Emerald Lake Reviews

We easily made the trek with our 4&7 year old boys. Even better, we found snow at the end of June! Amazing views along the way!

Be sure to hike up from Bear Lake all the way to Emerald lake. There are multiple streams, lakes and brilliant wild flowers along to way to enjoy. Chipmunks are fun too! The view and sheer beauty at the end of the trail is spectacular. Take water and snacks to enjoy along the way.

Beautiful scenery but the hike is more moderate and not as easy as some are suggesting in their reviews. If you are coming from an area of the country that is lower altitude or have any knee or lung issues. I'm in my 50's and am pretty healthy but have one knee that is missing a large chunk of meniscus and just got over a respiratory illness a month prior. Combined with the high altitude this hike is more challenging but was worth it to see the beautiful views ascending to 10,000 feet. I suggest stopping at the Safeway or a sporting goods store to get a can of oxygen for the hike if you have any concerns about the altitude. Hiking poles help too if you need extra support for your knee.

Our reservation was at 12 to get into the park, we did the park and ride to get to Bear Lake and started our hike around Bear Lake and did the trail head after that.

Moderately steep. One family with very small children couldn't continue After Dream Lake. But we went with the rest of our family and older children on to Emerald Lake. It took us about four hours but we didn't rush. Well worth the effort

You will not regret taking this snowy hike. Dream lake is beautiful, you can even bring your skates, and the extra effort to continue on to Emerald lake is worth it. It was definitely good advice to rent some slip on microspikes from Estes Park Mountain Shop for $8. It was much easier to navigate the snow and frozen lakes with these.

By Rocky Mtn. Nat. Pk. standards, not a difficult hike but to city folks = its a bit of a trek!
All the hikes in this park begin at a high altitude so any that go UP, and most do, are difficult for city dwellers. Just beware of that.
Having said that, I have been to some alpine lakes in magnificent locations. This rivals any of them! Just a breathtaking location. Worth the effort to get there.
Now, seasons are short here. You don't want to be caught in really bad weather, so July, August, early Sept. are all good times -but - you will not be alone! It isn't a wilderness experience. Still it is wholly worth it!

My wife and I had 1 day to explore in Colorado so we chose an easy trail to get some great views. It was May so there was snow on the ground. Unless you are going in the summer be sure to take some slip on spikes for your shoes. It is a crowded trail so I recommend starting early (we were there before 7AM to get going). We had a wonderful quiet hike out but passed lots of people coming back. The trail does not have much elevation change so it is pretty easy, but you are starting at close to 10,000 feet so you may notice that hiking is slower than usual.

This is about 1.8 miles in and 1.8 miles out. It was gorgeous! Beautiful views through the whole hike! Heavy traveled so I suggest getting there in the early morning. We got there at 12:30 and luckily we had no problems getting a parking spot but when we were leaving around 3ish there wasn't a parking spot and it was getting crowded. It's strenuous hike for some, but children and elderly people were hiking as well with no problems. Every place to take a rest is just another great photo op so bring your camera!

This was a great hike! It's about 3.6 miles round trip with an incline most of the way up. You pass 2 other lakes on the way, Nymph lake and Dream lake, which are both beautiful. Emerald lake itself is amazing- we even saw an elk. Unless you are planning to get there very early in the morning (5am/6am) my advice would be to take the free shuttle to the trailhead. We parked at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center in Estes Park and took the shuttle from there to the Park & Ride, and then from there we got on the bus to the Bear Lake Loop, and got off at Bear Lake Trailhead- which is the last stop. Each bus ride takes 15-20 minutes tops. There are bathrooms at the visitors center, park & ride, and at the Bear Lake trailhead. Also, you can park at the park & ride and then only take one bus, however the park pass to get in is $20- if you ride from the visitors center it's free to enter. It took us about 2 hours start to finish, and I would also suggest starting in the morning because the weather can change very quickly.

To reach bear lake: It's better to take a national park's free shuttle from Estes park visitor center to "park and ride" stop and then take another free shuttle to bear lake stop.

Bear lake is awesome and the scenery is gorgeous from any angle.

Dream lake and Emerald lake both are stunning and you will enjoy the whole scenery in hiking to these lakes too.

Our first hike in the park and it was wonderful. Take water, lunch, suntan lotion and enjoy the experience . It’s an amazing hike visiting 4 lakes—bear, nymph, dream and emerald

Dream lake takes your breathe away. Could sit and watch the lake for hours. Serenity!! Trail is bit icy but didn't bother us. Best part of our Rocky Mountains visit. Not a tough hike.

Gorgeous views. Need to arrive before way before the bus load of people arrive at 7 to get a nice experience.

This was one of the highlights of my trip. SO beautiful. I did this hike alone and I'm a 25y.o. female. I started this hike at 6am, I saw maybe 10 other people on my way up. On the way back there was a lot more. It wasn't so hard, but I'm not used to a high elevation, and the last time i was in Colorado I got Mountain Sickness. So I just took it slow on the way up and took several bottles of water. It took me about 1h 35m to get to emerald lake and back to my car. On the way up I saw a mother elk and her baby, and stayed away as much as I could. I picked up several pieces of trash and put it in my book bag and threw it away at the trail head. So these lakes... wow, they were stunning, i was in awe, the mountains towered over them and cradled them. It's literally perfect and a must do. I saw all age groups on my way down. I would definitely start the trail at 6am or earlier if you don't like to share the trail with many people, or have people ruin your pictures and experience.

This is one of the most beautiful hikes we have ever been on. It was really cool seeing 3 lakes on one hike. I am in fairly decent shape, maybe it was the elevation but there were times on the hike I was very out of breath. Needless to say, just give yourself plenty of time for the hike and it is so beautiful you will want to slow down and enjoy the scenery.

This hike to the four lakes: Bear, Nymph, Dream, and Emerald is rated as easy. However, it is uphill most of the way and with the altitude it wasn't super easy. It was also lightly snowing. Recommend shoes with a good trend. It got rather slippery on the way back.

It was totally worth it. So beautiful. Take your time and enjoy all the beautiful lakes.

A nice hike to a very pretty lake. I think any hike that originates at the Bear Lake trail head is beautiful.

My family really enjoyed this hike. It rained and we were soaked. But great view of the lake. Lots of hikers.

We really enjoy this trail. It is best in off season or during week as it is a very popular trail. Lake is beautiful, and you can use the shuttle to bear lake if busy. We have hiked on above to flattop mountain and on into Grand Lake from this trail also. Definitely a must when in the park.

I just got back from hiking Emerald Lake Trail this morning (Sunday, 8/5)! To address some common questions:
- I left downtown Denver at ~5am and arrived to the Bear Lake trail head at around 7:00am
- When I arrived at 7:00 am on a Sunday, the trail head parking lot was about 1/3 full
- I am not a regular hiker and just recently moved to CO/am not yet used to the altitude, and had absolutely no issue completing this hike (in sneakers, too!)
- The trip out toward Emerald Lake was pretty peaceful and quiet, but on the way back, flocks of people were entering the trail
- As a non-seasoned hiker who was taking my time, this trail took me approx 2 hours roundtrip, with several photo stops included (approx 15 minutes from Nymph to Dream and 20 minutes from Dream to Emerald)
- As of this morning (early August) there was not any snow on the mountains
- Spectacular views, even on a rainy morning!

This trail starts at the Bear Lake trail head and is mostly uphill until you reach Emerald Lake. It is a moderate to difficult hike on the way up for sure. I was surprised by some of the other reviewers that said it is easy. The way back is downhill. The weather at the top at Emerald lake changes quickly! It got extremely windy, cold and we even saw snowflakes in July! Make sure to bring a sweatshirt to be prepared for any weather conditions. The trail still has some snow on it today, July 2. Be sure to wear appropriate shoes. The shuttle has a long wait during the summer, so you may want to go early in the morning. The picture perfect scenery is worth the hike uphill! :-)

What a stunning place, we were there with snow on the ground but I am sure that this place would be stunning at anytime of the year. We intend to find out. The path was well maintained which made for an easy walk for most people of all ages.

This trail had beautiful views. Take trekking poles to help along the way and plenty of water. We thought the incline really began right pass Dream Lake. It was a little challenging because of the altitude. The view at Emerald Lake is worth it though. Otherwise, this trail was pretty doable. It is a little rocky in some areas.

This is an easy 3.6 mile round trip hike gaining only 600 feet of elevation. You will see three lakes, Nymph, Dream and Emerald. If you are from a low elevation it may be wise to spend a few days in the area getting use to the elevation. Upon arriving at Emerald Lake you will be greeted by a classic mountain cirque with Hallett peak and the continental towering above it. Highly recommended.

We finished emerald lake trail during Memorial day weekend'17. It had snowed 3ft the weekend before so it was still a winter wonderland. There was snowfall and wind but nothing alarming. We had proper layered clothing and gloves so didn't feel the chill. We had hiking shoes which helped to a certain extent but wished to have snow crampons. I saw so many peoples hiking in just walking/running shoes with branches as make shift poles. I really hope people do research and shopping before hiking in winter conditions.

The hike begins from Bear lake trailhead (9475ft), 3.6mi round trip and around 600 ft elevation gain. I have done this hike without snow and felt moderate intensity. We took 3.5 hours to finish but then we took it slow and took numerous snack and photo breaks. This is a heavily trafficked trail so recommend reaching early as parking can fill up very quickly, especially for long weekend. You reach Nymph lake first, which is nice but the really beautiful one is Dream lake, which comes second, ~1.1 mi from trailhead. You continue till Emerald lake and get such nice views of towering peaks around it. Scenic trail for half a day's fun with great returns.

Starting at the Bear Lake trailhead (9475 ft above sea level) I hiked to Nymph and Dream Lakes. For someone who lives near sea level (on the left coast), it took me awhile to get as far as I did. They are worth it and I was able to meet and talk with other hikers along the way. Emerald Lake was about .7 mile further on and, I'm told well worth it, but my body had had enough and it was beginning to storm (rain, hail, and thunder).

We should have arrived earlier to beat the crowds and still enjoyed this hike thoroughly. Bear Lake is the start and one can walk around it as a stand alone easy trail. For the more adventuresome, continue to Nymph, Dream and Emerald Lakes. There are some lovely photo opportunities and enough up and down that most can make it.

Although steep in the initial leg of the hike, the views all the way to Emerald Lake were absolutely stunning. We went in fall, and the aspens were changing color. It was absolutely amazing. Took about 2-3 hours round trip with frequent stops for pictures and a small picnic at Emerald Lake.

We hiked to Emerald Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park in September 2018 while on the first leg of a memorable road trip through the U.S. Southwest. At 9:00 A.M. on a fall weekday the Bear Lake parking lot was already full and we were lucky to get one of the last parking spaces at the Park and Ride lot from which we were quickly bused to the Bear Lake Trailhead. After an easy walk around Bear Lake (reviewed separately) we took the more strenuous and rocky (3.6 mile round-trip and 600 foot elevation gain) hike up to stunning Emerald Lake, passing both Nymph Lake and Dream Lake along the way. The climb was steeper than we expected but we took our time and the views at all three lakes certainly made the trek worthwhile. By the time that we returned to the Bear Lake Trailhead we really appreciated the restrooms and snacks and water that were available and then we continued on to Alberta Falls (reviewed separately). We had a great time!

Not a too long or difficult hike, with absolutely spectacular views. Good to get there early before the crowds arrive.

Fantastic hike but go prepared! We hiked all the way to Emerald Lake. Temperature swings up to 15 degrees. Most experienced trekkers had poles and/or spikes on their shoes. Slippery areas. Lakes were frozen and beautiful!

This hike was perfect for our family, kids ages 6-12, not too rigorous, but challenging enough for everyone to feel like they’d had an outdoor adventure. Plenty of beautiful photo ops and places to stop and picnic with a view. It is high traffic, so not for you if you want a quiet trek, but we didn’t mind the company of other happy hiking families and we’re glad to have people around to take family photos. Saw chipmunks, marmots, and a bunch of beautiful birds which kept the kiddos excited and interested. Took us about 2.5 hours out and back with a stop for lunch along the way. Next time we may be ready to take the longer trail to Haiyaha!

Highly recommend this, but bring your gloves!! It wind can get you so be prepared to brace the blizzards

This is a great hike whether are experienced or not. The great thing about this hike is that you see 3 beautiful lakes and they are spaced out in such a way that if you aren’t experienced, you break evenly. Nymph is at .5 mile, Dream about another.5, then .7 to Emerald. Our 11 and 8 year old easily made this hike (with a few breaks).

Just remember that if you want to park at Bear Lake, get there early. We also like to hit the trails before they get too crowded. The earlier is always better.

This is a wonderful spot to hike to in Rocky Mtn. National Park, and easy to access for most people. It is one of the scenic sites on the way to Flattop Mountain and the continental divide on the way to Grand Lake if you are a good hiker or back packer. It can sometimes be a bit crowded in the Summer with all the tourist traffic however. Try to go during the week, especially during shoulder months. Definitely worth the visit.

Cold and wind aside, this is an awesome hike! Especially in winter in the middle of the week, when the crowds are almost nonexistent!
We didn’t make it to Emerald this time, but stops along the way at Nymph and Dream Lakes made this a great hike with breathtaking winter views!

We hiked this starting at Bear Lake Trail Head and it was beautiful. The trail well marked and moderate in difficulty.

We took about 3 hours to hike the trail up to Emerald Lake and had a picnic lunch at Nymph Lake. The waterfall, lake and streams were beautiful. We took the shuttle bus from the park and ride lot. That was a must at mid-day. There are a lot of hikers on the path, but everyone seemed friendly and courteous.

We arrived at the trailhead at 630am for a lot of reasons: 1. Beat the crowds. 2. You can hear the stillness. 3. The reflection off Emerald Lake of the jagged peaks is awesome and later in the day there is wind and clouds. 4. Can do other easy hikes after. We recommend going early. Also this is the first week of June and the snow is almost all melted. Just a few patches to walk across near the end. We saw 2 elk in the middle of the trail (probably another reason to go early). I get why this is the most popular trail in the whole park!

This is a wonderful hike to this beautiful frozen wonderland. You have to pass through other two lakes to get to this road is snowy but easy take I would recommend doing it

Always a favorite trail, can be a bit busy especially these days. Trail is currently 100% snow covered from Bear Lake. So have good footwear and use a stick or poles to assist you. Many using strap on cleats.
Pace yourself! Take breaks if not use to higher altitude. Bring/drink water!
Right now the lakes are all frozen over and the trail goes over Dream Lake!
Arrive early as Bear Lake parking lot likely to fill. May need to shuttle in. Also lines into RMNP are getting long on hwy 36, so try 34 out of town. I had no wait on Sat 5/15/21 at 9 a.m.

A beautiful hike from Bear Lake- 1.8 miles each way and about 700 feet up. You will walk by two other lakes- Nymph and Dream. The Park Service has placed logs across the trail between Nymph and Emerald; as a result you will be climbing on easy stairs.

Mesmerizing all through the short one and half mile hike to Emerald Like. Expect to get humbled by nature. Thanks to rental facilities at the base, we could survive harsh weather just enough to take in the views and run back. If you are planning a snow hiking, do NOT attempt without renting snow shoes, gloves and face mask, even if the temps seem convenient because the winds, as you climb up, are just unbearable. And they say this is one of the easiest trails. I disagree. Not in winter with 40 mph gusts. Its free, open 24 hours every day and kid friendly, as long as they are appropriately dressed.

Would love to come back in fall and try other trails.

This hike took us about 3 hours start to finish. We were hiking with 3 kids too and they did great. Only thing was 2 of them got a little elevation sickness. They were fine though. But it was the most beautiful hike I’ve ever been on. The views are unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Pictures don’t do it justice!

This is an incredibly beautiful hike, but on Father's Day weekend it was unpleasantly crowded and the slippery sections of snow were very difficult to navigate.

A moderate 4 mile round trip is a must when visiting Bear lake area. Emerald lake has stunning views. Get there early and you will have the entire lake to yourself. I was at the bear lake parking area on a Friday morning in July around 6:30 am and the parking lot was half full. The hike is moderate and It certainly helps if you have trekking poles. You will also pass the Nymph and the Dream lake on your way to Emerald Lake. Don't forget to carry mosquito repellant with you. There were lot of mosquitoes around the lake and I got bitten by them multiple times.

This was a great hike and I highly recommend it. I saw some questions about hiking shoes and you don't really need them for this trail but you couldn't take stroller on this trail. I was struggling a little because of the heat and not being used to the altitude (and I'm used to walking 7-8 miles a day on the days I don't run 4-5 miles) so take it easy.

Very icy...I am a good hiker and thought this was an easy walk. Right now through the winter Yes!!! Definitely get those rental microspikes and poles for 9 in town....then you will enjoy this hike

I don't know how this hike/lake could get a bad review. The only thing I questioned was the difficulty rating. It was rated as easy and it was uphill the entire way. It wasn't steep but it was uphill. I don't think I'd rate it as "easy." Maybe "moderate?" Emerald Lake was worth the hike! Absolute magnificent views at the top! Friendly chipmunks who obviously hang out here to beg for snacks from hikers! Great photo ops. A definite MUST DO!

If you're from out of state and low elevation areas...READ ON! This trail was absolutely gorgeous and the highlight of my group's Colorado trip. A couple things to note and emphasize. The hike itself is probably easy for anyone moderately in shape from a higher elevation state...but I would say more moderately difficult if you're from low elevation and definitely a workout if you're out of shape on top of that...but do-able! (And worth the views for sure). We opted to do the 3.6 mile (out and back) loop to see Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake. Most people say Emerald is their favorite, but we found Dream lake to be the crowning joy honestly. We started the trail around 1000 and were back by 1330...and we took is SLOW with MANY breaks. Don't bother trying to find parking at the actual trailhead unless you're there before 0700...but don't worry; the shuttle from the 'Park and Ride' was incredibly efficient, even with Covid precautions. Pee at the 'Park and Ride' and bring an oxygen boost.

This hike will take you past 3 lakes and close to a 4th. The destinations are beautiful, but the journey is just as beautiful. The trailhead fills up early with good reason - it's amazing.

We took this hike with two kids (13 year old) and everyone loved it! To get to Emerald Lake, you pass two other lakes along the way that are also very pretty. It is about a 1.8 mile hike that has a small incline to it but the views are beautiful all along the hike. You start at Bear Lake which is also very beautiful.

This is gem..!! You need to hike 5 miles to reach to this incredible Gem. Hike is not easy. For me and my wife, this was somewhat exhausting. Carry water bottles and some snacks. Once you reach the lake you can sit over there and have a snack while admiring the beauty of this lake and place. Again, its a very stiff hike.

This is a great trail to take because you can see 4 lakes on one trail. Park at Bear Lake Trailhead. Bear Lake is right off the parking lot and it's beautiful. The next lake is Nymph Lake and I think it might be my favorite. The lily pads were blooming when we were there and it was magical. The next lake is Dream Lake and then Emerald Lake is the last one. We had planned to picnic at Emerald Lake but there are so many chipmunks there and they are not afraid to come right up to you. Obviously, people have been feeding them,which is not good. So, I wouldn't plan to picnic there. Pick one of the other lakes or other overlooks to have your picnic. Overall, a wonderful hike. Definitely go early because, as we headed out, there were a ton of people going up. We were so glad not to be behind all of that traffic. By the way, the trail is harder going because it is up most of the way. The way out is obviously much easier.

We got to Bear Lake parking lot by 8 am on a Wednesday. We got one of 3 parking spots left. The trail took us by Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and up to Emerald Lake, which is near the timberline. We needed to stop often to catch our breath, but the scenery was so beautiful, we didn’t mind. It probably took 90 minutes to get to Emerald Lake, which is gorgeous. We were glad we beat the crowds because the trail coming up was very busy as we were heading down. Be prepared for rugged uphill terrain and even snow on the upper parts of the trail in June.

We started out at 7am for Bear Lake/Emerald Lake/Dream Lake/Nymph Lake. Beautiful scenery and was not crowded at this time. Also hiked Alberta Falls same morning. Kids (9, 14, 17) all loved it! We took our time exploring, packed lunches/beverages. Spent almost 6 hours doing these hikes and exploring the waterfall!

We really enjoyed this hike. Lots of great views. I found the hike up to be challenging, my teenagers not as much. We took the shuttle from Estes Park and had to wait in line about 30 minutes for the bus to bear lake trail head from Park and Ride. We each drank about a liter of water on this hike. Lots of fun us.

It was a long hike for beginners like my friend and I. But it was worth the hike! We covered three lakes in total : nymph, dream and emerald. One by one, it got better. Emerald lake was picturesque and quiet. We spent some time merely sitting there and enjoying the view. The hike to emerald was the toughest as some parts were covered with snow. On the way to dream lake, we were fortunate to see wild elks!

The trail to this lake is beautiful and an average climb. We made the experience better by hiking around the back side of the lake to the waterfalls. Take time to dip your feet in the glacier fed stream below the waterfall. It’s a bit more extreme as you have to scale some boulders to get around the lake, but it’s totally worth it!

The views at Dream and Emerald Lake are superlative. The best thing about this hike is that it doesn't involve hours and hours of hiking. There is definitely some "up", but in an hour or so you will arrive at Dream Lake. Emerald Lake is a bit further. There is definitely some work involved in this hike, but I've seen people all ages doing this hike. The views at Dream and Emerald Lake are outstanding. If you do one hike, this is the one to do. Of course, you won't be alone. This is probably the most popular hike in the park. Also be forewarned, the parking lot at Bear Lake is often full very early in the busy season. Try to arrive early or later in the afternoon. Weekends probably isn't a good time to expect to find parking at Bear Lake. Taking the shuttle bus really isn't a big deal either. Again, expect to find lots of people here during the busy season.

Loved this hike and how each lake was so different. Nymph Lake was actually my favorite because I loved seeing all the lily pads. Dream Lake was fun as it was so clear and my kids loved seeing the fish swimming near the water's edge. Emerald Lake has so many boulders surrounding it that with the crowds, it was hard to find a place to relax and eat lunch but loved how it was so different and surrounded by so much snow in July. This trail wasn't difficult, it had more uphill than I was anticipating and some snow patches we had to cross to get to the top but overall was very enjoyable. We had 6 month old, 5 yo, and 9 yo with us and all had fun. The hardest part of the hike was just getting into the park early, getting a parking spot, and some planning on different scenarios of if we'd had to do park and ride with feeding the baby. It all worked out and baby even had a warm bottle at Emerald Lake (thermos heated).

It was a difficult trail for us as near senior citizens. I was determined to make it. We did! It was pretty. However I would not do it again. Start early in the morning when it is cool. We arrived at 4:30. It took us 2 1/2 hours to make it. We had regular tennis shoes. Make sure you have good threads on soles. I walking stick would be great! No bathrooms once you start up the trail! We traveled from a lower altitude and I thought I was not going to make it down! Stop at Safeway or Rocky Mountain Pharmacy and buy a can of oxygen boost! This helped me recover. It took me about 8 hours to recover.

Too many visitors, myself included. A great place to get to nature. Not overly strenuous. An RMNP classic.

This was our first hike in RMNP and it ended up being a great way to introduce ourselves to the park. You see 3 lakes along the trail. Nymph, Dream and Emerald. Nymph is more of a pond with lilies. We liked Dream best but Emerald is worth it as well. The crowds seem to thin out somewhat past Dream.
*Make sure to check the RMNP twitter to see if the parking lot for Bear Lake and the Park and Ride lot are full. It was for us so we had to park at Estes Park Visitor Center and take that shuttle to the trail head. *

Its a fantastic hike that will take you 2-3 hours cause you will want to stop along the way. You not only get to see the fantastic emerald lake but dream lake and nymph lake on the way. All are unique and beautiful in their own way. Note the hike is all up hill on the way there but that means its all down hill on the way back! This hike is spectacular so it gets busy quick so if you want to enjoy it by yourself go early! Oh and if you want parking get there by 745!

I have done this hike several times. You get three cool lakes (Nymph, Dream, & Emerald) on a 3 to 4 mile round trip hike with 600 feet of elevation gain. In winter and early spring this is a great snowshoe hike. You can rent snowshoes in Estes Park. Bear Lake Road is plowed. The path is well-trodden and easy to follow and is spectacular with all the snow. It's pretty cool to walk over the frozen lakes. In late spring the lakes are melted out but there is a lot of snow around them. It's beautiful in summer and fall as well. Get to the parking lot early or use the shuttle during summer and fall.

We came here on a rainy day and so didn’t experience the kinds of crowds described in others’ reviews. As others have noted, difficulty is easy to moderate depending on the person. Seasoned hikers will likely find it easy. Not being one myself, I found parts of it easy and other parts at the moderate level. Not being used to the altitude also played a role, as there are steep parts of the trail. We liked that two other lakes, Nymph Lake and Dream Lake were on the way.

If I remember correctly, the closest park entrance to this trail is Beaver Meadows. We entered at Grand Lake, which I think is the furthest, but most of the drive is on trail ridge road, so it made for a scenic ride. This is the only hike we did at the park, so I’m not sure how others compare, but it’s probably the most picturesque one we’ve ever done. Highly recommend!

Low impact and breathtaking views...this is probably the best walking trail in the park as it's like walking a golf course trail. The lake is cool and the mountains are abundant around the lake. Quick tour to satisfy everyone.

This was another fantastic walk with spectacular scenery everywhere we looked. Start at Bear Lake trailhead. This is a very popular walk, so I'd recommend parking at the park and ride, and taking the excellent shuttle service up to Bear Lake. We loved Emerald Lake and even had a swim - a SHORT swim because the water is glacial...!

My daughter and I visited Rocky Mountain National Park for two days and spent an afternoon hiking the Emerald Lake trail. It is a busy area with several other trails close by. Be sure to watch the signs indicating available parking at Bear Lake. We chose to park at the park and ride and take the free shuttle to the trailhead. The shuttle stopped at two other trailheads on the way up. Take advantage of the bathrooms before embarking on your hike as there are no services anywhere along the trail. The trail is 1.7 miles in and then back out the same way with a 610 ft gain in elevation. The trail is well maintained and was quite busy when we were there on a Thursday in September. The first segment of the trail is .5 miles, and takes you to Nymph Lake, which is full of lily pads. There are plenty of places to sit, relax and enjoy the area. Dream Lake is another .5 miles and a much larger lake that looked emerald green and clear enough to see the fish. There is a creek running along the trail and there are beautiful stops to take pictures and rest if the altitude is too much for you. (You will be at about 10,000 at the end of the trail.) The last stop is Emerald Lake and is .7 miles further and it is situated at the base Hallett Peak (12,713 ft.) and some very rocky terrain. We arrived at this lake later in the day so the sun was no longer shining on the lake and I’m sure it would be much prettier earlier in the day. It was also extremely windy and cold so we didn’t stay too long. This is a manageable trail and we saw people of all ages hiking. Keep in mind that you are hiking in higher altitudes and take breaks and drink plenty of water. No need to hurry on this hike. Stop and enjoy the views.

Emerald Lake is a circular lake nestled below the mountain peaks from three sides, offers panoramic views of glacier and rugged cliffs. Waterfalls and streams enrich the lake, enhancing the scenery to the max. Since it's quite popular, it's easy to find/stay on the trail by just follow other people.

The Emerald Lake Trail, one of the top hikes in RMNP, located near the Bear Lake Trailhead. This trail is renowned for its stunning alpine sceneries, passing multiple lakes and offering views comparable to the park’s high-elevation overlooks. With all the trail options at Bear Lake, it is most famous, and hence the most crowded one I hiked at RMNP.

Did the hike on October 12, 2018 with family including two grandchildren ten years and seven years. We arrived early as mentioned in other posts. We did have traction devices and trekking poles. I am not sure how those in tennis shoes managed the winter conditions! The trail ranged from mushy snow, to packed snow, to hard ice. I am seventy-one and a flat-land person so I considered the hike moderate rather than easy. It is one beautiful hike, well worth my huffing and puffing to see such natural beauty. Would go again in a heartbeat, but wear appropriate, good foot wear. Get there early. Enjoy Nature/Rockies at their very, very best.

I have been on this trail one other time, years ago, and remembered it being amazingly serene at the top. I was even more impressed this second time! It was so fun to share this experience with my new boyfriend, who had never been to Estes Park. You pass by two other amazing lakes to get to Emerald Lake. The first, Nymph Lake, has beautiful water lilies with yellow flowers floating on top. The second, Dream Lake, had ducklings and bunnies around it. And when you get to the top, Emerald Lake, you are face-to-face with snow, and even the remnants of a glacier. It feels like you are in God’s Cathedral. People are quiet and reverent in this space. We are from Texas, so the high-altitude made it hard for us to breathe and exert ourselves on this trail. Having said that, we passed people carrying kids in backpacks on the way back down. We tried not to feel shamed! This is considered an easy hike, but if you’re not used to the thin air, plan on making lots of stops. The trail is very well-delineated, and kept up. They have added steps, and there are lots of big rocks to sit on. Make sure you use the facilities at the bottom… There are none along the way. And bring plenty of water and protein bars to keep you going.
You’ll especially want food when you get to the top. There is a small waterfall, as well, on the trail. And when you get to the top, there are two distant waterfalls below the glacier. Watch for cheeky chipmunks all along the way. (Try to resist feeding them!) We started our hike at about 6:30 AM, and there were very few people on the trail. If you wait much later, you will have to park down in shuttle parking, and then you will be surrounded by everyone who just rode up with you on the bus. And if you don’t think you can exert yourself after reading this review, at least make sure you go around Bear Lake, near where this trail starts! It is an easy walk, even for these Texans, and great for little kids. The surroundings are also magnificent! Sidenote: we saw two deer at the entrance to this trail, right in the parking lot when we arrived! And I’ve seen numerous elk on the drive up, in past years. If you want to see moose, they are starting to migrate over to the east side. Ask the Rangers where you can find them. We saw two huge bulls just 2 miles inside the west entrance to RMNP, at Sheep‘s lake. But I heard there was also a mama with a baby at Sprague Lake, in the month of July. This is my favorite place on earth to visit! And I have a sister who lives in Hawaii. You gotta go!

Hiked the lakes here and loved the stunning scenery. The weather wasn't great and the trails were snowy but still busy with other hikers and skaters heading to the frozen lakes.

We went into the park after 3pm so as not to fight with traffic. This trail is next to Bear Lake (which is a short walk around the lake) which is also a must. The beginning of the Emerald trail hike is steep. We were not in great shape so we did have to stop a few times up the steep part. After that it really is not bad. My daughter was healing from a fractured ankle and she did fine with her ankle brace. The first lake is beautiful called Nymph Lake, then the next Lake is Dream Lake. Dream lake is huge and gorgeous. You may want to stop after this lake but a little further and you are at Emerald Lake. Absolutely breathtaking! We even found mounds of snow in June to play in off the trail! Take lots of pictures. The snow melting in the distance off the mountain sounds like a water fall. This is so worth it! Enjoy!

Pack your patience, you'll need it for this hike. The views are stunning along the trail to Emerald Lake but if you're looking for peace and tranquility or even trail etiquette, you won't get that here. Most reviews will tell you to arrive early, but that means everyone does. By 8:00am the parking lot was full and the line for the shuttle-bus was 6 deep, on a Wednesday. The trail was packed both coming and going, hikers not stepping off to the side to tie shoes or to dig through packs. At the lakes, visitors were feeding chipmunks and jays, tossing orange peels and crusts on the ground. We left the area to get away from the crowds and came back around 4 to try another trail in the area. At that time of day the crowds were gone and parking was available at the trailhead.

We hiked from Bear Lake to Nymph Lake as we did not have time. The hike is somewhat easy, not too rocky and not too steep. At times it might seem that it's such a long walk, but we eventually made it to the next lake in line.

The earlier the better here - easier to park and better light in the morning for photos. First you reach Nymph lake, then Dream lake, and finally Emerald lake.
Moderate elevation climb and saw several elk on the trail that morning. Beautiful!

I have hiked this trail many times. One of the longer ones, but totally worth it, especially if you are a photographer. After passing by some smaller lakes, the trail ends at Emerald Lake, pristine water surrounded by steep cliffs.

We hiked to Bear Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake. Bear Lake was the easiest hike but Emerald Lake was the most beautiful. There is a great hike with excellent views up to Emerald Lake and you will pass by Dream Lake and another unnamed lake on the way there. The last 2/3rds of the hike has a lot of elevation gain and can be tough if you aren't in reasonable shape.

My husband and I hiked around Emerald Lake in June 2018. We really enjoyed the hike. There was still some snow on the trail. I got to make a snowball to throw at my husband in June. We got about 10,000 steps on our Fitbits during the hike. We stopped for a sandwich at the Lodge which was okay. I would recommend this hike for someone looking for as easy hike.

This was my first mountain hike and it definitely accomplished everything I had set out to see! Breathtaking views, challenging terrain at times, beautiful mountains and lakes, and kid approved! We got there at 7:30am and were able to find parking. Took us 1.5hr to Emerald Lake as my kids wanted to climb on every boulder possible! 45min on way down. Trail is very crowded on way back down so go early as it's worth it!

This is a great trail up to Emerald Lake (from Bear Lake). The first part is quite strenuous due to the altitude but its well worth the effort

This was a beautiful trail but you MUST get up early to get a spot. We arrived before 7 and few parking spots remained. The trail was challenging in some spots and felt a little steep but it was pleasant.

Passed 2 other lakes on the way to Emerald lake.

This is a great hike for those who want to spend just a few hours enjoying some beautiful scenery away from the highway. There are three lakes to see on the 1.5 mile (one way) hike to Emerald Lake, which is the most beautiful of the three. The trail is not all that strenous and well-worn. Don't expect to be alone if hiking in the summer. We hiked in the latter part of June and there was still snow in spots, which were slippery. I suggest bringing a hiking stick for balance. I also suggest to park at the park and ride on Bear Lake Road and ride the shuttle to the trailhead. The lot at the traihead will probably be full in the summer unless you arrive very early. There is no way of knowing if there are parking spaces until you get there, and then you driven several miles out of your way for nothing. There are rest room facilites at the trailhead.

Beautiful hike! It’s a challenging hike but perfect for kids and adults- The view at the top is beautiful so spend sometime up there - bring snack for the kiddos!!

I’ve done this like on my own many times and have taken my parents before as well in the summertime and they loved it!
I most recently did this hike on St. Patrick’s Day 2019 and the snow pack was pretty high but the day was gorgeous as ever with plenty full sunshine and barely any wind! I made the mistake of wearing a black air band to keep my ears warm and my black sunglasses however forgot my sunscreen so have a pretty weird sunburn on my face that hopefully will not last long LOL!
(always wear sunscreen especially that high up!)
I parked at Bear Lake Trailhead but I definitely recommend getting there on the beautiful days if it’s winter time before 9 AM ! I was able to get the very last spot in the last row.
If it’s summertime I definitely recommend getting there before 730 or 8 AM because while it is a big parking lot those spots will be filled in no time ! ( otherwise you’ll probably have to park at Park and ride but it would be OK since you have a free shuttle ride to Bear Lake trailhead (or. Glacier Gorge Trailhead is on the way from PNR )
May 26, 2019 is when it says it will start the free shuttle!

Absolutely love this hike. Have completed it twice now, once in September when the leaves were starting to change and once again in May when everything was still snow covered. Made the hike a little more challenging since we could not see the trail, but absolutely worth it! The lakes and trails were all still under quite a bit of snow cover which was just beautiful!

It's only 1.8 miles each way but the path is rocky with multiple sets of steep rock "steps" which were a workout for the age 60+ but doable. It was a sweaty journey the last week of August. Rest on the boulders at the end of the trail and enjoy the view before hiking back. Ground squirrels and chipmunks were the only wildlife spotted. We saw people struggling to get a stroller as far as Dream Lake. Backpack carriers are the way to go for the real little ones. Water and pit toilet is back at the parking lot. Nearby Sprague Lake is flat and accessible for those who don't want the climb.

We spent a week in Estes and visited several places. This was by far my favorite hike. Read my review on the Bear Lake Trailhead. It talks about access to the park, reservations, and parking.

This 1.8 mile hike has four lakes:
1 Bear Lake - at the trailhead and ranger station
2 Nymph Lake - 0.5 mile
3 Dream Lake - 1.1 mile
4 Emerald Lake - 1.8 mile
I've written reviews on each of those lakes. The first leg of the hike is relatively easy with a moderate climb but nothing difficult. Once you pass Nymph Lake the climb gets a little more difficult. I was huffing and puffing more than once. The final leg between Dream and Emerald had more climbing. I stopped a couple of times to catch my breath.

The total time to reach Emerald lake was two hours. The physical hike was not that long, but we stopped and took in the beauty of each lake. We sat and gazed at the serene setting. We had lunch sitting on a rock at Dream Lake. That brings up an interesting topic about the chipmunks. They are NOT afraid. They will accost you for food. I had one that I didn't know was there jump from a branch to my head, to my arm and at my feet. Another climbed up my son-in-laws pant leg trying to get into his pack. The hike back down was quick. We didn't stop at all and were back down in about 45 minutes

If you like birds, you will find Mountain Chickadees, Mountain Bluebirds, Steller's Jays and Clark's Nutcrackers. In fact, there was a family of recently fledged nutcrackers at Emerald Lake with the parents still feeding the almost grown juvenile.

I recommend layering clothes for this hike if you plan to sit and take in the views. During the hike we broke a sweat more than once and shed our layers to just a breathable shirt and shorts. When we sat for a spell we got cold and put layers back on. We were flat out cold at Emerald Lake. You will be at an elevation of 10,100 and the wind makes it feel even colder.

Emerald Lake is so pretty. It sits right at the juncture of the mountain where the biomes change. The whole hike takes place in the Alpine Forest biome. Right at Emerald Lake it changes to the barren tundra. The juxtaposition of the harsh tundra and lush alpine is stunning.

This is a nice trail where you can see some mountain lakes without too much effort. There were several lakes to look at in this area - I think we did 3 trails. It's not terribly difficult, but did take an hour or two. Very pleasant.

beautiful trail with lots of scenic beauty, easy to do but fun with kids and family. lots of places to take pictures

This trail is perfect if you prefer shorter hikes. While it is one of the busiest (if not THE busiest) trail, I found that everyone walking the trail and stopping at the gorgeous overlooks and lakes were respectful, quiet, and just as in awe of the views as we were. We hiked with our 11 and 14 year olds, and they enjoyed stopping along the way to experience the water, climbing a few of the rocks, and just soaking in the amazing views and scent of the variety of conifer trees along the way. We absolutely loved Dream Lake! Highly recommended!!

Bit of a drive to get there but wow is it awesome. Took about 2 hours up and 1 down. The scenary is spectacular we was all kids of wildlife. Be prepared have the proper gear to include water, snacks, and hiking shoes, and a hat. Canned oxygen is a must if you aren't from the area. Took our 4 and 7 year old grandsons they did fine.

I've never hiked before, but I do a lot of walking for work. Even though I'm not in the best shape, it was still a doable trail. I had to stop a few times, but it really wasn't bad. Just mostly had to stop to catch my breath as I'm not used to the altitude. Heading to the lake it's a pretty good uphill most the way (with some leveling). I got there in the early evening, and it wasn't too crowded.

Along the way you go through Nymph and Dream Lakes, which are both nice. Emerald is truly the best though. It was such a great spot. Pictures don't do it justice. If you're thinking about it, I'd do it. From the beginning it's pretty much uphill, so if you struggle then, you could know you won't make it, to just turn around.

I got there as the sun was going down, it was great. The walk back was easy, and since there were very few people I made it relatively quickly on the way back. Also ran into some elk on the way.

It was a great trail, that wasn't too hard, but it wasn't easy and it's not for everyone.

It was a very beautiful walk/hike. Very easy at the beginning and just the elevation at the end makes it a bit difficult . The path is very easy to walk and the scenery is so beautiful . If you have a car you need to get to bear lake by at least 7:30 after that or is closed till around 2pm when it opens again. Walk is very beautiful but pls be prepared to share it with a lot of people

This trail is beautiful. If you take it all the way to emerald lake you pass two other lakes on the way as well as some lovely rivers/falls. It is not easy. The hike up isn't exactly pleasant, but if you take short breaks it's totally doable (even for us--beginner hikers toting along a 1 year old in a baby carrier). And the greatest part is it's downhill all the way back! You see some truly remarkable views on this path. Worth the work!

This heavily-trafficked trail is essentially an uphill trek to Emerald Lake, although the path is well-maintained and is relatively easy. On the way, you will pass the smaller Dream Lake, waterfalls, and get an excellent view of the snow-capped mountains. The lake is gorgeous, and it truly has an incredible color. My family used the free shuttle service to take us to the Bear Lake station, where the trail head is about 300ft to the left. The park rangers are very helpful and have excellent trail suggestions if you are uncertain as to where you want to hike. We only had time to do one hike in the park, but we are glad that this is the one we chose!

This is probably the most popular hike from Bear Lake and sees a lot of foot traffic every year. Bang-for-Buck, it's one of the best as you get to see 3 lakes in a short hike: Nymph, Dream, and Emerald. You can snowshoe these in winter time as well. Dream is my personal favorite. During summertime, you can jump into Emerald Lake if you can handle the cold temps. Great hike for families and first time visitors to see the beauty of RMNP.

Nice hike - must do if in Estes Park area. Can get very busy. Get in early or plan to deal with several shuttles - visitor center to park and ride to bear lake. These are all free but take away a lot of time for transit.

We didn't finish, turned around from Dream Lake but it was still very pretty - there was still snow around in Jan.

Once you visit the area, this trail near Bear Lake is an easy and beautiful wald to wonder about how beautiful it is.

This hike should be a 5 star (three good lakes, short hike) but there were just too many people everywhere. Started at 830 mid week, this is too late.

Go early.

This is a great hike for people of all ages. Parking is limited though, especially in the off season when they don't have the shuttles running. Get there early!

Great hike. Very crowded, even in the early morning. Steep hike in many places. Beautiful lakes and views.

We did the four lakes trail, which starts with Bear lake, and includes Nymph lake, Dream lake and ends with Emerald Lake. It was a great hike. We went around end of May, and there was still a lot of snow in the trek. Would recommend crampons, or at least support sticks. The hike has elevation, and but the views are amazing, specially dream lake. Would highly recommend doing the hike

So, I usually take longer hikes, but every time I come to the Rockies, I must do this trail!
Dream and Nymph lake along the way and the end result of Hallet's MT and Emerald Lake is an amazing destination.

My reserved entrance was for noon. I was a bit worried about parking based on all the comments, but the park and ride had smoke space. I waited 5 minutes for the shuttle in both directions. On the trail most hikers wore masks, and although it's next to impossible to keep a safe distance with people walking in both directions, most people were respectful. When I left at 4pm, there were plenty of spaces available at bear lake and the park and ride parking lots.

This is a moderate hike and if you don't do any type of physical activity, you will find this difficult. Not sure it's super kid friendly either as some parts of it are very icy and narrow, which forced some parents to carry them for some distance. Mad respect for parents hiking while carrying their kid! I also came across a girl who slipped and fell and had to wait for search and rescue to come. Be careful on those trails!

The views are spectacular and there's plenty of photo opportunities! I'm looking forward to coming back and exploring less popular trails.

i intended to hike to emerald lake this morning with my 2 sisters. upon seeing the grade of the path, the sisters decided to stay back and people watch. you are going on a steady climb UP so be prepared. i hiked to nymph lake which is .5 mile. well worth the effort but passed a lot of people that were ill prepared for the trek. walking stick and hiking shoes are a plus. also, the area is incredibly busy so if you want solitude, go someplace else.

We are not avid hikers but have done numerous during vacations. This is one of the best! Highly recommend going all the way to Emerald Lake. On the approx 3.8 mile round trip you see three lakes that are all different (Nymph Lake, Dream Lake and Emerald Lake). Terrain changes around every turn. We saw a giant Mule Deer just off the path. Took our family of 5 approx 2 hours round trip at a relaxing pace. The only negative is that because it is such a great hike, it gets crowded. Try your best to avoid crowds (get there VERY early or later in the day) and enjoy the beauty.

Third and final lake on our hike. It was really tough on our family with 3 teenagers. We are from a city with elevation 900 feet. Emerald Lake is at 10,000’ and our bodies could feel it. There were plenty of kids and seniors on the trail. Bring water, snacks or maybe even lunch. It’s a destination you will want to savor for awhile.

We were in Florida in December and bought the Annual Parks Pass for $80 so we got to use it there and then here at the Rocky Mountains , Yellowstone and Grand Canyon which was quite a saving.
First and foremost get here early we were one of the first to arrive at 06:15 parked got to use the rest rooms and had Bear Lake almost entirely to ourselves , after a circuit of the lake we popped back to the car before heading up to Emerald and the parking lot was full.
The hike up was peaceful and we took time out to sit and enjoy the views and watch the wild life coming back down was much busier with people heading up.
By the time we left at 11:30 the roads into the Bear Lake area were closed and exiting the park was massive 3 lane queue of people waiting to come in

Wow!! Every turn there is a beautiful view. Not the most difficult hike by any stretch but will get your blood flowing. This is a can't miss trail at RMNP.

We thoroughly enjoyed this hike that takes you past 2 different lakes with lovely reflections of the surrounding mountains.
The hike itself was not difficult although we did have to hike a little bit of snow covered path. There are easy to navigate steps and paths all the way to the top . The higher you hike; the less people there are!
We saw families of all ages doing this hike and so I think if you take it easy most can make it to the emerald lake .

We drove to RMNP and arrived early at 7:30 am to be able to find a parking spot. We were able to hike along all 3 lakes with no problem and it was not overly crowded. I recommend to go early and definitely wear the appropriate shoes since there are a lot of rocks to hike over. It was a blast and absolutely perfect time of the year to visit.

This is about 3 mile round trip, considered moderate for a fit person and may be difficult for elderly. You will pass by Nymoh lake and dream lake along the way with about 800 ft elevation changes, from about 9200 to 10000 ft. It you are visiting from low elevation, make sure you do not try to hike at high elevation for 24 hrs and get yourself used to the high elevation.

The last of the three lakes was quite a challenging hike in total. Im not used to altitude and it took a while but I was glad I finished. This was not as pretty as dream but it was a nice to spot to stop and see tons of chipmunks. I used both walking sticks, drank plenty of water, and dressed in layers.

Truly unfortunate our trip in Rocky Mountain National Park was far too short and far too quick. The scenery was amazing; the elk were everywhere and certainly wish we could have spent more time. National parks are a true gift.

The trails all string together. We did a point to point from Bear Lake to the prior stop. They are all gorgeous!

Every park has a signature hike and this one is it for Rocky Mountain National Park. While I fully understand the permit passes of the NPS, it really ruined our experience here. We could only get a pass for Bear Lake for our second day in RMNP. While the first day was sunny and the second projected to be, the temperature change and thick fog settled over the mountains.

Despite the fog, we made the hike which is a moderately challenging walk, but we were not able to enjoy the beautiful scenery. I will say if I had a chance to visit this park all the time, it would be cool to visit on a fog day but this was our only day in the Bear Lake Area. We hiked passed both Nymph and Dream Lakes but we turned around before reaching Emerald Lake as the foggy reward did not seem worth the additional hike.

I can still see why everyone loves this so much, it simply was not the best day when we visited.

This place is soo soo beautiful. 3 lakes on 1 trail. The hike is not difficult at all. While we hiked there was hail so not so many people at that time. We got the view for us and around 10 others.

Beautiful lakes, trees, rocks, snow, valley & peak overlooks - God's Wonders to Behold. I had hiked only to Dream Lake when I was about 60 years o age, and wished that I had pressed on to Emerald. So now in my early 70s and feeling good (but not in very good shape for hiking), my 40+ year old daughter and I took our time enjoying the views and animals (and not too many breaks) to hike on to Emerald Lake. It was well worth the effort. The hike to Nymph Lake was OK with interesting views and moderate effort. Much more effort was required to get to Dream Lake, but there were much greater rewards, e.g. trees, meadows, snow, stream, waterfall. But all of that was surpassed going to to Emerald Lake - more beauty, more large rocks, and we were privileged to see an Elk up close. We were not overly affected by lack of oxygen or hurting feet and body. I feel at least 10 years younger now that I've proven i can hike and climb the distance to Emerald Lake. Seeing the beauty first-hand was a wonderful experience.

20 minute or so uphill walk to this peaceful lake ... which is more like a big pond. We didn’t have time to continue on. Sat on a comfortable rock and enjoyed the scenery.

Beautiful hike! For me I’d say it was a moderately easy hike. I really enjoyed getting the see Nymph and Dream lake as well. It was raining lightly and misting pretty much the whole hike but they actually gave it something extra special. We went in late august and probably due to the rain it was a bit chilly. Although being a native Texan my idea of chilly compared to others might be different. Definitely needed a light jacket and am glad I chose pants instead of shorts! We did this hike at around 8-9 a.m. and it was too crowded. Loved it so much.

On this trail you will see waterfalls, fish, lakes, snow capped mountains, evergreens and more!! The trail is fairly easy but if you are not used to the altitude plan to take plenty of breaks.

As others have mentioned you must arrive early to get a parking spot at Bear Lake Trail Head.

we were not quite ready to do this trail, and we are still recovering,,but well worth it...friendly rangers at the start, with maps and information....the lakes were very pretty, but the climb is not easy, coming down was harder thn the climb up..when we were ready to give up, all the hikers said "almost there" :its worth it", and we were anxious to say that on our way down., we took the shuttle from the visitors center..trip of a lifetime, even for ameuteour hikers.

I have to admit that I am rating this trail/hike with the experience of having already hiked a number of trails in Glacier National Park, which I consider the most beautiful national park in the country.
That being said, the joy of this trail/hike is that you get to visit three lakes (Nymph, Dream, Emerald) in the process of the hike. Nymph lake is TINY (we are from Minnesota, so my son commented "I don't think this would even be considered a lake in Minnesota, mom!), Dream lake is pretty, with nice views of the mountains behind it, and you get to hike along a decent stretch of this lake. We also were able to stop and watch some fly fishermen have their try at catching some fish in this lake. Emerald Lake is very pretty, with a beautiful view of mountains beyond it.
The hike itself was hard for me, but I am not in shape at all! I am glad I had my hiking poles along - these are such a help for me! I was proud of myself for finishing the hike, but it wasn't easy - there was a decent amount of elevation gain, and being at about 10,000 feet also made breathing more difficult.We stopped a LOT to let faster hikers go though, and drank plenty of water, which helped. The trek back down was much easier.
We started the hike early enough in the morning that we were able to park at the Bear Lake Trailhead without much of a problem. That being said, the hike itself is not one in which you will be able to do much silent reflection - it was VERY busy!

I’m quite overweight, and very out of shape. By going slowly, I was able to hike the entire trail. I also found that hiking poles helped immensely. There’s a lot of steps.

I started the hike around 4:30 p.m.,and it took me three hours. Once it got to be 6:30 ish or so, the trail really cleared out. There were sections I had all to myself.

Shortly after Nymph Lake, there was a huge bull elk right next to the trail. He was there both times I went through.

The most nerve wracking part of the trail for me was the section between Nymph and Dream, when the trail goes along the side of a cliff.

We did this hike with Bear & Nymph Lake as well as Alberta Falls. If you are in that area of the park - do them all - just go straight to Emerald and go early! The parking lot fills up before 9 am. The hike is not terribly hard - just know you are starting at 9,000 feet. It is well worth your time - it is beautiful along the route and at the lake.

Absolutely amazing! The photos don’t do it justice! You have to see it with your own eyes! We hiked it on June 23, 2020 and there was still some snow on the trail. The hike is easy to moderate at times. But my 3 and 6 year old managed it with several breaks so any healthy adult should be able to make it, too. My main suggestion: go early! After 8am the tailhead parking starts to fill up and you have to take a long bus ride. Also, if you get to Emerald Lake after 10am, it starts to get crowded, even with the COVID-19 reservation system in place. There’s only so many rocks to sit on and enjoy the views. Also, if you get there after noon, the sun angle is not as ideal for photos and you risk getting caught is afternoon storms. Enjoy this amazing beauty!

My family of five got to the Bear lake parking lot at 7:00 on a Monday and we got parking with no problem. Not as many people on the trail which was good. This was our first hike in the park and we definitely got winded easily due to the altitude. Definitely had to go slower and take more breaks. We went by Nymph and Dream Lake’s on the way. The trail starts to get harder after Dream lake. Stairs to gain altitude. We got to Emerald Lake at 8:30. The lake was so clear and with a reflection that you could hardly tell there was a lake there. Just breathtaking. There was a Marmot there so that was neat to see. Really a fantastic hike. Saw people of all ages on the trail. On the way back there was many more people on the trail making it more crowded. We got back to the parking lot around 9:30/10 and there were still a few parking spots. Would definitely recommend this hike but would say to go early.

We loved this trail and hiked it in late October with our three girls (ages 10, 8, and 5). We needed more water but we made it. Along the way a small wedding party passed us and we got to witness their wedding photos at Dream Lake.

Very popular & gorgeous Lake! The hike to Emerald Lake starts at the Bear Lake Trailhead. You should be able to drive to the Bear Lake trailhead if you are there before 8:00 AM during the busy summer months. Otherwise, drive to the Park & Ride and take the shuttle. By mid-afternoon parking should be available again. Bathrooms & Park staff are available at this trailhead.

The hike to Emerald Lake is 1.8 miles. You will 1st pass Nymth Lake, which is shallow then on to Dream Lake. This portion of the hike is mostly “Easy” and is about 1.1 mile. Dream Lake is actually a good destination. A pretty lake with good views & great for pictures. Look for Trout at the upper end of Dream Lake.

The final 0.7 miles after Dream Lake is “Moderate” in difficulty. When you reach Emerald Lake, you have reached the end of the trail. Emerald Lake is absolutely gorgeous! The lake itself has a semi-circle of mountains as the backdrop, with waterfalls spilling into the lake. This is a popular location to stop, enjoy a snack, relax and enjoy the beauty. Bring binoculars to fully appreciate the backdrop.

Not to be forgotten are the plentiful wildflowers & water rapids along the trail from Nymth Lake all the way to Emerald Lake.

Hiked this quick trail and it's worth your time to do it. If you go, here ate some tips:
- park at Bear Lake parking lot or take the shuttle
- hit the trail well before 7 am if you want some relative peace because it gets very crowded.
- if you are up for a longer hike, see Loch lake instead. It's prettier, more secluded, fewer people

As the trip was in early April the trails were covered in snow. As the temperature during the day were warm parts of the trails exposed to the sun were very slick. I would recommend some sort of crampons to aid in traction. The views are amazing, and by going during the weekday before the schools are out there are fewer people on the trail.

This is my favorite trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. The trail takes you past 2 lakes before you arrive at Emerald Lake. My family has hiked this trail 3 times and every time the weather is interesting. We have been rained on, hailed on and snowed on all during the summer! During our last trip in early July, there were huge piles of snow along the trail, which made for some interesting slipping and sliding! This beautiful trail is never dull!

This is the second time I’ve done this. I’m not a hiker and out of shape, but it’s doable. Just took breaks walking to the lake as it’s pretty much all uphill. So worth it in the end. Enjoy taking some time to just relax and enjoy the lake.

The 3 of us hiked to Dream after waking up to snow! We took our time because my sister is a recent foot amputee. She made it! My husband and I have hiked this trail many times and it is a wonderful hike. This day everything was so beautiful! Enjoyed sitting at the lake just enjoying the view.

Picturesque mountain lakes! We did Fairy Lake, and then onto Dream Lake. That was far enough (1.5 miles) for our family of 4. Watch your footing, but not too much elevation/climb.

We hiked the Emerald Lake trail on a Wednesday morning in late June. We arrived at the Bear Lake parking area at about 7:00am, and we're pleased to find that there was still lots of parking. This is a large parking area, but also very popular for hiking. We first did the Emerald Lake trail, which passes Nymph Lake and Dream Lake, ending at Emerald Lake. The hike took us about 2 hours round trip, plus we sat and enjoyed Emerald Lake for about 20 min. We had good hiking shoes, poles, lots of water, and some food; all recommended. This is a beautiful, moderate hike, rising about 600 feet in elevation to a little over 10,000 feet elevation.
Then, when we finished the Emerald Lake trail back at the trailhead and parking area, which also has lots of toilets, we did the Bear Lake loop trail, which is about 1/2 mile and easy; also beautiful.
Then, with still a bit of energy remaining, we did the Alberta Falls trail, which is more diificult than Bear Lake, but easier than Emerald Lake. The trail is excellent, and the falls beautiful. But here too, lots of hikers, even children.
Note: we had heard from some other hikers that the Bear Lake parking was filled by 7:50 am, and other hikers had to park at the Glacier Basin Park and Ride, and take the shuttle.

You won't be lonely on this hike, but it's beautiful. We say five elk go swimming by in one of the lakes on the way to Emerald Lake. I had a whole 3 hours in Rocky Mtn National Park, and was happy to have spent it doing this.

Fairly easy hike. The lake was like a mirror! You couldn’t tell where the mountains stopped and the lake began. Great hike!

Went to Outdoor World, rented spikes and headed out from the trailhead around 1 pm. We were there on a Thurs afternoon and had plenty of parking. This is a relatively easy hike, considering the altitude and snow/ice. As Michiganders, we did have to take breaks going up but coming back down was much easier. I felt bad for those wearing fashion boots and tennis shoes; this is a slippery trail, and the snow is deep off the trail, the higher you go. Do yourself a favor and wear good, winter foot gear. Also, we took water up with us in bottles. It froze before we reached Emerald Lake, so plan a way to keep your water from becoming a solid.

The views going up, especially past Nymph Lake, are spectacular. Perfect trail for first timers to RMNP to get a glimpse of how vast and beautiful the park is inside.

If you are visiting Rocky Mountains then plan for this trail during sunrise or sunset on a clear summer day. The trail is around the lake and you can see the reflection of the pine trees in the lake and look the reflection of the clouds sailing along. There are loads of fish in the lake which add to the beauty of the hike. Wear comfortable shoes and beware of mosquitoes.

Great hike, trail is nice and wide with no real climbing involved though it does go uphill. Although this is an "easy" trail, the altitude will challenge low altitude dwellers. Worth the hike!

This hike was well worth the trip! Don't cut yourself short and stop at Dream Lake, keep going! The trail is easy (however, I strongly suggest getting acclimated to the elevation a day before hiking!). Due to the vastness of the view I couldn't get a good picture encompassing it all on my phone. I recommend sitting, eating a snack, and just taking it all in before you head back.

We went there first thing in the morning. Believe we go to the trail head a little after 7:30 and the parking lot was packed by the time we returned. Since the trail head is at Bear Lake, which is easily accessible, the lot fills up fast. Of course you can park elsewhere and catch a lift on the bus.

TIP: hike to Bierstadt Lake from Bear Lake!!! The gain in elevation isn't as difficult as it is if you use the formal trail head (which is a ton of switch backs!).

Our family really enjoyed this hike, especially when the kids were able to play in snow in the middle of June. Each lake along the path made the trip worthwhile.

We bring all of our visitors to Bear Lake to hike to Dream Lake and then on to Emerald Lake. The hike is mostly uphill and very strenuous but well worth the 3 hour hike there and back to see these amazing works of God.

The Emerald Lake Trail rewards those who make it to the top with views of the magnificent Emerald Lake. The trail can be a bit steep in places so my advice would be to start early in warm weather, bring plenty of water (and perhaps snacks) and wear good hiking or thick soled walking shoes. If you plan on doing the Bear Lake Trail, too, conquer Emerald Lake first, as Bear Lake has much easier terrain. The trail passes the charming Nymph and Dream Lakes and winds through wooded slopes, alive with birds and chipmunks. These sights are a reminder of how we must protect natural wonders such as this for future generations. Let's support our national parks!

We planned to hike, but showed up after the Bear/Emerald Lakes parking lot had filled up, so we had to take a tram in from the visitor center. I think it was about a 30 minute drive in, and we had to stand. Everyone who needed a seat was able to sit.

Once we arrived, it was extremely busy, but the park definitely had anticipated this and there were 8+ vault toilets, water fountains, several volunteer rangers, an info booth, and shaded seated tram waiting area.

This is one of Rocky Mtn Nat’l Park’s most popular hikes, and I can see why. It’s a great location for any level or ability.

If you veer to the right, you literally go 300 ft and you’re at Bear Lake. Beautiful lake with a circumnavigating accessible trail suitable for wheel chairs and strollers. Lots of benches, shade, etc. Great for picnicking and exploring without having to exert.

Looking for more? Veer to the left! The first leg of the trail is the most rigorous because it’s somewhat steep and not a lot of interesting places to stop. But then you get to Nymph Lake!

Lots of young families were stopped at Nymph Lake to picnic and play. A lesser trail also circumnavigates this entire lake. The lake is so picturesque with lily pads and pine trees.

Ready to continue on?

More uphill hiking, but more variety than the path leading to Nymph. Rocks, stairs, streams, log bridges. Absolutely stunning. We rested in deep shade near wild flowers and a stream.

We arrived at Dream Lake and were glad we made it. Serene and majestic.

I turned around at Dream Lake, but my husband kept going to Emerald Lake and he went on about Emerald Lake for the rest of our Colorado trip. His photos definitely indicated that it was beautiful and the water had a blue-green hue.

All-in-all we had a wonderful day. You should check it out!

We walked around Bear Lake and were able to access this trail very easily (there were signs right when you enter the Bear Lake Trailhead to go to this trail). Between the two hikes, this took most of the morning/mid-afternoon.

Unfortunately didn't make it to Emerald Lake, but the other two lakes were well worth the hike. Was about .6 miles from the Bear Lake Trailhead to Nymph Lake, .5 miles from Nymph Lake to Dream Lake and apparently another .4 miles to Emerald Lake (and from this point, you need to factor in hiking back). Beautiful views and well kept trails. Was a little crowded when we went, but we worked around it.

Emerald Lake Trail is the best trail that I have ever taken in all the NPs. You will see beautiful lakes. The trail head is very close to the shuttle bus station. The trail is moderate difficulty. Pack enough water and snack too. Great view of the lakes and other mountains of the park, including Longs Peak.

did this hike Memorial day and it was awesome .there was a bunch of snow tthough between Dream Lake and Emerald lake and slipped three times and landed on my backside so recommend taking hiking sticks .My son though had no problems .

This is a very pretty hike. You get to see three lakes along the way. It is a moderate level hike and isn't too tough.

Emerald Lake Trail is a beautiful hike that takes you through Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lake. The trail is steep but if you pace yourself it is not strenuous at all. It's a popular hiking trail and gets busy. We parked at Park and Ride at Beaver Meadows Park entrance and took the shuttle to the trailhead. The parking lot at Bear Lake Trail was full by 9am

Short but spectacular. The hardest part is the first half-mile up to the first of the lakes. It gets a lot easier after that. Stick with it. I'm out of shape but took my time and was only a little behind the rest of our Scouts group. I was really sorry for my fellow oldsters and fatsters who turned around early. My son took a picture of me with Dream Lake and the mountains in the background, and my wife said it was her favorite pic of me ever. The shuttles were very convenient and frequent.

We had to take a bus at 9 a.m. on a Monday in July to get here. My first thought was, "Are we in Orlando? Because this is definitely starting to feel like Disney."

My original misgivings fortunately turned out to be wrong, as this trail turned out to provide everything for which you come to RMNP -- exciting trails, stunning vistas, cascading waterfalls, and still alpine lakes.

This trail is accessed from the Bear Lake Trailhead. Imagine my wife's surprise when I led the family to the left fork at the split in the trail (right fork led to the flat Bear Lake trail) and immediately began marching uphill.

"Are you lost already," she asked.

"Nope. Just keep walking."

The first part of the trail up to Nymph Lake starts out relatively steep, finally evening out near the lake. This was a huffer for we out-of-shape (and perhaps a bit over our ideal weights) parents, but our skinny 9-year-old and intrepid toddler kept bolting ahead. But by the time we reached the shore, we were all ready for a rest.

The premier feature of Nymph Lake is its lily pads. Other than that, it's not spectacular (well, by RMNP standards. Drop it in Des Moines, and people will come from miles around). Most importantly, its shaded shore provides a fantastic place to rest your weary feet, rehydrate, and refuel. We also used it as a point to decide whether to move further -- and we did, onward, ever upward.

The section of the trail between Nymph and Dream lakes became more breathtaking (literally and figuratively (remember -- Texans)) as we climbed. The vistas were more expansive, and the waterfalls a little higher. Where we stopped often to catch our breath on our hike to Nymph, here we would stop just to take it all in. The view kept getting better and better until we finally reached the shores of Dream lake.

Here, my kids were excited because they found a dirty patch of snow -- in July (remember -- Texans)! I was excited because I felt like I was sitting in THE archetypical image of the American West. The view behind me of the mountain valleys, and the view in front of me of the mountain peak, framed by the trees and reflected upon the surface of the lake.

We took a rest on some boulders on the shore, and just took it all in. I fired off probably 50 frames on my DSLR, but the images will never do justice to what we saw in person. It was simply majestic.

By this point, the altitude was catching up to we flatlanders, and we made the easy decision to head back down instead of powering on to Emerald Lake. The tone was a bit melancholy, knowing that we had to leave behind all that we had seen.

Out and back, total, we traveled about 2 miles. I will say that the trail, especially the first quarter-mile or so, handed us a bit more than we expected. By the end our 4-year-old was basically dragging on our legs, my wife was pretty beaten-down, and I was feeling it that afternoon. In hindsight, I'm a little surprised that our toddler made it as far as she did.

We blew through probably a gallon of water and all of our snacks, but at least we didn't have to pull out our rain ponchos, first aid kits, whistle, waterproof matches, compass, mirror, or emergency blanket.

The trail takes off from a popular trailhead and is populated by many families (and when I say families, I mean you would often see three generations walking alongside each other), but it is still a wilderness path. If you're going up, be prepared as you would be for any other hike in the park.

The one drawback with the trail is that it is one of the most popular -- if not the most popular -- trails in the park, and with that comes the crowds. But there's a reason why it's popular, and it's not just because guidebooks or some goober on the Internet says so. It's because the trail is basically everything you expect from the park wrapped up into an exciting package and tied with a bow.

If you have time for one excursion in the park, and you don't have anything specific in mind (e.g., "I'm going to climb Long's Peak!"), make it this one.

This is what I would call a moderate hike in clear conditions. There are a lot of steps and a bit of elevation change, so it is not an easy hike. However, if you take your time, people of all ages and conditions can make this work. If there is snow/ice on the trail, then this gets a lot more difficult. The payoff is well worth it as Emerald Lake is breathtakingly beautiful.

This trail was certainly a workout for my family's first real trail. But it was beyond beautiful and extremely rewarding. Definitely worth a revisit!

Somewhere it needs to be said that you need a pass to access the Bear Lake road corridor along with a timed entry and RMN park day pass. It is too far to walk without the Bear Lake pass and you cannot use a shuttle. We were not allowed in to do this hike with a timed entry and a day pass for RMNP.

Really fun hike with 12 and 9 year old. Only a few miles, lots of fun places to stop. A few sections up are very steep, so push through those. It will take 1/3 the time
up to get down, so keep that in mind with planning. Kids were in a way better mood in the 15 minutes down :) We took the shuttle so parking was not an issue. No bathrooms once you start hiking. Very busy hike as you’d expect with a short distance and great views but not terrible.

We left our hotel early in the morning and got a parking spot at Bear Lake by 6:45am on a Sunday. We were told that the parking lot usually fills up by 7am and they were right! From the parking lot, we took our kids, ages 8, 11, and 13 on the Emerald Lake Trail. It was a little steep at first so we stopped a few times to catch our breath and drink water. The three lakes are pretty evenly spaced out. The first lake you see, Nymph Lake, is so peaceful and beautiful. The next, Dream Lake, is very clear and we saw several trout swimming in the water. The last stop is Emerald Lake. What a view! We, along with several other people, sat down to have a snack and enjoy the unbelievable view. The reflection is crystal clear!

Some people describe this Trail as easy or fairly easy but I would not call it easy. It was a good workout but well worth it! We used two Camelbak hydration backpacks for this trail and they worked great to keep us hydrated as we went. We will absolutely do this hike again the next time we are in RMNP!

We walked from Bear Lake to Emerald Lake. It was a trail that I could walk without getting bored, with uphill but scenic spots along the way. Preparation is necessary as the temperature rises closer to midday.

I hikes many lakes, this is by far the most gorgeous lake in my book. You have to get to Rocky Mountains National Park, if you go here often, please get the yearly pass. I when there twice, and it cost me $50, only $80 for all National Parks around the country.
Once you got to Bear Lake parking lot, you make a right to Bear lake, it is very close. Then you hike to other 2 lakes before you reach Emerald Lake. It is one of the nice hike I have done so far while I am visiting Colorado. Enjoy

This trail was worth it. It was definitely on the moderate side for me not being used to the altitude at all but the views were great and you pass Dream lake on the way up which I think is even prettier.

Emerald Lake Trail begins at Bear Lake Trailhead in RMNP. The trail is 1.8 miles one way to Emerald Lake. The trail is well marked and consists of some asphalt at the beginning, lots of stairs going up, and some rocks. We went on the trail on July 3 and there was still some snow on the trail. The trail features magnificent mountain views, streams, and water falls to enjoy as you hike. At .5 miles you pass Nymph Lake, .6 miles farther on, you pass beautiful Dream Lake, finally .7 of a mile further on you reach Emerald Lake. I highly recommend you start the trail early in the morning as parking at the trailhead fills up quickly. Parking at the nearby "park and ride" area from which shuttles run to the trailhead also filled up by mid-morning. There were already about 15 cars there when we arrived at 6:15 a.m. The trail is less crowded in the early morning and the morning light on the mountains and lakes is especially beautiful. Be sure to dress in layers as it is quite cold at that elevation especially in the morning. Bring plenty of water to sip along the way, a backpack, and also a snack or lunch to enjoy while you sit and enjoy the view at the lake. My husband and I are 59 and 60 respectively, of average fitness, and we were able to complete the trail with no difficulty although we stopped to rest on the ascending parts of the trail. The round trip including stops at a waterfall, and all 3 lakes, and having a snack, took us about 3 1/2 hours. We saw people of all ages along the trail, but I don't believe I saw any young children at the end of the trail. Older elementary children and above would be able to complete the trail. I highly recommend doing this if you are at RMNP - it is worth the effort!

We were at the Park for half a day and did the perfect hike. I would say that the difficulty was Easy to Intermediate and the roundtrip was 3.6 miles. What was super nice about it was that at approximately every 1/2 mile there was a beautiful lake for us to see. The first was Nymph lake, then Dream lake, and then Emerald lake. And then alongside the lakes were magnificent mountain peaks.

One of the best, if not the most popular, trails in RMNP. It starts at the Bear Lake trailhead and is about 3.6 miles round trip. It encompasses the Nymph, Dream and Emerald lakes which are all not bad (but I think Dream is the best). It is a not that easy of a hike but quite doable with a total incline of about 600 feet. I thought that the stretch between Dream and Emerald lakes was the toughest. We hiked in mid-August in the morning but got crowded as the day wore on. This hike is a must, if you are short on time.

it is definitely worth the hike up the mountain. Gets steep after dream lake. Pace yourself and you will be fine.

My friend and I visited in mid-May and the trails were almost 100% snow covered and also most of the lakes (Emerald, Dream, Nymph) were still pretty frozen. Hiking on snow on these steeply inclined trails was pretty challenging, but it made the trek worth it in the end. Even with how snowy the trails were, there were hundreds of people on these trails which did detract a bit from the overall peacefulness of the experience. We were also concerned there would be no parking since we arrived close to 12:30pm but we were lucky to find one of the last spots. If this was mid-May, I cannot imagine what this park is like in terms of crowds during the peak summer season. I personally would prefer less crowds so I am content with having gone during off-peak in May even if the lakes were still pretty solid, the trails were snow covered and the wildflowers and spring vegetation had not yet bloomed.

Emerald lake is the last stop on a hike that you get to see three different lakes. I would still consider this an easy hike although it is a mile and a half uphill one way. That is probably why there was a few less people than around Bear lake and Alberta falls. The chipmunks are very friendly.

Very scenic and not a scary climb. There are steps for most of the trail and lots of little places where you can stop and take breaks. Since it's pretty popular, it's easy to find/stay on the trail since you can just follow other people. During June, there was still snow in some parts--especially higher up in elevation. Definitely recommend wearing hiking boots.

There is a reason the trail to Emerald Lake is so hugely popular. It is an easy hike with amazingly beautiful scenery. It is called the "biggest bang for the buck" hike for good reason. Rocky Mountain National Park's main appeal are the glacier carved cirques and valleys and lakes and waterfalls. There are many ten mile hikes that will take you to see these amazing types of features. But if you are short on time, you can get to an example of the same rugged mountain scenery by hiking to Emerald Lake. The round trip is 3.6 miles and the total elevation gain is only 605 feet. The high point comes at Emerald Lake where you reach 10,121 feet above sea level. Easy. There is no doubt. This is the quickest and easiest way to get to the glacial beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park. Now for the downside of hiking to Emerald Lake. This is the MOST POPULAR hiking trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. It is crowded. Parking can be a nightmare. It is CROWDED. Shuttles can be a nightmare. IT IS CROWDED! Oh, and by the way, there are a lot of people with the same idea you have. Here's what you need to do to enjoy the hike. Plan, Plan Plan. Try to do the hike off peak times. Monday through Thursday you will encounter fewer locals and have to contend mainly with vacation travelers. No matter which day you choose, be at Bear Lake Parking or the Park and Ride Shuttle parking by sun up. Don't take a Motor home up there. There is no RV parking. Park the RV at the Park and Ride Lot. Shuttles start really early in the morning. Don't worry about the time of day. It will be worth it. Trust me. Pack breakfast or snacks and warm refreshments. The lake is a beautiful place for relaxing in the early morning light and having a bite to eat. Pack layers of clothing. It will be cool to start, but it will warm up. If you can't make an early start, do it late. Plan on having dinner at the lake, watching the sunset and walking out in the dark. Take layers of clothes and headlamps. That's the plan. Go early or go late. Parking won't be a problem and there won't be masses of people on the trail. If you have to make a casual start be prepared for a world of grief. The parking at Glacier Gorge fills by 6:30 AM because of the climbers. Bear Lake Parking fills by 7:45 AM Friday through Sunday. Maybe 8:30 AM or earlier Monday through Thursday. The Park and Ride Shuttle Lot fills by 9:30 AM Friday through Sunday. When the shuttle lot fills, the Bear Lake Corridor Road will be closed down in Moraine Park to all uphill traffic. The closure usually lasts from 9:30 AM until 3:00 PM. The road is closed because there is no parking available in the corridor and the cars backed up trying to get into the Bear Lake Parking lot will stretch back down the hill for a couple of miles. If you can get to the Park and Ride lot, it will probably take a hour to an hour and a half to get to Bear Lake on a shuttle. Does this all sound awful? Well, it is awful. Go early, go late. Go casual and you will spend 6 hours trying to do something that usually only takes 2. So that is 4 hours of sitting in your car waiting for parking and standing in lines waiting for a 15 minute shuttle ride. Last words of advice.......plan, plan, plan, go early, go late. Cheers

We and most other hikers used snowshoes and poles to get up to Dream Lake. It's a bit of a slog to get started, but you hit Nymph Lake fairly quickly and then the trail is just beautiful. A number of shortcuts and new trails had been cut in the snow by experienced locals, so be mindful of landmarks and check-in with others on the trail of you get confused. Dream Lake is FREEZING and windy, so be prepared to add extra layers you might not use the rest of the way up.

Our family loved this hike. It takes you past three very different looking lakes and ends at an absolutely beautiful view of the snow capped mountains. It will be busy and parking at Bear Lake is bad, so you may have to take the Park and Ride shuttle to get to the trail-head.

We enjoyed the hike to Emerald Lake. Starting at the Bear Lake trailhead, you'll go to Nymph lake(Lilly Pads), Dream and then Emerald. Approaching Emerald Lake we saw four elk right next to the trail graving on some grass. We heard later than they got up and swam across Emerald Lake. Lots of people on these trails. Parking fills up fast so if you want to go get there before 9:30. If you get there and they don't let you to the Park and Ride go to the Mondaine campground and get on the shuttle to the park and ride where you will need to get off and get on the Park and Ride. Make sure and use the bathroom at the Trail Head before starting the hike as there are none on the trails.

Emerald Lake is beautiful, and the hike up there is pretty easy. It will be crowded on the trail and at the lake, but is easy once you are at the lake to get away from the crowds by crawling over rocks to the left or right. It is so pretty- I highly recommend it.

Moderate hike with three different lakes, rushing water and spectacular views of the mountains. There was snow on the trail even in late June but was not an issue. Got to the Bearlake Trailhead at around 5am and on the way back (around 8) the trail was already getting crowded so I recommend an early start. Saw lots of elk! Great hike!

This hike has to be the best day hike in RMNP. It's challenging but not too bad, and has 3 amazing mountain lakes. The final lake at trails end (Emerald Lake) is quite amazing. If you're looking to do a day hike in RMNP, do this one. I did the hike in early June, and there was still a fair amount of snow on the trail in some spots, but not enough to where you need snow shoes or anything.

First off, parking in the Bear Lake parking lot seems to fill up fast, so if you don't get here early, you'll be parking at the shuttle stop and taking the bus here. We hiked this during an early June Wednesday and were surprised to find how much snow was still on the ground. As beautiful as the scenery is, I would not suggest going past Dream Lake if it's snowy/icy. The terrain past Dream Lake is where the going gets much steeper and getting to Emerald Lake was easier than leaving. I witnessed quite a few people falling and slipping/sliding on the way back. If you don't have good hiking shoes (I saw plenty of flip flops), then it's not worth the risk. If you do make it to Emerald Lake, the scenery up there is beautiful. Definitely a good moderate hike that I think most people of all fitness levels are able to complete in RMNP.

Although we never made it to emerald lake, because it got too dark, the lakes we saw on the way were wonderful(Nymph and Dream lake). because of the Fall rut, we had an opportunity for a close(and scary) encounter with elk bull and about 6 cows, right on the boardwalk of Dream lake. It was fairly dark and so I managed only few photos but with good light and patience, you could do an amazing photoshoot of wildlife there. As we were heading back down, the sunset behind the peaks looked great and I hope to come back again.

We hiked the trail on June 29th. We picked up the free hikers shuttle from Beaver Meadows parking lot and rode it to Bear Lake (with a change in buses at the parknride).
We started on the trailhead to Emerald Lake at Bear Lake. The trail is steeper at the beginning but isn't a continual uphill climb. There are some terrific views and boulders to climb along the way to break up the hike to Emerald Lake.
The first lake you come to is Nymph Lake. It is a smaller lake with lilypads and very scenic.
The second lake is Dream Lake which is much larger than Nymph, and in my opinion my favorite. It wasn't as windy and we were able to enjoy it more. The lake is so clear we watched the trout swimming by... and the views of the mountains around is just beautiful. We had a lot of snow still on the ground and over the trail, which proved to be tricky if your a klutz like me. I didn't fall!
Emerald Lake is beautiful with the rocky mountains as the backdrop. The day we went it was very windy and so we reached the end of the hike but didn't want to linger because it was so cold with the wind blowing over the snow.
I would definitely recommend this hike. I

The trail is pretty easy. It starts out great and ends awesome. There are three lakes with beautiful views. In early June there is still snow at the top so made it a little tricky because it was slippery. People were skidding around and saw a few people fall. But if you watch your step you will be fine. I had never been to Rockies so this was such a blessing to see. It was eye candy. I didn't want to leave. I would look at a view and then take a picture and the picture just did not do justice to the scene. I would go back over and over again. Without the snow this trip would be an easy one for almost all ages. I know the toddlers might get cranky and there are no bathrooms on trail so you have to remember that with children.

Can definitely understand why it is one of the more popular hikes at RMNP. It is short enough you don't get tired yet long enough to take in the views. It can definitely get crowded but you don't notice. There are multiple parking lots which fill up quickly - if you get there early or late, you may be lucky and find a parking spot right next to the trail head.

Bring your walking shoes! It’s about a 3 mile hike to get to this lake, UPHILL. But the views you’ll see on the way and at the destination are well worth it. If you’re not used to the altitude, you will be stopping frequently to catch your breath.

You start from the parking lot at Bear Lake. On the way to Emerald Lake you pass Nympf Lake and Dream Lake. The path is not difficult, there are a lot of stairs, but it goes steadily uphill the whole time.

We visited the park today and the walk from Dream Lake to Emerald Lake is almost completely snow covered. You can’t see the track and it’s very icy and slippery in parts. We had snow chains for our shoes and they’re essential if you want to hike to Emerald. The lake is still frozen at the moment and it’s beautiful to see. It’s worth the effort. The walk from the trailhead to Emerald and back took about 3hrs with lots of stops. We started at 7am and are glad we did as by the time we were heading back a lot of people were only starting their walk and it was getting very busy. It was nice to see the lakes without a lot of people around. It was very peaceful.

I have never seen such incredible nature. The trail takes you to several lakes, and each one has a stunning view...Every picture you take could just be a postcard, so stunning. That trail all the way to emerald lake is not that hard (I am not a sporty guy). You go as high as 3km, so the air is thin, but it is worth the walk. Be early at the parking place (7 in the morning) for a parking spot.

This hike, rated easy for Rocky Mountain National Park, wasn't so easy for a non-hiker not used to the altitude, but boy was it worth it. Nymph, Emerald and especially Dream lakes were gorgeous. The whole trail took us about 3 hours, with lots of stops to rest and take pictures and a longer break at the top.

Hi,
This trail is not easy. It took almost 1.5 hour for us to get till the dream lake, as we are taking lot of pictures.
We came down hill in 15 minutes.
We been to only till dream lake, the view of the dream lake is awesome.

Great for the whole family with pay offs frequently along the way! Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, a little waterfall, Emerald lake, easy log crossings. There is a bit of up and down, so the altitude can take the wind out of your lungs if you are not used to it, just go slowly. Pack a lunch for the Emerald Lake, bring more water than you think you need because it so dry out there! If you are trying to do this hike in summer or busy weekends, get there early for parking or plan to arrive later like 2-3pm or take a shuttle. Parking late October on a Wed. was no issue at all. Trails can get icy in October, so bring a stick or yak tracks unless weather is super warm like 50-60's.

My friends and I did this hike after having completed a half marathon, and it was a great hike. It was fairly easy and short but still provided great views around us. Emerald Lake is incredibly picturesque and is a nice spot to sit and have lunch. Getting to the trail head in the summer can be tricky with all the crowds, so you may have to take a shuttle up to this hike.

Awesome trail. In early June, there was still a pretty good amount of snow at higher elevations so definitely need hiking shoes and poles would have been helpful. 1.7 miles out and then back. See nymph lake, then dream lake and finally emerald lake on this hike. Each is unique and beautiful. Many waterfall areas as well. Steep grade at times.

Absolutely loved this hike, it was gorgeous. My boyfriend and I never did any hiking before and this trail was recommended to us so we checked it out and were grateful for the suggestion! We arrived around 730/8am and took the shuttle (the sign on the road said the trailhead parking was full, turns out there were tons of spots, the shuttle driver said they havnt changed the sign in weeks) no line for the shuttle just hopped right on. The trail was not over crowded on the way up but it definitely was wildly busy on our way back down. Everyone was polite so it wasn't a problem. The hike itself is a pretty steady incline with intermittent steep areas, being not so avid hikers we took many breaks but it was so beautiful out we didnt mind. Definitely bring plenty of water and snacks. Took us approximately 2-2.5 hrs and we sat down do eat on a rock for about 20 minutes. Highly recommend just arrive early!

We went in July, on a Thursday early in the morning. How early? We were at the park and ride by 7:30am.

There are a lot of trails in RMNP and I was looking for one that would be challenging but easy enough for my boys ages 6 and 9. They both play sports and are pretty athletic, but we are also coming from Florida so I was wary of the elevation. I was looking at the Lake Hiyaha trail, because of less crowds, but just decided to get an early start for Emerald Lake and we would make the most of it.

This whole trail was unbelievable. It's not just the lakes, but all the views on your way. Sitting at the base of Emerald lake as the cool glacier wind blows through, it is unforgettable. We brought snacks and packed a lunch that we ate while we were out. The trail is fairly uphill and the breaks were nice for us flatlanders. The only time my 6 year-old complained was a 1/4 mile from the end on the way back. I think the breaks helped him though as I saw a few other families with young kids who didn't seem very happy. Dream lake is a great place to stop and turn around if you get tired. The hike from Dream up to Emerald was not particularly long, but a lot of steps. A lot.

Was it a bit crowded, sure. Would I miss on this place because a few other people are enjoying it, never. The early start not only helped with a bit of the crowds, but clouds were building and we were able to get out in plenty of time. It took us from 7:30am- until about 12:30pm to do the full loop. I never thought it would take is 5 hours, but from parking the car and the shuttle to taking our time to enjoy what was around us, this 3.6 mile hike took a lot longer than I expected. And I was soooo happy.

It took us just under three hours to hike to emerald lake and back with my husband and I and our 14 month old daughter. We made several stops along the way to admire the views, lakes, and several elk that we saw. The trail was beautifully maintained and though it was a constant incline, it was very manageable. We arrived at the shuttle lot at about 8:30, and it was almost full at that point. The shuttle experience was very smooth and although it was crowded at the trailhead at 9 it thinned out as we got up the path. By the time we were coming down around 11 it was much more busy, although everyone was very courteous. I would absolutely recommend this hike to anyone- even families with small children.

There were hundreds of people hiking here! Very popular hiking spot with many trails to choose from. Nimph, Dream, and Emerald Lakes trails were pretty easy, but when you are at a higher altitude, they are a bit more challenging. We are both 60, and were winded going uphill. We felt like 90 at times. The lakes and mountain views were lovely. Don't worry, no way you can get lost!!!

Highly recommend.

One of the best hikes in RMNP! So pretty, lots of natural sights to enjoy along the way, little waterfalls, wildflowers, chipmunks, babbling brooks, small ponds, lily pads, stepping stones, meadows, unique lakes, boulders, All ages and fitness abilities can take their time and enjoy this hike, with lots of opportunities for pictures.

You can't go wrong with any of the trails in the Rocky Mountain National Park but this was one of the best. I hiked up from one of the lower parking lots since the top one was full but I enjoyed the hike and really enjoyed the lake. I need to go back.

Loved this hike. 3 beautiful lakes. The altitude and elevation gain make going up a little difficult but well worth it. Coming down is much easier. Definitely recommend this hike.

Emerald lake is at the end of the trail that passes a few other lakes. This lake is gorgeous and has a bunch of massive rocks/boulders surrounding it great for picture spots as well as sitting on to enjoy the view or even a quick picnic lunch! We even saw chipmunks along the trail leading there as well as near the lake. Definitely worth it!

This is a MUST!!
The 4 lakes are absolutely breathtaking!
See pictures below.

If the rangers recommend spikes… get them!! We did not heed their advice and wished we had. We slipped and sloshed our way up the trail. Very grateful we had boots!

What a beautiful hike with stunning views at the summit!

I don't consider this trail a true "hike." It was really more of a walk. The trail was in excellent condition and had a very shallow grade. Guests start at the Bear Lake trailhead and follow signs to Emerald Lake. You'll pass two other lakes on the way to Emerald, including Dream Lake (arguably prettier and with better views than Emerald!). Don't be alarmed with the friendliness of the squirrels and chipmunks in the area; I'm sure they're used to people feeding them so they will come right up to you!

Note that you will most likely have to park in an overflow lot (signage along the road indicates where this is) and take a shuttle to the trailhead. This is one of the most popular areas in the park, so if you want to avoid crowds, this trail isn't for you.

Great hike if you have limited time!

This hike wasn’t amazing- by far our favorite of the trip! Each lake gets more impressive- Nymph, dream and the grand finale emerald. We hiked with our 8 year old and she could make it to the end. The last lake requires the most work and most didn’t seem to venture all the way there but it was for sure worth it!!!!

Recently did multiple hikes with 4 and 8 year old kids. This day, we did Bear Lake, Nymph, Dream and Emerald. Dream was definitely our favorite. The hike itself was awesome with a 600 foot climb up. But, with no benches or hardly anywhere to stand and the bitter wind up at Emerald, it wasn't our favorite final destination. Glad we saw it though! And we saw our first pikas while up there.

This is the most beautiful mountain hike we have done in a long time. Three lakes within an hour hike to the top. Great views for great pictures. Plenty of small children able to hike up this. Even if you’re not in shape take your time up and it will be worth it!
As for people consider you’re on a relatively easy trail with easy access inside a national park and awesome scenery = lots of people...pick a harder hike if you’d like to have sights more to yourself.
Enjoy!

Our family absolutely loves this hike!!! Nymph, Dream & Emerald Lakes are all on this gorgeous hike! This is a well traveled trail and is sometimes difficult to find parking at the bear lake parking area. Especially during the summer months, I recommend parking at the shuttle parking area and catching a bus ride to the start. This is a must-do hike if in RMNP. There are some steeper areas, but VERY doable for those with average fitness.

This is a fantastic spot to sit and relax on some lake side rocks. It was June and we got a bit chilly, so prepare for the weather.

Remember the journey is the goal...you'll see and experience so many breathtaking sights along the way that it's almost anticlimatic by time you reach your destination. We began our hiking in the park with this trail and it was an awesome intro.

Family friendly but scenery is not disappointing at all. Could be crowded, so just start early. Parking space is also limited, try use shuttle services during holiday seasons.
Personally like Dream Lake the best, the trees along the lake shore reflecting onto the lake is phenomenal

Very easy and quick trail to hike. There are several other trails to choose from that are next to this trail. Lots of trails with lakes around them. Pack some water and have good hiking shoes. Can get busy, recommend going during the week.

Ran short on time at RMNP and chose this hike- excellent choice. Saw three different looking lakes up the Emerald Lake Trail, starting at Nymph Lake, then Dream Lake, and ending at the most majestic- Emerald Lake itself. We got there close to sunset and it was stunning. Passed deer and chipmunks in the wild. Spectacular views! Parking lot is small but since it was late in the day (around 6pm) we found parking without a problem.

We hiked from Bear Lake to Dream Lake in the rain in late October 2016, then came back a couple of days later in bright sunshine to extend as far as Emerald Lake. Whatever the weather, this is an outstanding walk with astonishing views throughout.

The climb is steady but fairly gentle and achievable by the moderately fit. The path is excellent throughout but can be slippy in the rain so proper walking boots are thoroughly recommended - we passed walkers in trainers who were struggling.

It's worth taking the short diversion to Bear Lake at the start. The trail then climbs steadily to soon reach beautiful Nymph Lake, before becoming steeper on the climb to Dream Lake. Dream is aptly named if you get to see it in the right light, and particularly from the far end. Extending to Emerald involves an extra 1.2 miles there and back; to our eyes this was not as pretty as Nymph or Dream, but I have seen some wonderful photos in different light/when the snow arrives.

I started at the bear lake trailhead and went all the way to emerald lake. Check if there is snow on the trail before you go. I rented boots and micro spikes which were essential in May. Hiking poles also recommended. There are some hills to go up and down but the trail is fairly easy up to emerald. The path to emerald is much more steep and difficult.

Gorgeous hike in winter! We went Dec 28, a Thursday, and the parking lot at the trailhead was nearly empty when we got there at 9am, though it was packed when we left around 1pm. Go earlier and on a weekday if possible to avoid the crowds - we encountered few other hikers on the way to the lake but passed hordes on the way back. VERY windy on the lakes; bring balaclavas and maybe even ski goggles if you can. We went a day after it snowed and it was about 3-4 feet deep, but the trail was well-packed and easy to see except for a short windblown stretch just before Emerald that would be difficult to cross without some sort of traction. Microspikes or snowshoes are a big help, but you can get by without them. We rented our microspikes at Estes Park Mountain Shop, which has a board that shows the current conditions on the trail and what traction device would be best, or you can call the park and ask for trail conditions. Stunning views, and a fairly easy hike with some steeper stretches that an older child/preteen could probably do.

My mom and I visited Colorado on our annual mother/daughter trip. We decided to do the Emerald Lake hike on our first day based on its proximity to Estes Park, its difficulty rating, and my mom’s desire to see lakes.

We did three hikes while in Colorado (and of course I wrote reviews for those too), but this was our hands-down, absolute favorite. It turns out, that this trail takes you past Nymph Lake and Dream Lake on your way to Emerald Lake which we didn’t expect. We have beautiful photos of the scenery, of each other, and the occasional chipmunk. And it felt like every time we turned around there was something else that awed us. This was the hike that, if we return to Estes Park, I would definitely do again.

Getting there: After reading online that the Bear Lake Trailhead (which is where Emerald Lake Trail starts) is very popular and the parking lot is often full even by early morning, we decided to take the shuttle from Estes Park. We were thankful to have done so for two reasons: at 9am, the parking lot was indeed full and also because we lost cell service halfway to the parking lot and wouldn’t have been able to use our phones to navigate.

Fitness: As a Floridians, the thin air took some getting used to as both my mom and I found the first quarter mile of the hike to be the hardest despite it not being terribly steep at the start. We realized that we’re clearly more accustomed to humidity and flat ground than we realized. There were children no more than seven years old and adults far older than my mother (who is in her fifties) hiking the same trail and doing perfectly fine! Most of the trail is paved so there isn’t a ton of rugged terrain and the most difficult part of the hike is just as you approach Emerald Lake itself (which is a good thing because that means the path back is mostly downhill).

What to bring: Water! Snacks. Sunscreen. A camera because OMG the photos [Insert heart eyes here]!

Happy hiking!

A relatively easy hike, rewarded at every turn with glorious views. Many reviewers have said the same - a busy trail, a must do nonetheless. Absolutely agree. We hiked in mid afternoon when fewer people. Glorious every step of the way. And a hike I would do again and again with every return trip to the Park.

For tourists, this is the perfect Colorado hike. Even the drive to get to the parking site is great. Once at the parking site, there is a bus that takes you up to the trailhead and Bear Lake (same spot).There is a long line for the bus that took about 30 min. Once at the trailhead, there are about 8 permanent porta-potties and a ranger station. We took the Emerald Lake trail which hit every Colorado cliché: lakes (more than one), wildflowers, bridges, rocks, elk, mountain vistas, fly fishermen, water lilies, dragonflies, tall grass fields, pines, enough people to not feel lost, and a nice hike. We are 35-40 yr old Wisconsinites that occasionally bike, so our fitness level isn't super high. It took about 3-4 hours to and from Emerald Lake. We stopped for pics and a small snack at Nymph lake with dragonflies buzzing around us. It was magical. Be sure to bring a light jacket for the Emerald Lake area, as it is was 10-20 degrees colder than the start of our hike. Also, we had a 3 L. water pack that still had water in it at the end.

We had heard that this was a trail that was a top 10. It did not disappoint. While the first third is uphill it is not a steep climb. You pass Two beautiful lakes before you get to Emerald. It is 1.8 Miles to a breathtaking mountain lake. We hiked with two 6 year olds who did great. Lots of terain to explore.

The Emerald Lake Trail is a moderate to easy trail at the Rocky Mountain National Park. This trail has amazing views of Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake. Make sure you bring water as it will feel like a very long hike. It is not too strenous for any normal bodied adult/child. There were even some grandparents who were on the trail with us.

We went on June 13, 2019. After passing Bear Lake, Nymph Lake and Dream Lake we had a lot of snow on the path. We hiked early, starting around 7:30 A.M. and had no problem going up. There were not a lot of people on the trail coming down at that time so we could go up easily. After arriving at the mostly frozen Emerald Lake which was beautiful, we watched mountain climbers to our right. Going back down was more of a challenge as the snow was melting and it became very slick. Also, there was a stream of people coming up and we had to wait a lot to continue down. Once we got back to Dream Lake, other than the people, the path was fine, just a little muddy in spots. I would suggest going early, first to get parking and second, not to encounter a lot of people so when you get to Emerald Lake, you have a good spot to sit and just enjoy. Bring a snack but watch out for the small "Least Chipmunks" as they will go into your backpacks and climb on you to get any food. One even was tugging on the pull to the backpack to try get in. This hike has beautiful scenery all the way. The other lakes are beautiful too - especially Dream Lake.

Definitely a more strenuous hike and fairly busy however well worth it as there are multiple lakes on the way up with incredible views.

We got to the entrance of rocky mountain park at about 11 am on a Thursday. The ranger said that the parking lot was full and therefore we could not drive to the trailhead. We parked really far and took a shuttle to the park and ride. There we took a bus to the bear lake station, which is rhe trailhead for emerald lake. (Ps there was plenty of parking here). For future reference, if you want to avoid this problem that we had, get to the park at either 8am or after 2pm.

See the photo of the statistics that i posted. The trail to emerald lake is 1.8 miles total (3.6 roundtrip). On this trail, you pass 2 other lakes, Nymph Lake at 0.5 miles and Dream Lake at 1.1 miles. Both are great stops for pictures. The first section of the trail is on concrete and the rest is rocks and dirt.

I would say the overall trail was moderate but the difficult part is definitely the altitude. I found myself breathing heavy quickly. I had seen a sign that said about 50% of people will experience altitude sickness so just be aware of this. drink plenty of water.

Beautiful hike overall. The trail was crowded but not to an annoying degree. Most kids dont go the whole length unless they are older. Weather can change unexpectedly so be prepared for that.

This trail was full of people when we hiked in July, but it was so beautiful! Not a tough hike at all. There is a bit of climbing, but nothing too steep or strenuous if you are used to hiking. We took the shuttle from Estes Park and then another shuttle out to Bear Lake, which saved us the hassle of parking in the Bear Lake lot.

What a beautiful trail!!! Highly recommend it. We got there about 12:00 and parked at the park and ride. A shuttle was there so we hoped right on. It only took about 15 minutes to get to the Bear Lake trailhead. It was pretty packed when we got there. There were two restroom buildings at the trail head and a Ranger’s Station that sold water, sunscreen, etc. The trail to Nymph Lake was a little strenuous. It was mostly uphill. Nothing treacherous, just steep uphill trails. The trail is a bit crowded since it’s a popular trail. Trail would be suitable for all ages. About a half mile in you reach Nymph Lake which was my favorite! It is adorned in beautiful lily pads and it’s flat around the lake, so there are plenty of places to find a spot to sit and take a break and soak in the views. Beware of little chipmunks everywhere. They tried to crawl into my hiking bag! From there it’s more uphill trails and some flat parts to reach Dream Lake. It is really dreamy and has some beautiful views of huge rock mountains. It also has some nice places to rest and social distance from others. The trail continues on around the lake. From there to Emerald Lake wasn’t too bad. It had some uphill parts and also some flat parts. The views and scenery were amazing. At Emerald Lake, it is really rocky. There aren’t as many places to social distance and enjoy the view. Be prepared for a crowded area of people and also chipmunks. I was constantly shooing them away. The views at Emerald Lake are beautiful. Definitely worth the 1.8 mile trek up! Going down was wayyy easier and faster since it was all down hill. We hiked with our 11 year old son and he loved it. If we got tired, we’d take a quick break and rest. I’d highly recommend this trail for any one of any age. There are no big drop offs or rock climbs. The trail is very nice. At times it is rocky, but easily manageable. There are no bathrooms along the trail, but you can go off the trail a bit if nature calls. Back at the trail head, it was very crowded. We had to wait 15-20 minutes to catch a shuttle. They have a nice covered seating area with benches. If you go, bring plenty of water and a poncho/rain coat. It rains quite a bit. It got pretty dark and thundered quite a bit on our way down. It started raining with small hail mixed in. We were glad to have packed some ponchos. If you want to see beautiful views of RMNP, wild flowers and THREE beautiful lakes, this is the perfect hike. 3.6 miles round trip. It took us around 6 hours total, but we took a lot of breaks and once we got back to Dream Lake , we took the trail up to Lake Haiyaya. It was very very steep at first, but then leveled out for a really nice hike. The lake was a little bit of a disappointment though. It’s surrounded by huge boulders so it made viewing and seeing difficult. If you still have some energy on your way down from Emerald Lake, check out the ~ 1 mile trek to Lake Haiyaya. It’s a bit more strenuous but once it levels out, it was one of our favorite parts of the hike.

Start early to beat the crowd. From the entrance of trial heads to two trails bear lake trail and emerald lake trail. I went to Dream lake and return back. Stunning views of the lake with mountain back drop mesmerize us for some time. Hike was bit steep at some points. Its must visit place in the rocky's

This is one of my favorite short/easy hikes in RMNP. Nymph, Dream and Emerald lakes are all along this path and all beautiful. Trail is moderately uphill at times but otherwise fairly level.

I went with my non hiking family and they all were able to do it and enjoy it. We got to the trailhead at 6am and there was plenty of parking. When we got back it was full. Definitely worth it to get out the door early and do it before the crowds. It is one scenic photo after the next. So beautiful. Do not go to Rocky Mountain National Park and miss it.

Get up early and go with the sunrise then go back to Estes Park for breakfast.

We were able to see all 4 lakes while walking in this area. Nymph lake was my favorite. Emerald lake was very windy and we did not stay there long.

We started at the park and ride and took the shuttle to the bear lake trailhead. The trail is very easy to follow and there is beautiful scenery.

Leave early – the Beaver Lake parking lots fill up early – or plan to take a shuttle bus from Estes Park. We lucked out and found a spot but if you can’t leave early, good chance of finding parking if you go after 2, when most have finished hiking. Anyway, parked at Beaver Lake, waited in line, then shuttled to hiking trail that starts at Beaver Lake and continued to see two more lakes (Dream and Emerald)– didn’t make it to last lake (Lake Haiyha)– altitude makes the hiking much harder. Spectacular views of rushing streams and waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, wind-carved evergreens.Picnicked at Bear Lake, watching a female elk wading in the water nearby. Beautiful, but tiny and delicate wildflowers blooming in the tundra. Bring water and sunscreen!

The hike to Emerald Lake via Nymph lake and Dream lake is one of our favorite hikes. It is a super popular trail so quite crowded, but a lot of fun!

Timed entry was not a problem. I sat in front of a computer at 5 pm the day before and managed to get one. Trail can be hard. Altitude is a thing. If you are able, it is worth it. Emerald lke was the last stop. It is beautiful, more than Dream Lake which is beautiful too.

We went with a group of families. The 4 year old boys hiked all the way to dream lake and called it quits, but the rest of the group made it all the way to emerald. There are so many things to see on this trail, the river, the canyon, waterfalls, snow etc. We had a snowball fight just before we got to dream lake and then contonued on. It kept the kids intersted with all the different things to see. In the summer the trail is mega packed, but woth it. It does however go up the whole way to emereld so it can be a hard trek for little ones or those not in shape. Bring plenty of water!

Hiked all the way to Emerald, not that far on a map, but the elevation gain gives you a new perspective- the little waterfall you can see from Bear Lake, you will be standing beside in a hour or so- very beautiful..

This is a moderate trail well worth the hike. The hike to Emerald Lake can be a bit of a challenge when there is snow on the trail, but just added to the adventure for our family from Fl. We spotted beaver in the lake working around the ice. It's a great place to have lunch before starting back down the trail. Get there early - the trail can be crowded and parking is limited. There is parking lower down and a shuttle bus to take you to the start of the trail.

I went on this hike by myself, but encountered a good number of people on the trail. That being said, there are opportunities to step off the trail and see some great views, with nobody else around.

The three lakes on this trail, Nymph, then Dream, then Emerald, each have their own character, and are all extremely beautiful. On the day I went it was mid-June, and warm, but almost half of the trail was covered in snow. If I had known that I would have invested in some trekking poles and worn boots.

If you are not used to the altitude (like me) it may be helpful to try and acclimatize for a day or so before going up this and other fairly high hikes (over 10k feet).

You cannot beat the views on this trail. Pictures don't do them justice. I would not miss this if you go to RMNP.

This was my favorite hiking experience of Estes Park. We walked through to Nymph Lake, Emerald Lake, and Dream Lake -- all incredible and it was amazing how different the scenery was at each one. I can't recommend this hike enough. Even though it was cold, there was lots of sun and the frozen pieces were especially beautiful. The difficulty was enough to keep it interesting but not challenging - very accessible. The chipmunks on this trail run RIGHT up to you and want to eat whatever you have. If you stop for more than a minute or two you'll see them around your feet and bag! Don't be fooled by the full parking lot - it wasn't too crowded on the trail (there's lots of pathways) and it was amazing! A must-do.

This is a really good hike. It is a good distance, plenty of uphill parts, and there are a lot of good places where you can stop along the way to take a quick break. Emerald Lake is a great place to stop and have lunch or breakfast also.

And yes, it is almost always going to be crowded. I was there on a Friday morning in August, and by mid morning it was pretty crowded. Not too crowded, but there were quite a few people there. The parking lot was full before 7:30 a.m., but I took the 15 minute shuttle ride and that was easy to do.

I tried going back on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m., and they had closed the trail head to any more visitors, that's how full it was there. The park rangers said to try coming back in a half hour, but considering how many people were just starting to enter the park for the 2-4 p.m. window, I would think it was going to be quite a while before more people actually were allowed in to the trail head.

Just get there early, and you will enjoy it.

Beginning at Bear Lake, the trail to Emerald Lake passes Nymph Lake with many water lilies, Dream Lake with water so clear that you can see the fish, before it reaches beautiful Emerald Lake at the base of Hallet's Peak, one of the most photographed peaks in CO. It is 1.8 miles one way, steadily up, gaining 605 feet, but the trail is well maintained by the NPS.

The hike to Dream and Emerald Lakes in the Bear Lake area is stunning -- not too hard, but begins around 9500 feet and climbs to 10,115. We also hiked in the Wild Basin area which starts at a lower elevation, but the Emerald Lake hike was our favorite for its beauty.

TIP for people who live in lower elevations: plan your hikes such that your first day is a hike that begins at a lower elevation, such as the Ouzel Falls hike in the Wild Basis area. Consider the hike's length and elevation gain, but pay close attention to the starting elevation for the hike. Build up your elevation to help with altitude issues.

We went on a beautiful 5.8 mile hike starting from Bear Lake Trailhead. Bear Lake itself is an easy half mile loop, but if you don't have time the best views are from the entrance. From there, the hike up to Emerald Lake is a gradual uphill. You pass two other lakes on the way, the first of which is underwhelming, but Dream Lake in the middle is worth the climb! Emerald Lake itself is not particularly pretty, but is a nice example of an alpine lake and a good turning around point. You'll make your way back down almost to the starting point (3.6 miles out and back), from where you can turn off towards Alberta Falls. Here you'll pass through a different ecosystem of aspens, a sloping downhill section 0.4 miles long. The turnoff for Alberta Falls takes another 0.5 miles but is absolutely picturesque. To finish off the hike, you can walk to the Glacier Gorge Trailhead and take the free shuttle back to the starting point (this avoids some backtracking and results in less uphill segments).

The hike to Emerald Lake begins at the Bear Lake Trailhead, located at the end of Bear Lake Road. The trail starts at 9400 ft elevation and can end at 11,000. Don't let this bother you as the 3.45 mile hike doesn't have a severe climb.

The views and terrain are good and you'll follow the river and creeks almost the entire trek as well as starting at Bear Lake, then making a steady climb up to Nymph Lake, finally reaching Emerald.

The trail is well-maintained and during the summer, you'll pass lots of hikers. Plan on going early in the morning.

We added RMNP to an existing itinerary, at the last minute. We were told by most rangers as well as a Bear Lake guidebook that this hike was easy.

Let me clarify this for readers. When we went on June 12th, there was a significant amount of snow north of Nymph Lake, so the hike north of there to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake was muddy and slippery.

No park rangers are there to assist if you have injuries, or at least we saw none.

There were several areas where you can slip, and one big one. We saw numerous people having to just scoot down on their bottoms.

I tried it myself without scooting and wiped out falling into a pit of cold mud. Luckily, damaged pride and possibly ruined sneakers, but no broken bones.

One park ranger had told us it was icy and that she recommended micro spike shoes or going down on your butt, but we had no idea how to get those items and we're already in the park. We also couldn't really fathom it. We had hiked Bear Lake the day before and it was mild without snow anywhere....

But I would not recommend this for anyone who could hurt themselves from a fall, such as elderly or women with osteoporosis.

I would also not recommend for kids under 6 or morbidly obese.

If you are out of shape or overweight, understand this whole thing is uphill and you will need many breaks. You go uphill from the parking lot to Nymph Lake, then uphill from there to Dream Lake and then more uphill to Emerald Lake.

It took our family, including 2 grade school children, with very out of shape adults, about 1 hour and 40 minutes from the Bear Lake parking lot to Emerald Lake. Roughly an hour down...including the hardest part to navigate where I fell. This time includes catching breath and photo breaks.

If you can make it up, Emerald Lake was insane...like something from an otherworldly science fiction movie. The water was filled with greenish ice shards and wasy favorite of the 3 lakes.

This 3.1 mile hike felt like a personal feat to me because it was my first hike carrying my 2 year old on my back. We did it at an easy pace and he was even able to walk some one his own. He was in awe as we passed over snow to reach various lakes even in mid July!! My husband and I did the Lake Haiyaha trail in addition to the Emerald Lake trail the day before and I highly recommend doing that trail if you are up for a bit more difficult climb. The views are incredible and we got to stick our feet in the boulder surrounded glacier lake. Insider tip: go early!!! You always read this in travel tips but it’s a must when hiking with small kids. The park gets packed and you might have to wait in long lines and even not have parking at some trail spots. Bring food! Water isn’t as important because we just filled in the falls along the way. It’s cold early even in the summer so make sure to layer, that being said remember whatever you wear you will have to carry. Look for small paths along the way and listen for water for some lesser seen spots along the trail.

Went to Colorado in Feb hoping to ski and so some serious hiking. This trail did not disappoint. Doing the trai was one of the most exhilirating and scary experiences. The day before doing the trail we called the park ranger and asked about the conditions of the trail given that it was mid February. The park ranger said it hadn't snowed lately and that although there was snow on the ground that we didn't really need snow boots as a good pair of hiking shoes would suffice. As a result my boyfriend and I decided not to rent any snow shows and prepared a small bag-pack with water, small snacks and sandwiches. That day we wore some underarmore underneath our jeans, wore long sleeves, our jackets, a pair of cheap knit gloves each, scarves, and our winter hats. We left our hotel early and drove for a couple of hours to reach the start of the trail. At the beginning of the trail we saw a very small park ranger office, we went in and asked for a map, informing them that we wanted to do the emerald trail. That's when the park ranger looked at us and told us that we weren't prepared as snow was packed and slippery not to mention that they were expecting some snow in a couple of hours and that if we were beginner hikers that they didn't recommend we do it. We were extremely disappointed and a bit stubborn. At the time in the morning the weather was nice with the sun was out and shinning brightly...so we decided why not. We took the map they gave us and started hiking. We quickly realized that it was extremely hard to follow the trail as the posts were hidden underneath the snow so we decided to follow a couple that was also hiking it, or so it appeared. We ended up managing find a trail in the snow, not very defined but apparent enough that it had been threaded by people. The map that was given to us was for the most part useless given that we couldn't see the posts but it at the very least told us the general direction. For the better half of the trail, the scenery was beautiful as the sun was out and the snow on the trail was packed BUT NOT too slippery for our hiking boots. We really enjoyed this part of the trail as it takes you through the woods and up the mountain to beautiful cliff scenes. And then, it started to snow...it started slow but the temperature dropped quickly. At this point we kept following the couple ahead of us as we feared we would get lost on our own. Slowly the snow got stronger, but we kept going, thinking we would reach emerald lake. But as we reached the lake before emerald, we realized how poorly prepared we had been for this in term of what we were wearing as we were getting cold, and our glasses we freezing making it hard to see. At one point we got lost, and couldn't find our way as the snow was coming down fast obstructing our view and there was no one in sight. We managed to see a group of people emerge out of nowhere and we asked if we could tag along. We realized then that it was family of 5 people that had hired an expert hiker from the area that knew it well enough that he didn't need the posts. That's when we realized how close we had been to being lost without realizing it. By trailing behind the group we made it to emerald, the family had snow boots so they moved much faster than we did but some of the family members were of older age which slowed them down and allowed us to catch up to them. When we made it to emerald lake we saw the vast lake frozen and covered in snow, and even in that weather it was a beautiful sight. It was as if you saw nature at it's harshest yet untainted and untamed. Definitely, recommend this trail but please take certain precautions...dress appropriately, know your way around, and go in a big group. I can only imagine how much more radiant and full of life it must be in summer. I hope that I make it back as it stole my heart :)

On our trip to Colorado, this was our highlight. We visited Denver and CS (Pikes Peak and Garden of Gods), but Rocky Mountain National Park takes the cake. This was exactly what we were looking for, an escape from the city. The close up views of the wildlife, hiking, and incredible snow capped mountains are second to none. The trails were manageable but challenging (wet packed snow for the most part). We will definately make a trip back to this specific trail.

I was in Denver for business and so close to Rocky mountains National Park I had to see a glimp of that. Rent a car, drive for 2 hours and spend a beautiful day walking the Emerald lake trial. It's really worth while!

This is a beautiful hike if you are prepared for it. We rented cleats that easily slide onto our hiking poles from Outdoor World in Estes Park (Dave helped us and he was great!). I don’t believe you can safely do this hike without poles and cleats. Also dress properly. I couldn’t believe how many people were just wearing sneakers, lightweight jackets, no gloves and no hats. Sunglasses were also helpful
That being said. This hike is beautiful. Inclines were gradual and not strenuous. Just watch for the ice I’d rate this hike moderate. When we got to the trailhead at 830 is was almost empty. By the time we left the parking lot was full. Great hike. A must do just be prepared

This trail is worth doing but it does climb almost constantly, however the views, nature and wildlife you see are worth it. We stopped at nymph and dream lakes on the way and each has its own unique views and atmosphere. We were here mid July and were worried it might be very busy but we had lots of space to ourselves and we were told the number of visitors was much lower than had been anticipated which suited us to be honest.

This is a great hike but too many people! It does offer great views of three different lakes (Nymph, Dream and Emerald) and it's not too strenuous but there are better hikes near by.

Visited this Trail during our stay in RMNP. Nice Trail. Most popular trail in RMNP. Parking is tight, and may be full on busy days, so arrive early (before 9:00 am). can access other trails as well from this spot. We hiked Emerald Lake Trail ( 3.5 miles total), ate lunch in the parking lot, then Alpine Falls Trail (1.7 miles total) Tip: pack your lunch as there is no food choices at this location,

It was still snow covered in May but the views are stunning. dress in layers and wear snow boots and you should be fine. Totally worth it

a must do while you are in the rockies ! great hikes and stunning views . go for it. Easy acces and parking lot

I have done this hike over a dozen times, both in the summer and winter. The views never disappoint! There are great viewpoints for amazing pictures of Longs Peak, keyboard of the winds, 4 mountain lakes and many streams. I have also seen marmots, elk, and ptarmigan on this hike. This is such a great hike for people who don't hike a lot or aren't wanting an all day hike, but want to see a lot of beautiful scenery.

We did this hike on our first day at the park. The trail is easy and well traveled, despite the elevation gain. Along the way you get to see two bonus lakes that are also pretty.

Be advised that the entire hike is uphill with lots of stairs. But it's all downhill on the way back. We were able to get onsite parking, no need for shuttle bus with a late afternoon arrival

This is kind of a three-part review as we hiked all three lakes from the Bear Lake trailhead. In order we hiked to Nymph Lake, Dream Lake and finally Emerald Lake. We arrived in the parking lot sometime around five 5:15 AM surprisingly there already 5 to 10 cars there.

Emerald Lake takes 1.8 miles to get to depending on your hiking abilities and how many photographs you take, will determine on how long it takes you to get to the end. I would estimate 2 to 3 hours.

After leaving Dream Lake this scenery as it was before was incredible. You’ll find more waterfalls and hidden little hidden gems along the way of this .8 of a mile hike.

As with most of this hike it was straight up so if you’re not in the best of shape or have breathing difficulties. bring lots of water in pace yourself

The day we decided to go which was today a storm moved in with driving rain and wind we had to hide behind the rock for five or 10 minutes but that it passed and it was quite beautiful to photograph. So be aware of the weather as it can change on a dime

The nice thing is since you made it this far and you have to go back it’s all mainly down the hill and it goes quite quick.

You will be asked by many people along the way how much farther try to remember is you go it’s always nice to give encouragement

This trail is an uphill adventure right from the trailhead, but the views make the journey worthwhile. At every turn something spectacular appears ahead of you and you need to stop, view and photograph. Take your time, the trail will be crowded.

To get to the trail, use the park services transportation and leave your car at their park and ride lot. Makes gettng here so much easier and you'll not have to search for a parking spot at the trailhead.

Bring crampons and or hiking poles, this will assist you greatly.

My wife is forever searching for the perfect effort:view ratio — the best view with a hike that's good, but not painfully strenuous. This fits the bill perfectly. The climb is simple and straightforward, and the views, especially of Long's Peak (I think) are unbelievable. We went in the winter, when winds were gusting above 70 mph, so we stopped at Dream Lake (signs to Emerald were buried under fresh snowfall), but that was incredible all by itself. You can do the whole thing in an afternoon. Only drawback was that this is a VERY popular trail, so expect it to be inundated with other hikers.

We had wanted to hike to Sky Pond but because the weather was less than ideal, decided on Emerald Lake since it wouldn't require any climbing on wet and dangerous rocks. We got to the park early (7:30am) and were able to park right at the Bear Lake Trailhead as opposed to the park and ride. The hike is a total of 3.6 miles (nps.gov) and is not SUPER difficult but there are a few steep inclines that'll make your heart beat faster (at least mine did). The views on the way up are amazing, and the trail itself is really fun and unique and nothing like I've seen in Shenandoah, VA. There are bridges, rock paths, other cool, squiggly ways and so much to see. You also pass by Bear and Dream Lake. The day we went, it was snowing and drizzling the entire time, but it made the whole experience ethereal and kind of magical. On a Thursday, there were other occasional hikers, but when you've passed them or they've passed you, it's completely quiet. Emerald Lake itself is breathtaking. Even through the mist and fog, you could see the rocks surrounding it and the green water. I can't imagine what it's like on a clear day!

This 3.6 mile (5.8k) roundtrip hike from the Bear Lake Trailhead is an excellent moderate hike starting at 9,500 feet (2,896m) and climbs fairly steadily to 10,105 feet (3,080m), passing three beautiful lakes, in order, Nymph, Dream and Emerald with a few small cascades along the way and many views of mountains and a couple of good overlooks of valleys where one can see for miles. Dream Lake is the most beautiful lake of the three lake and many people decide to shorted the hike by 1.4 miles (2.3k) and avoid the last 180 feet (55m) of elevation gain but if it is within your capabilities, I would definitely recommend going the full distance.

This is a very popular trail and parking at the Bear Lake Trailhead fills quickly. If you want to park at the trailhead and avoid the worst of the crowds, arrive early, by 7am or so, midweek if possible. However, if this is not possible do not miss your opportunity to hike this excellent trail; simply park at the remote lot and take the efficient shuttle bus system to the trailhead.

We enjoyed this hike to 3 lakes on the same trail. The trail is all uphill, but not that difficult. We did the hike in the evening, so the glare from the sun reflecting off of the lakes cut down on the amount of color from the water of the lakes, but not so much that you didn't appreciate their beauty. In hindsight, I would recommend doing this hike in the early morning as to get a good parking space and not fight the sun. Each of the lakes is different and each is beautiful in its own way, so we took time to enjoy each one. We saw elk on the trail and a multitude of chipmunks entertained my daughters (10 & 8) on the trail and at Emerald Lake. This trail does get quite crowded, so another reason to start early in the morning if you can.

I am in my mid-50's and 125lbs overweight and I made the trek to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake in 2 hours. Had to stop 31 times to catch my breath but on flat sections I made good time. Beautiful views and very friendly people providing encouragement along the way. Made the trip down in 1 1/2 with 5 stops and couple photo opportunities. You won't be disappointed. Walking stick, hydration bottle and bug spray is helpful.

My group and I arrived at the Bear Lake parking lot at 8:15 in the morning, and the lot was already full. We ended up taking a shuttle from the park and ride, but be warned that you must get to the Bear Lake parking lot very early if you expect to get a spot there.

Once we got to the trailhead, it took us 3.6 miles round trip to see Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake. Nymph Lake is small with minimal mountain views, but the lilly pads are a very unique sight to see. Dream Lake was actually our favorite lake because it had the same view as Emerald Lake, but the view was more of a panorama rather than so close up. The hike to Emerald Lake is almost entirely uphill, and it will give you a decent workout. The hike is moderately strenuous, so take your time to get acclimated to the elevation and to take pictures. You will especially enjoy the hike going back to the trailhead, as it is downhill the majority of the way.

We happened to come here after a cold front hit with snow and ice. The previous day was 90 degrees!! I can’t say I saw anything nice because it was so foggy but I still enjoyed the hike. Of course it was more difficult in the snow and ice but it was doable with poles. Loved seeing the Stellar’s Jay and the Black billed magpies. We were surprised how crowded the trail was...we arrived around 10am and people were still arriving at 1pm...parking lot was packed even with the weather. The other couple we were with found the trail too strenuous and went around bear trail lake instead. Five stars if I could’ve seen the pond.

This was a stunning hike. Beautiful views along the way, including 2 other lakes (Nymph and Dream). The trail is mostly uphill (including areas with stairs) and parts are a bit steep. Coming back is easier since it’s downhill. Take your time and bring plenty of water. I would suggest bringing snacks, as well. I found this hike to be of moderate difficulty as someone not in great shape and from sea level. We had a couple days to acclimate, which I would recommend. The effort was 100% worth it.

Beautiful scenery. A lot of uphill but not too bad and well worth the effort. In the middle of September the crowds were not bad but I could see this trail being overrun with too many people at peak season.

3.5 mile roundtrip hike from Bear Lake TH to Emerald Lake. There are many lakes within the Bear Lake TH and this one is worth a stop. Family friendly. Bring water, snacks and sunscreen.

We enjoyed our hike to Emerald Lake. It had snowed overnight, but we were fine hiking it in just our hiking boots. The altitude really hit me with this hike, and I noticed I had to take many breaks to catch my breath- besides that it was a fairly moderate hike. Well marked, which I appreciated!

We hiked this trail with our kids (ages 11,10,8, &5), and we all had a great time! This hike is about 3.8 miles total (there and back again), and you hike up the mountain on the way there, and down it on the way back. On this trail you will pass Nymph Lake and Dream Lake, and you end up at Emerald Lake. All three lakes were unique and beautiful, and the views were stunning throughout the hike. The path is clearly marked and easy to follow. You access this path at the Bear Lake parking lot within Rocky Mountain National Park - and this lot is nearest to the Estes Park, CO park entrance. We arrived at 7:30 AM, and already had to park at the Park and Ride and take a shuttle to the trailhead. We only waited a few minutes for the shuttle, though, so it wasn’t inconvenient at all. Overall, a gorgeous hike!

This was a moderate hike and you do climb a lot.There are 3 lakes to pass on this trail. Each lake is different from the others so its worth the hike all the way to Emerald Lake. The views are great as you hike up the trail. We did this hike with 5 children 8 and under. They all made it without much complaining. Bring plenty of water and you'll be fine. We packed some snacks and had a little picnic, once we got up to Emerald Lake. The kids loved it. One the way up we passed plenty of snow that hadn't melted yet. The kids had a ball sliding down the snow when they could. I even went down with them. A great hike for the family.

This is a beautiful hike, especially considering it is relatively short (compared to other hikes in the Park) at only 3.6 miles round trip. But there is a lot of scenery packed into those miles. The guides list this as an easy hike but I would consider it more on the moderate side, when you think of Bear Lake and Lily Lake as easy hikes. The Emerald Lake hike is not difficult but it does gain 600 feet in elevation, and we did see people quit the hike due to the climbing required, especially between Dream and Emerald Lake. But, the effort is worth it on this hike. The hike begins at Bear Lake. The first 0.5 miles is a straight uphill a climb to Nymph lake on an partially paved trail. Nymph lake is a small lake surrounded by forest and with average Mountain View’s. The climb from Nymph to Dream lake is not as steep as the other sections of the hike and includes some beautiful vistas along the way. Dream Lake is more dramatic than Nymph Lake but less so than Emerald Lake. The section from Dream Lake to Emerald Lake is a climb and probably the most intense part of the hike but the view at Emerald Lake is spectacular. It was fun listening to all of the adjectives that were used to describe the lake as people arrived: Majestic, amazing, stunning, etc. The biggest negative about this hike are all of the other people doing it as well. Even when we started it at 7:00 am, there were a lot of people on the trail and by the time we started down at 8:30, it was ridiculous crowds. I even said it reminded me of Disney World.

This has been a favorite every time I visit RMNP since my childhood! I took my husband and kids (ages 16/13/11/9) for the first time this summer and this was a standout to everyone. We parked at the Park and Ride. Hike is strenuous enough to feel like you are working without being too much. Lots of snow on the ground this trip to hike on so bring a walking stick if you need a little more stability. Kids thought the snow was so cool, and loved all the beautiful lakes on the hike. Emerald Lake is stunning...the perfect crystal clear mountain lake. Dream Lake is a spot on the way and could be your destination too if you wanted. It is also magical. But Emerald Lake is worth it to keep going!! Beautiful vistas along the hike too. Best hike in the park in my opinion...not to be missed.

Gorgeous lake and a pretty easy hike. We were here in late May and had great weather, chilly at times but sun at the top. Take the hike!

I hiked this trail in early June of 2018, so there was a fair bit of snow on the trail from Dream Lake onward. The hike is a pretty consistent uphill, so we did take quick stops to catch our breath (we had our 9 and 11-year-olds with us). Passing by Nymph Lake and Dream Lake, the views are breathtaking. We stopped at Dream Lake for a quick snack and sat along the lake and watched the trout swim. This is a gorgeous hike to take your time on and really soak in the beauty all around. Tips: Start early if there on a summer weekend, like by 7:00 a.m. or you may not get a parking spot at the Bear Lake Trailhead and have to wait for a shuttle ride. It's also a very popular trail so if you're looking for solitude, you may not find it here. Also, the snow is VERY slippery, so consider spikes if you plan to head through much of it and would like to remain upright.

Beautiful hike. Rated as moderate and most reasonably fit individuals should be able to hike it without much difficulty. Starts at the Bear Lake Trailhead and includes Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake and Emerald lake. This is arguably the most popular hike in RMNP and can get quite busy which takes away some from the experience and is why I didn't give it the highest rating . Begin shortly after sunrise to avoid the crowds. The Bear Lake Trailhead still had plenty of parking spots at 730am on a Thursday morning in early September but was full by 7am on the Friday morning of Labor Day weekend even with entrance restrictions in place. Very easy to park in the Park and Ride and take the 15 min shuttle back and forth which runs every 10 minutes.

The climb required some breaks, as we adjusted to the elevation but so worth it. I could have stayed all day taking in the beauty of God's creation. In the summer I would suggest a sunrise start. The parking lot fills early and the cool temps made for a wonderful hike.

This trail was pretty arduous. I think our fitbits logged 80-ish floors of elevation. The lake was very nice although there were some annoying people there hogging the entire lakefront for some nature photoshoot they were doing with an iphone and a selfie stick. Shrug.

We prefer Mirror Lake in Portland but this was easily the best that we saw near Estes Park.

Bonus points for reservation system, held down the crowds a bit. Pretty ample parking at the trailhead.

Great hike and highly recommend. Did it with 3 younger kids ages 10,8 and 5 and all made it with no issues. Only downside is the amount of people that were at the lake at the end of the hike. We went on a Monday morning in august and it was very crowded so can’t imagine what a peak summer weekend would be like

Stunning views. Hiking hits 3 other lakes on your way up to emerald lake. You will see bear lake, nymph lake, dream lake, then finally arrive to emerald lake. More enjoyable in the morning, less crowds. Water was gorgeous!

This hike passes two lakes on the way to Emerald Lake, along with several other beautiful views. We parked at the Bear Lake parking area at 7:15am as the lot was filling up. We took snacks and sat next to the lake at the top and watched climbers and the mountain snows melting.

A must for any Rocky Mountain National Park trip, a moderate hike past stunning vistas takes you to the majestic view by the lake. Go in the morning!

This hike is a good starter hike but somewhat strenuous hike. The views are amazing and it is a pretty hike you pick this up at Bear Lake.

The Emerald lake trail is a spectacular hike. There are stopping spots along the way, and the trail has lots of shade.

It can get pretty crowded. We had to take the park and ride because the parking lot filled up. That was at 9:30 on a Monday. But that was better than the previous day, where we couldn’t get in at all.

We hiked around Bear Lake first the did this one including 2 other lakes on the way up. The view from Dream Lake was the best of Hallet Peak. The trail climbs about 600ft and is a there and back trail 3.2 miles for this and 0.5 around Bear Lake. Do both as hardly any ascent on Bear Lake and the views are beautiful. The autumn colours were starting and were beautiful. We also hiked across to Alberta Falls then back to the nearest Glacier Gorge trailhead not returning to the Bear Lake bus stop. We did not go any further than the falls as the 3 attractions were enough for us for the day.Although after catching the bus back we drove up in the car to Sprague Lake and walked around it. Different views again. We are in our late 60s so younger folk would probably be able to do the same itinerary with no difficulty and perhaps more.

This was the last part of our family's hike from Bear Lake to Emerald Lake. Great views. Come early. We got to Emerald lake by 10am and it wasn't too crowded going there. On the way back we past hundreds of people, almost like a line waiting to get into a concert.

The Emerald Lake Trail is fantastic! I highly recommend it if you are visiting Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP). First of all, you get out of your car and get up close and personal with nature - a good thing in such a beautiful, unspoiled natural environment. Second, this keeps things interesting enough you never get bored with it. You hike past 4 different lakes. The first is right next to the parking lot. Roundtrip, I think it is about 3.8 miles; it took me 2 hours 40 minutes, but I stop and took a lot of pictures along the way. Yes, there's a good deal of uphill, but once you get past the initial push between Bear and Nymph Lakes (the first 2), the scenery is enough to keep your mind off how tired you are. Each of the lakes is different and special in its own way. Bear Lake is easily accessible and the first lake you see. Nymph Lake has water lilies. Dream Lake is simply beautiful (my favorite) and Emerald Lake is right up there with a perfect mountain backdrop (the emerald waters are nice too). If you want to shake things up a bit, right before you get to Dream Lake, you can turn off this path and go to Lake Haiyaha, which I did on my most recent trip. It made my hike longer, but was very enjoyable. Hiking may not be for everyone, but if you decide its for you, I highly recommend this trail. It's beautiful with spectacular views and beautiful lakes. I saw lots of kids hiking this trail, so bring the family! The only negative thing I can say about it is that it can be hard to get to. My first time on the trail, I got there early, around 7:15 or 7:30. On my most recent trip, I arrived around 8:30, by which time the parking lot was full, so I had to park several miles away and take the shuttle there and back, which added a good 45 minutes or so to our timeline (probably more). So get there early, and bring water. It may have a lot of uphill (800ft elevation gain), but you won't be sorry. This truly is a great way to experience RMNP, even better than driving the Trail Ridge Road.

Beautiful lake hike, definitely recommend going all the way to Emerald if you're able because it is the most scenic. Dream Lake is also very pretty. I struggled with the elevation the whole week we spent in Colorado and the first uphill climb on the trail was a bit difficult due to that (we passed plenty of other people resting as well!). I would say this first section to Nymph lake was the toughest, and everything after was much easier. The trail was packed with snow after Dream Lake, but we did fine with just hiking boots (no spikes). You just have to be careful and take your time going up/down the snowbanks. We started around 9:30 or so and it wasn't too crowded but started to get busy on our descent. This is definitely a must do in the park and there's good reason why this trail is so popular.

Picture 9 a.m. weekday morning in October with rain and 40 degrees. Well, that didn't discourage the 400-500 people that we saw on the Emerald Lake Trail. Despite the crowd (not nearly as bad as in the summer according to the rangers), the trail was fine. Not great views due to the low cloud cover. After 3 hours hiking, we arrived back to a packed parking lot. Believe the guidebook when it says to start with headlamps pre-dawn. The shuttle would be a good idea as well given the parking crunch.

Emerald Lake is the last of three lakes you encounter on a pretty challenging 1.8 mile hike from the Bear Lake trailhead. It’s steeply uphill and there were some snow drifts and muddy areas on the trail well into June when I visited. The first lake is full of Lilly pads. The is a long lake with mountain backdrop and Emerald Lake is a circular lake with huge mountains enclosing it on three sides. It’s stunning, especially as water cascades down the mountains into the Lake. This trail was the most crowded one I hiked at RMNP. With all the trail options at Bear Lake, I’d hike it first before the crowds come.

The trail that took us past three lakes - Nymph, Dream, and Emerald - was our first hike. It was a gradual incline and perfect for our Midwestern lungs. Beautiful views and a great introduction to the park.

It's a difficult trek to the top (with a 5 month old on your back), but there are incremental incentives to keep you going. Each lake along the way offers a different exciting view of the Mountain, and when you get to the end of the trail, you'll want nothing more to sit back, relax, and take in the scenery.

We drove up to RMNP for the day from Denver, and this was a great warm-up trail. We got to the Bear Lake trailhead by 7am to ensure parking (heads up, parking lots fill up quick in the AM!), and we were done with this hike around 8 or so.

Not difficult at all( apart from getting out of breath easily due to altitude), and the payoff is incredible views.

Along the way you stop by several other really nice lakes, and if you’re early enough you might run into some wildlife too.

After this, we only managed to do the Lake Haiyaha trail and hike all the way back as it started to rain down on us by 10-11am. If we had more time and ideal weather, we would have liked to do more trails.

Tips for those considering RMNP for a day trip:

1) Rent a car! Or carpool
2) Start EARLY. For us, that meant hitting the road around 4:30-5am from Denver. This will ensure that you get parking and you’re able to do the hikes you want to do before the afternoon thunderstorms roll in. Plus, not sure if this is always the case, but when we arrived we didn’t have to pay admission!
3) Bring a rain jacket or poncho. You never know when the rain will come.

Wear layers and bring lots of water. Emerald lake is a nice spot to picnic, but beware of the chipmunks, they will literally crawl right up your leg!

The Nymph/Dream/Emerald Lakes trail is gorgeous. In the summer, get to the Bear Lake parking lot by 8:00 a.m., or the Park and Ride lot by 10:00. The parking and the trail have a lot of people. If you arrive later, take the hiker shuttle from the Beaver visitor center or from Estes Park. Lots of hassle and time... still worth it!

The trail from Bear Lake does go up hill from the off but it's never over taxing in its steepness. We went in late June and there was plenty of snow around particularly above Dream Lake and that was the toughest bit.

There were a few people about who seemed to be getting agitated about how far it was. The walk took over an hour in total but boy, it's worth it. Allow time and have a positive mindset!

I'd love to know where the people who rated this "average" have been hiking because this is about as good as it gets. All the lakes were beautiful with a bit of ice left, mid-May. Get to the trailhead early (or late) to avoid the peak crowds. Parking is a pain here so take the shuddle, if peak season.

Emerald Lake is 1.8 mi/2.9 km from the Bear Lake trailhead. The short hike is a bit steep - rising 605 ft/184 m in elevation. On the way to Emerald Lake, you pass by Nymph and Dream Lakes.

We visited the lake around 10am on a Friday in September, and it was fairly crowded. This lake is popular with families as the trail is one of the easier ones in the park. We're avid hikers, and it took us 1 hour 20 min one-way, stopping at the 2 lakes along the way. Of the 3 lakes, Emerald Lake has the best view of Hallett Peak as it is the closest. However, it's not as scenic as the lakes we hiked to later on that day - Lake Haiyaha, Mills Lake, Lake of Glass and Sky Pond. The trail was not crowded, and we were lucky enough to see chipmunk and marmot.

We started our day around 6:30am at park entrance. On our way to Emerald lake trail, we saw beautiful maintain light up and elk in the middle of road. We stopped at bear lake first. Then we passed Nymph lake, Dream Lake and finally reached Emerald lake. With elevation gain, make it a little difficult going up, but it is manageable. We loved bear lake and dream lake the most. I agree dream lake is the best at sunrise, as many people mentioned.

We spent a few days hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, and this was the best we encountered. The trail begins at Bear Lake and proceeds mostly at a moderate climb to Nymph Lake, then Dream Lake then Emerald Lake. Although it's not an easy trail by any means, we did see a lot of older and novice hikers taking it on, so any healthy individual should be able to complete the round trip even if you have to take a lot of rest stops. The scenery is well worth the effort, especially around Emerald Lake. As you trek along Dream Lake, look for cutthroat trout swimming along the shallow shoreline. The total distance is about 3 1/2 miles roundtrip, so I'd commit a half day to this adventure so you can take your time and enjoy the beauty. Bring lots of water!

As for parking, do yourself a favor and just park at the Park and Ride. The busses are frequent and parking in a closer and smaller lot is almost impossible unless you get there really early.