Last Updated on: 21st May 2025, 09:49 am
Rocky Mountain National Park has no shortage of scenic lakes, many of which are located in the Bear Lake Road area. And within 4-5 hours, I managed to visit no less than six lakes in a single loop hike. While Emerald Lake is probably the most famous of the bunch, Mills Lake was the most impressive overall.
There’s no official name for the hike we’ll be describing below, but it does encompass several of the area’s popular out-and-back hikes. In any case, this is a great hike to acclimate yourself to Rocky Mountain’s altitude before doing longer, more intense hikes in the park.
In the following guide, we’ll be covering everything you need to know about this epic lakes hike in the Bear Mountain section of the park. And for more general info about accommodation and entry fees, be sure to check the end of the article.
About This Hike
THE BASICS: While I’m surely not the first person to hike the particular route featured below, the hike has no official name, nor will you find this exact route on any of the common apps. But as we’ll discuss shortly, it’s fairly easy to follow and you’re unlikely to get lost.
Adding up the distances labeled on the on-site map, the total hike should come out to about 8.4 miles (13.5 km). It could be rated as moderately difficult overall.
Including time spent at the various lakes, this hike took me about 4.5 hours in total. Note that you could also extend it by hiking to Jewel Lake past Mills Lake, though I didn’t end up doing this.
Also keep in mind that if you plan on doing the Sky Pond hike later on in your trip, you will end up repeating the easternmost section of this loop once again.
Visiting this area of the park requires a special Timed Entry Permit, which you can learn more about just below.
WHAT TO BRING: It would be wise to wear hiking boots if you have them, though many people could probably complete this hike in regular tennis shoes.
You’ll also want to bring snacks and plenty of water. Trekking poles shouldn’t really be necessary for this particular hike.
Of course, don’t forget your hat, sunscreen and camera.
RECOMMENDED APPS: As mentioned, the full loop pictured here does not appear on apps like AllTrails. AllTrails does, however, feature various sections of it.
Nevertheless, you’ll definitely want to have an offline maps app like AllTrails or Organic Maps to help you navigate your way to each lake.
Bear Lake Road: Important Information
TIMED ENTRY PERMITS: Presently, Rocky Mountain National Park is implementing a Timed Entry Permit System during the peak summer season (specifically May 24 – Oct 24) to reduce overcrowding.
There are two types of these permits. One is for every part of the park except for Bear Lake Road, and these permits are only required from 9:00-15:00.
But if you want to park anywhere along Bear Lake Road, you’ll need to reserve a special version of the permit known as Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road.
These permits are required to access Bear Lake Road from as early as 6:00 (confusingly, some signs even say 5:00), so they’re especially important to obtain.
From my experience, compared with securing permits for Glacier National Park, I had no issues getting all the permits needed for Rocky Mountain on the day they went on sale. And compared with a regular permit, there’s no special process for securing a Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road permit other than selecting that product for the day you want.
Still, it would be wise to purchase them as soon as possible so you don’t experience any major disappointments.
You can purchase the permits online here.
Both versions of the permit go on sale on the first day of the month before the month you plan on visiting the park. For example, if you plan on visiting any time in August, Timed Entry Permits for that month will go on sale on July 1.
BEAR LAKE ROAD PARKING: Assuming you’ve secured your Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road permit for the day(s) you want to hike, you’ll still have to deal with parking.
Basically, you have a few main options. First of all, you can park at the Park & Ride Transit Hub which is about halfway down Bear Lake Road. From there, you can take a free shuttle all the way down to the main Bear Lake Parking lot, from which you can then hike to the area’s lakes as well as Sky Pond. (Note: You’ll still need the special permit to even access the Transit Hub and shuttle.)
Otherwise, you can attempt to drive to the very end of the road to either park at the small Glacier Gorge Parking Lot or the much larger Bear Lake Parking Lot.
This is somewhat risky, as you’ll have no choice but to turn around if you find these lots full. And it’s a roughly 15-minute drive each way between the Park & Ride Transit Hub and the Bear Lake Parking Lot, so you could potentially end up wasting lots of time.
In my case, I took the risk and drove all the way to the Bear Lake Parking Lot two days in a row. The first day, I arrived there a little after 8:00 am and managed to find what was probably the very last open spot.
The next day, I arrived around 7:30 and encountered fifteen or so open spots. This was in summer peak season but after kids had already returned to school.
Note that at the entrance to Bear Lake Road, you may see a sign indicating that the Bear Lake Parking Lot is full, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it really is.
Bear Lake
Unsurprisingly, Bear Lake Road is named after Bear Lake, an easily accessible small lake situated right by the main parking lot. A flat and easy trail surrounds the lake which is well worth doing.
As scenic as Bear Lake is, I think getting a permit for Bear Lake Road and simply seeing Bear Lake would be rather anticlimactic. That’s why a majority of visitors add in at least a few extra lakes, or in our case, five.
In total, circumventing Bear Lake should just take you about twenty minutes or less.
From Bear Lake to Emerald Lake
The next section of this lakes hike is by far the most popular and crowded, with many coming to the area solely to make it to Emerald Lake.
If you’re short on time or are with people who aren’t big hikers, the hike to Emerald Lake and back is enough to warrant a visit to this part of the park.
This hike is slightly uphill, though the trail here isn’t terribly steep. And on the way to Emerald Lake, you’ll pass two other smaller lakes, the first one being Nymph Lake.
While there are no ugly lakes at Rocky Mountain National Park, Nymph Lake is probably the least remarkable of those you’ll encounter on this hike.
Moving on, the trail will get steeper and steeper, but still nothing too extreme. If you’re not used to this elevation, don’t be surprised if you find yourself getting out of breath more quickly than normal.
As mentioned above, this is a good warmup hike for those planning on doing more intense hikes like Sky Pond, Chasm Lake or Mt. Ida.
You’ll soon be greeted with impressive views of the surrounding mountains, while you’ll sometimes encounter small bridges taking you over rivers and streams.
The next lake on this hike is Dream Lake, a long oval-shaped lake surrounded by mountains and trees. It’s a stunning scene that looks right out of a postcard, though given its accessibility, Dream Lake can get rather crowded.
During my visit, I observed a lot of people coming here to fish.
Past Dream Lake, you’ll encounter yet another uphill portion. Fortunately, the trail here is easy to follow, and there’s little chance of getting lost.
After a somewhat steep and rocky final stretch, you’ll finally come face to face with Emerald Lake, one of Rocky Mountain National Park’s most popular.
While the color of the water isn’t quite as remarkable as the lakes you’ll find at Glacier, for example, the lake is especially noteworthy for the jagged mountain peaks which surround it.
Regardless of how you plan to go about the rest of your day, everyone will need to turn around at Emerald Lake. If you’re following the entirety of this long lakes hike, you’ll want to pass Dream Lake again, but don’t go all the way to Nymph Lake.
Just after Dream Lake is a trail junction with signs pointing you toward Lake Haiyaha.
It’s also possible, however, to return all the way to the parking lot and then do a separate hike to Mills Lake via Alberta Falls. But that’s not the route we’ll be covering in this guide.
Onward to Lake Haiyaha
As mentioned, past Dream Lake, you’ll want to follow the trail taking you toward Lake Haiyaha. Just be forewarned that this next segment is probably the steepest portion of the entire hike.
The steep uphill trail does pay off in the end, at least. As you get higher and higher, you’ll find yourself overlooking the lakes mentioned above, not to mention numerous mountains in the distance.
Lake Haiyaha is another popular destination in the Bear Lake Road area, and you’re unlikely to have the trail to yourself. Still, expect fewer people here than on the trail to Emerald Lake.
After traversing some narrow wooden bridges, you’ll soon find yourself in an area filled with large boulders. And before long, the trail will come to an end, leaving you with no choice but to walk over the rocks in order to reach the lake.
And to enjoy the views, you’ll have to find a place to sit or stand on one of the countless uneven boulders surrounding Lake Haiyaha.
All in all, I was a bit let down with Lake Haiyaha, both in terms of the views and how crowded I found it. As such, I only lingered here for several minutes before moving on.
Lake Haiyaha is often touted as one of the top lakes in the region, but as we’ll cover shortly, Mills Lake blows it away in every respect.
Onward to Mills Lake
When finished with Lake Haiyaha, you’ll have to backtrack slightly. And before long, you’ll encounter a junction with a sign pointing you toward the Loch-Mills Junction and the Glacier Gorge Parking Area. That’s where you’ll want to head.
From here, it’s a little under two miles to Mills Lake, and frankly speaking, this is probably the least remarkable part of this entire long loop hike.
It’s almost entirely forested without many interesting views, though you’ll likely have much of the trail to yourself – even in peak season.
Eventually, you’ll find yourself at the Loch-Mills Junction. Note that if you’ll be hiking to Sky Pond at another time, you’ll end up coming back to this spot which is not far from The Loch, the first main lake of that hike.
According to the sign, Sky Pond is just a few miles away and it might be tempting to squeeze it in. But I absolutely would not recommend trying to fit it into this long lakes hike. It’s a very steep and strenuous climb to the top, so be sure to save it for another day.
As I approached Mills Lake, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Despite having just visited several gorgeous lakes, Mills Lake was not only much larger, but its surroundings were even more jaw-dropping.
For whatever reason, Mills Lake doesn’t seem to get the same amount of attention as the other lakes mentioned above. So not only is it more impressive, but you might only have to share it with a handful of other people.
Given the size of Mills Lake, you have plenty of places to choose from when it comes to sitting and admiring the scenery. It’s here that I relaxed for a while as I indulged on the snacks I’d brought with me for the day.
As mentioned above, not far past Mills Lake is yet another hike known as Jewel Lake. I was tempted to go there, but I hadn’t brought quite enough water with me, as I’d originally planned to do two separate out-and-back hikes with a break at the car.
But now that you know how easy it is to string all these lakes together, be sure to bring enough water for a 4-5 hour hike.
Return Via Alberta Falls
Next, you’ll have to backtrack slightly and make a right when you reach the Loch-Mills Junction. This trail ultimately leads back to the Glacier Gorge/Bear Lake Road Parking Areas. And on the way, you’ll pass by another one of the area’s most famous landmarks: Alberta Falls.
Again, if you’ll be hiking to Sky Pond on another day, you’ll find yourself walking this part of the trail yet again. But given its breathtaking scenery, you’re not going to complain.
This segment of the hike is known as the Glacier Gorge Trail, and it’s one of the area’s most scenic. The trail will soon take you through a wide gorge filled with trees in the middle and towering mountain peaks on the opposite side.
Turning a corner, you’ll be greeted with more excellent views of the area’s forests and mountains. As this trail is fairly popular, expect to start running into crowds again.
As you start making your way downhill, the trail twists and turns a bit. And admittedly, after taking a short detour to admire some scenery, I ended up off the trail. But I didn’t realize it until much later, and had to do some scrambling and traversing through bushes to find it again.
On the way, at least, I did encounter the upper portion of Alberta Falls that few visitors get to see.
Back on the trail, I eventually made it to Alberta Falls proper. As expected, the area was packed, and it was difficult to get an unobstructed shot. Furthermore, the lighting wasn’t ideal by this point in the day, but the falls were nonetheless impressive.
Past the falls, it was time to make the long downhill walk toward the parking lot. You can begin and end this hike from either the Glacier Gorge Parking Lot or the main Bear Lake Parking lot.
While there is a slight difference in time, I believe it’s only a matter of minutes. Of course, if you parked at the Park & Ride Transit Hub, you’ll want to return to the Bear Lake Parking Lot and take the shuttle from there.
All in all, this long lakes hike turned out to be an excellent way to spend a day at Rocky Mountain National Park. While you might not have time to see everything featured above, whatever you do, don’t miss Mills Lake.
Additional Info
The most convenient base for Rocky Mountain National Park is the town of Estes Park, located just to the east. Most of the park’s significant hikes and landmarks are also located in the east of the park, so staying in Estes Park would allow you to get an early start.
Furthermore, it’s quite a charming town with plenty of restaurants and amenities to choose from. However, in regards to hotel prices, the town is far from budget-friendly.
Popular mid-range options include Olympus Lodge and Coyote Mountain Lodge. Those with bigger budgets might want to consider private lodgings such as the Fall River Casita or Old Man Mountain.
But if Estes Park is out of your budget, what are the next best options?
One option is the town of Lyons, which is about 30 minutes southeast of Estes Park. I originally booked a hotel here, but had to cancel due to a slight scheduling alteration. I did drive through Lyons at one point, and while it seems like a fine base, it does seem a bit lacking in terms of restaurants and shops.
Ultimately, I ended up staying in the city of Loveland at the Travelodge by Wyndham. The positives of Loveland are that it’s a sizable town with plenty of hotels, shops and restaurants to choose from. And the hotels are surprisingly affordable.
The main downside is the distance from the park. Each morning, we had to drive through a scenic yet winding canyon, with the journey to Estes Park lasting nearly an hour, not to mention additional driving to that day’s trailhead. Nevertheless, it was still nice to be able to stay near Rocky Mountain for such a cheap price.
As mentioned above, the town of Grand Lake is just outside the southwest boundary of the park, and it seems to be a lot more affordable than Estes Park. But with the exception of a hike like Mr. Ida, using Grand Lake as your base would mean you’d have to do a lot of driving each day – mainly down Trail Ridge Road. As thrilling as that road is, it’s probably not something most visitors would want to have to deal with daily.
At the time of writing, Rocky Mountain National Park costs $30 per vehicle per day, or $35 per vehicle per week (learn more here).
US National Parks parks typically charge per vehicle rather than per person. However, if you’re traveling by bicycle instead, Rocky Mountain will charge you for an individual pass which costs $25, while those on motorcycles will be charged $30.
Considering how many National Parks and National Monuments there are to see in the Southwest alone, the best option for most will be to buy an ‘America the Beautiful’ Annual National Parks Pass.
These cost $80 for the year. In most cases, you’re already saving money by just visiting four National Parks/Monuments anywhere in the country within a full year.
What’s more, is that only one person in your vehicle needs to have the pass. Additionally, seniors can buy the pass for just $20. So if you have someone over 62 in your party, just have them get the annual pass and everyone else will be set.
As for where to get the pass, you can purchase it in person at most National Parks or Monuments. But you can also order it in advance online.