LoneFlower1
Austin, TX475 contributions
Starting at Bear Lake...is it one loop to Emerald and back, or is it an in and out trail?
Donna0930
Lakewood, CO20 contributions
Out and back.
illbecavalier
Manila, Philippines
How long does it usually take to finish this trail?
Amanda
Iowa125 contributions
It's a half mile. Less than 30 min, if you stop to take pictures.
Jay C
Streamwood, IL20 contributions
If you ride the shuttle bus from Estes Park do you still have to pay an entrance fee?
Amanda
Iowa125 contributions
We entered the park and took the shuttle from the park and ride lot. Only paid the $20/car.
I would imagine you would still have to pay an entrance fee. No one gets into the park without passing through the entrance gates.
Rene
Rio Claro, SP
Hello! I'm planning a trip in the first week of may, what should I expect from the weather? Will the trails still icy? Temperatures? And is it crowded during week days during that time? Tks.
aerofaze
Colorado Springs, Colorado565 contributions
Springtime in the Rockies is highly unpredictable. In Colorado at that time of year, especially in the mountains, we never know if we'll get a summery day or get blasted by a blizzard until about 4 days out. Spring around here is when you really need to be prepared for all weather and conditions in terms of clothing and gear.
Even if the weather is nice, the trails will probably be muddy; at higher elevations, they will probably be ice-packed.
As far as crowds, you PROBABLY won't run into them so much during "mud season" because Trail Ridge Road will still be closed at that time. I usually expect April until mid-May to be the slowest time of year in general for Colorado tourist activities (with the exception being the Great Sand Dunes National Park - the weather is somewhat more predictable and pleasant during the spring in that part of the state).
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Claim your listingBear Lake Trailhead - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Bear Lake Trailhead
- Hotels near Bear Lake Trailhead:
- (5.67 mi) Wind River Christian Family Dude Ranch
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- Restaurants near Bear Lake Trailhead:
- (7.36 mi) Cinnamon's Bakery
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Bear Lake Trailhead Information
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Very Good Reviews | 77 |
Bear Lake Trailhead Photos | 407 |