Nymph, Dream, Emerald, and Haiyaha Lakes

From the Bear Lake Trailhead, the path to Nymph Lake is a moderate paved trail. At the lake there are several places to sit and take in the scenery. This is also where you'll find the most people. From here, continue up the trail towards Dream Lake. On the way, the trail forks. The left will take you to Lake Haiyaha, but head to the right, which will take you to Dream Lake. The views here are amazing, and the lake is full of trout.

From Dream Lake, continue on to Emerald Lake. Rocky Mountain National Park is home to five active glaciers, one of which is Tyndall Glacier. Located in the saddle of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain, this dominates the views from Emerald Lake. This is a great place to stop for a quick snack.

From Emerald Lake, retrace your steps back down to the Lake Haiyaha and Dream Lake junction and follow the trail to the right towards Lake Haiyaha. This moderate trail switchbacks trough a dense pine forest and offers some amazing views of the Glacier Basin area. Continue straight where the trail splits (taking the trail to the left will take you to Mills Lake and The Loch). The majority of this trail is very well maintained and easy to navigate, but the last 150 feet will take some negotiating. The trail ends at a small pond on the left hand side, but continue to walk through the large rocks on the right toward an old twisted pine tree. Once you reach Lake Haiyaha, you'll see Chaos Canyon lies between Otis Peak (on the left) and Hallett Peak (to the right).

To get to the final lake, head back towards Dream Lake and continue towards the parking area. Bear Lake could be a good place to start the hike, but most of the crowds in the area head there first so it's smart to make it your last stop. The Bear Lake Loop is a relaxing lakeside trail with awesome views.

TIMED ENTRY

To manage crowding and protect natural resources, Rocky Mountain National Park requires timed entry reservations during peak season (typically from late May through mid-October). Reservations are required daily from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for most areas of the park, with two options: “Park Access + Bear Lake Road” and “Park Access (excluding Bear Lake Road).” You’ll also need a park entrance pass (such as a 1-day, 7-day, or Interagency Annual Pass) in addition to your timed entry reservation. For current dates, details, and to reserve your spot, visit the NPS timed entry page or go directly to Recreation.gov to book.