RMNP: Hike to Emerald Lake
One hike in Rocky Mountain National Park that we could do over and over again is the hike to Emerald Lake. It is an out and back hike 3.6 miles long. The elevation gain is 605ft per RMNP website and has lots to see along the way. During your trek you pass Nymph Lake and Dream Lake. Both of which are beautiful and unique in their own way. This is a great hike to bring the kids. It has lots of little wooden footpaths, streams, big pine trees and grassy areas to hike through. It is a very popular hike so the early bird gets the worm on this one.
To start your hike head to the Bear Lake parking lot and follow signs for Emerald Lake. Half a mile into your hike you will reach Nymph Lake. This Lake is defined by the lily pads growing along the edge of the water. It is especially beautiful right before the sun comes up from behind the mountains in the morning. I could totally see someone bringing a cup of coffee and the newspaper or a good book and enjoying their morning here.
From Nymph Lake you will continue another 0.6 miles to Dream Lake. Dream Lake was my favorite of the three. It has bright blue water with a spectacular view of Hallett Peak in the back ground. On a non-windy day the lake sits still and looks like a mirror reflecting the beauty around it. It’s a great spot for some pictures and a snack. We saw some people with paddle boats floating on the water as well.
The final trek to Emerald Lake is 0.7 miles. It is definitely worth the hike. As you approach the lake you wind through some trees and the landscape opens up to the beautiful water and view of Hallett Peak. It’s possible to hike around the lake, but we chose to sit and eat a snack instead. The chipmunks were quite aggressive here. One crawled up my shoe looking for crumbs. After escaping the chipmunks we walked around a bit to get some pictures.
On the hike back down we decided to continue hiking to Haiyaha Lake. It was another 1.1 miles from where the trail split, so total an extra 2.2 miles. It was well worth the hike and a great lunch spot. (Not as aggressive chipmunks) Overall visiting all 4 lakes we hiked a total of around 6 miles. To see our entire hike, check out the vlog below! Happy Hiking!
For our vlog of our hike check out the video below!
