Mileage: 3.3 miles
Elevation Gain: ~675 ft
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Bierstadt Lake is located off of Bear Lake Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. The parking lot is very small so most people will need to take a shuttle to get here or you can take a connector trail from Sprague Lake for a longer hike. I got to the park around 8 am and was debating doing this hike or another one. When I saw that the parking lot had a space open I grabbed it. Usually when I drive past here I never see a space! Rocky Mountain National Park gets pretty crowded in the summertime and usually a shuttle is necessary for all trailheads if you arrive late morning or mid day.
This is a great hike if you just want something short so you have time for the remainder of the day to do other things. I should note that a trail system begins across the road as well that connects to Storm Pass and Sprague.
So let's begin!
I usually carry a map, but still stop to check out the trail board.
The trail begins in the trees, but pretty soon you have an open view from the side of the mountain as you start to scale up it.
First sighting of wildlife! No moose today though.
The trail is pretty much a series of switchbacks going up the mountain. You do gain a few hundred feet of elevation which is why I didn't give it a completely easy rating. From a flatlander perspective it is more of a workout than a regular 'ol walk in the park.
There were plenty of wildflowers along the sides of the trail.
Indian Paintbrush
 |
| Guessing...Shrubby Cinquefoil? |
Also lots of flowers in the Aster family dotted the mountainside.
Once you've reached the top of the incline the trail is level around the entire lake. Before reaching the lake though, you'll travel through a peaceful forest.
I really liked this part of the trail. It was peaceful and serene and had a feeling of forest bathing. As I walked through the forest I'd feel pockets of warmth in certain areas.
There are plenty of signs so you don't lose your way. Make sure to not miss the below one that has a nice spot to rest and view the lake.
The lake then came into view for the first time.
There are multiple areas to view the lake as you walk around. If you want some solitude you can probably find it.
A family of ducks hung around the lake. They were friendly so it seemed to me they were expecting food. It is best to not feed the wildlife no matter how cute they are.
Some last views of the lake before heading back.
Trip stats:
Overall, I'd recommend this hike. It's good to get away from the immense crowds of the Dream Lake area. A beautiful lake setting immersed within a forest.
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