Hiking
Hiking in Estes Park.
Some of the best trails in the country start ten minutes from the porch: flat lake loops for the whole family, the postcard hikes along Bear Lake Road, and big days that end at a glacier pond. The lodge is five minutes from the gate, so you are first on the trail.
The Map
Every trail, from your door.
Pick a hike on the right and it flies into view on the map. Tap a brown peak marker to see its name and elevation. The gold marker is the lodge.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations approximate.
Easy Walks
Big views, little effort.
You do not have to earn the views here. Several short, mostly flat loops put you at a mountain lake or a waterfall with the kids and the grandparents along, all a short drive from the lodge.
- Bear Lake: a flat half-mile loop around a subalpine lake, the most popular walk in the park
- Lily Lake: an easy 0.8-mile gravel and boardwalk loop with Longs Peak views, stroller friendly
- Sprague Lake: a flat, accessible loop with a picture-perfect reflection
- Alberta Falls: a short, rewarding walk to a rushing waterfall
The Classics
The postcard hikes.
These are the ones people fly in for. From the Bear Lake trailhead the trail climbs past one alpine lake to the next, each more dramatic than the last. Go early, both for parking and for the light.
- Dream Lake: about 2 miles round trip to one of the most photographed lakes in the Rockies
- Emerald Lake: push on past Dream Lake to a green tarn under sheer walls, about 3.5 miles
- Gem Lake: a 3-plus-mile climb north of town through granite to a hidden lake
- The Loch: a longer valley hike into Glacier Gorge, gateway to Sky Pond
The Big Days
Earn the alpine.
For the hikers, the park saves its best for those willing to climb. These are full-day efforts at altitude, so start before dawn, pack layers, and watch the afternoon storms. The lodge being minutes from the gate is the whole advantage.
- Sky Pond: about 9 miles past waterfalls to a pond under Sharkstooth spire
- Chasm Lake: a stunning cirque hike at the foot of the Longs Peak Diamond
- Longs Peak: the park's fourteener, a serious, long, and strenuous day for experienced hikers
- Flattop Mountain: a classic climb to the Continental Divide
The Basecamp
First on the trail, last on the deck.
The lodge sits five minutes from the Beaver Meadows entrance, so you can make the earliest timed-entry window, be at the trailhead before the lots fill, and be back on the deck for a well-earned drink by afternoon.
- Five minutes to the Rocky Mountain National Park gate
- Timed-entry permits in peak season; dogs are not allowed on park trails (dog-friendly options)
- Sleeps 8 across 3 bedrooms, room for the whole hiking party
- Plan the week: best time to visit and things to do
Book
Wake up at the trailhead.
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