Larimer County, Colorado

Odessa Lake seems to be one of the true hidden gems of Rocky Mountain National Park. Don't get me wrong, you will likely see some folks there, but it is a far cry from the other crowded Bear Lake trailhead lakes. There are two ways to reach Odessa; one, from the Bear Lake Trailhead, and the oth...

Boulder Field is a high alpine backcountry site on Longs Peak, and is a popular camp for backpackers attempting to summit Longs Peak via the Keyhole route. At an impressive elevation of 12,760 feet, Boulder Field is a vast wasteland of rocks that sits 500 feet below the famous Keyhole feature, an...

This adventure began at the Longs Peak trailhead in southeastern Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. I followed the Longs Peak trail for 6 miles to the Boulderfield backcountry camping area. This is a fairly steep on-trail climb of 3,360 feet. After setting up camp at 12,760 feet, my partner...

Start at the Glacier Gorge trailhead on Bear Lake Road. Parking is limited so it is advised to get there very early. It's a longer hike so plan on taking a full day to complete or stay overnight to enjoy more of the scenery. Within the first mile on the Glacier Gorge Trail you will pass by Alber...

Start hiking at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead down the bear lake road in rocky mountain national park. The trailhead is very popular so it can be difficult to find a parking place at times. From Glacier Gorge, follow the obvious trail and signs towards mills lake. In the summer the trail will go p...

Begin at the popular Glacier Gorge trailhead along Bear Lake Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. Arrive VERY early for parking as the lot typically fills by 7:30 am. For the best photography options - choose to either backpack into the Glacier Gorge campsite (reservations must be made early in ...

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...

Park at Bear Lake, and follow the signs north of the lake to Odessa Lake. However, do NOT go all the way to Odessa Lake; after about 3 miles, when Notchtop is in full view, the trail begins to descend to Odessa Lake. Find an unmarked spur trail to the left which leads to shallow Lake Helene, then...

Sandbeach Lake is best known for (as you can probably guess) its wide sandy shore. At nearly 50 feet deep, it is one of Rocky Mountain National Parks deepest lakes. If you are looking to fish at the lake, make sure to bring barbless flies and lures. There are six official campsites (1.8 miles Hol...