Ptarmigan Lake via Bear Lake Trailhead
Estes Park, Colorado
Details
Distance
11.33 miles
Elevation Gain
3850 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Description
Added by Jason Hatfield
Ptarmigan Lake is a tough hike to a seldom visited off-trail lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.
The hike to Ptarmigan Lake has plenty of elevation gain for mountain lovers and views for miles from the Continental Divide. If you want to reach this spot for sunrise you'll need a very early start in the morning, but that also means you won't have to use the shuttle system to Bear Lake. The last half mile of the hike is off-trail so make sure to watch your step and practice Leave No Trace Principles. If you're lucky you might also encounter a herd of elk foraging for summer greens on Flat Top Mountain.
From the Bear Lake parking area head right on the Bear Lake Trail loop to a fork in .25 miles. Take this steep connector trail up Flat Top Mountain Trail and stay left at a junction with Fern Lake Trail at mile 1. Follow the trail all the way to the top and stay straight at the junctions after mile 4. After 5 miles in you should be able to see the lake 700' below you and can carefully choose your own path down. From the outlet of the Ptarmigan Lake, you can see numerous photogenic tarns and the North Inlet.
Download the Outbound mobile app
Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.
Get the appFeatures
Reviews
Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
Nearby
Photograph Bear Lake
Hike from Bear Lake to Fern Lake Trailhead
Winter Hike Flattop Mountain
Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak
Snowshoe to Emerald Lake
Hike Flattop Hallett Andrews Loop
Community
© 2023 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy