I Found The Trail Of My Dreams While Hiking In Rocky Mountain National Park In Colorado
By Chris Dodge|Published May 13, 2024
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Chris Dodge
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My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
Now I haven’t been to every trail in Rock Mountain but I am pretty confident we have found the best trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. The Emerald Lake Trail was like a dream come true, in fact, I had to pinch myself a few times during the hike just to make sure I wasn’t sleeping. Not only is it real but it is one of the best hikes I have ever done in my whole life.
We left our home in Tennessee and embarked on an epic adventure of a lifetime knocking out places on our bucket list out west. We called it our dream trip and it was like a prophetic notion that propelled us into some of our country's most stunning natural wonders.
One of our earlier stops was at Rock Mountain National Park. After securing our timed entry to not just the park but to the Bear Lake area we left Estes Park and entered what later became one of the best hikes I will have ever done to this very day.
We started our adventure in the Bear Lake parking lot and took the Emerald Lake Trail which was our end destination.
This trail doesn’t just feature one stunning high-altitude lake, but three! The first stop on the way was Nymph Lake. What made this body of water so pretty were the lily pads lining the edge of the lake. The background features towering mountains which are mind-bogglingly tall.
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Shortly after that, you will get a better view of those mountains and it simply took my breath away.
We just stood there looking out into the distance to see these impressive mountains. I have only seen and hiked mountains that peaked around six thousand feet so to witness these twelve and fourteen-thousand-foot mountains was awe-inspiring.
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I just couldn’t get over how beautiful this trail was. As we hiked we passed little waterfalls, babbling brooks, and jaw-dropping overlooks, and it just kept getting better and better as the trail continued.
The next lake on our hike is the aptly named Dream Lake and it was, well, dreamy. I thought this was as good as it got on this trail so we took off our backpacks and soaked in the views for a little bit. It was an excellent place for a snack break.
The squirrels in the area must know that they live in one of Colorado’s prettiest places and use the distraction of the mountains to their advantage. A thieving rodent snuck into my daughter's backpack and stole a cracker right from the package. She chased him off but he had already claimed his prize and bounced his dance of victory all the way home.
The criminal squirrel wasn’t enough to dampen our spirits because we were having the time of our lives on the best hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. As the trail continued on we were well over ten thousand feet above sea level and the views were just astonishing.
When we got to our end destination I just couldn’t believe the scenery before my eyes. The jagged and rugged mountains frame this crystal-clear lake like a hidden gem found within a mountainous paradise. We sat one last time and allowed the beauty of the lake to wash over us and fully appreciate such a rare and impressive natural wonder.
We were all thrilled with our time in Rocky Mountian and can easily say this was our favorite place in the park. Not only that but it ended up being one of our favorite places out of the whole trip.
After being whisked away by this dreamy landscape I would easily recommend the Emerald Lake Trail as the best trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. Not only can you witness the impressive mountains, but the lakes, flowing streams, sweet-smelling evergreens, and so much more on this hike. If you want to see the whole journey make sure to check out our Adventuring in the Moment video:
If you are an avid hiker or just a curious nature lover, the AllTrails+ app is an easy way to track your hikes while you are out on the trail. This is an absolute must-have tool for me while I am hiking and would highly recommend it.
While you are in the area make sure to also stop by Bear Lake, it is a short and simple hike with unparalleled beauty of the water and mountains.
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