Hike Profiles for Rocky Mountain
National Park and Surrounding Areas
www.thespiritoftherockies.net
Distance: 1.8 miles one-way

Lake elevation: 10,080 feet

Trailhead elevation: 9,475 feet

Net elevation gain: 605 feet

Bear Lake Trailhead

Rocky Mountain National Park
Emerald Lake is in the valley

between Hallett Peak and

Flattop Mountain. Because this

hike is a short distance and

begins at Bear Lake, it is very

popular in all seasons.
Flattop Mountain and Emerald Lake
Major Trail Landmarks
Bear Lake (Adjacent to the Bear Lake parking lot)
Nymph Lake (0.5 miles one-way from trailhead)
Junction of Emerald Lake and Lake Haiyaha Trails (1.1 miles one-way from trailhead)
Dream Lake (1.1 miles one-way from trailhead)
Principal Destinations Near Emerald Lake
Lake Haiyaha (2.1 miles one-way from trailhead) - via Lake Haiyaha Trail
Backcountry Campsites Near Emerald Lake
There are no designated backcountry campsites in this area
Bear Lake is a popular area on the east side of the Continental Divide. From the Beaver Meadows
Entrance Station on U.S. Highway 36, head west about 0.2 miles and turn south on Bear Lake Road
(toward Moraine Park). Follow Bear Lake Road a little over 9 miles to the large parking area where Bear
Lake Road ends. Bear Lake is just west of the parking lot. The Emerald Lake trail begins southeast of the
lake; the Flattop Mountain trail begins on the east side of the lake. BEAR LAKE ROAD IS UNDER
 CONSTRUCTION AND VEHICLE RESTRICTIONS APPLY. Click here for more information.

To reach Emerald Lake from Bear Lake, follow the Emerald Lake Trail past Nymph Lake to Dream
Lake. At Dream, bypass the trail to Lake Haiyaha, and continue along the north shore of Dream Lake
to Emerald Lake. Emerald is about 0.7 mile beyond the east end of Dream.
Sample photographs of the hike to Emerald Lake
Longs Peak from the Emerald Lake Trail
Flattop Mountain from near Dream Lake
South side of Flattop Mountain
Hallett Peak from Emerald Lake
Emerald Lake topographic map
Principal summer trail marked by solid red line; unmaintained trail or route marked by dashed red line
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All photographs are property of Mike Amfahr and are protected by copyright laws.
Topographic map is property of and copyrighted by Maps a la carte, Inc., and is used on this site with permission.