Kelly Krause

Don’t Feed the Ducks!

My husband and I had a friendly debate on our drive into Rocky Mountain National Park about the best route to get to Bierstadt Lake. He voted to begin the hike at Bear Lake trailhead which is a downhill slope to the lake. I convinced him that starting at the Bierstadt Lake trailhead would give us better views on our way up and we would end the hike going downhill. Luckily, there was a parking space available in the small Bierstadt Lake parking lot and I won!

The mountains were hazy from wildfires in California and Montana when we started our hike. The haze slowly lifted revealing expansive mountain views.

We followed switchbacks, steadily gaining elevation before entering a beautiful pine forest.

We skirted the lake to get to a clearing with more amazing mountain views. The length of this hike can range from 2.4 miles to 3 + miles roundtrip depending on how much you want to walk around Bierstadt Lake. If you have time, I think it’s worth the extra steps to get a variety of perspectives.

We attempted to have a picnic, but we were interrupted by overly ‘friendly’ ducks.

The ambitious ducks followed us all the way from the lake back into the woods. They weren’t happy that we didn’t share our food. The feeling was mutual – our toddler was not a fan of the aggressive ducks.

The ducks were a minor inconvenience and I’m sure will be a fun family memory. However, I’ll take this opportunity to remind everyone to avoid feeding wildlife. It’s so tempting to feed the cute chipmunks or ducks, but it changes their natural ‘wild’ behavior, is a nuisance to fellow park goers, and can wreak havoc on their poor little digestive systems.

Overall, we loved this hike because of the peaceful lake and breathtaking mountain views.

Cub Lake Trail – a Wildlife Hotspot in Rocky Mountain National Park

The 2.5 mile hike to Cub Lake begins in the Moraine Valley at the Cub Lake trail head in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Winding trail to Cub Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

The hike is peaceful and scenic. The Big Thompson river winds through the valley and mountains tower in the distance.

Hike to Cub Lake in RMNP — *The hike to Cub Lake is one of our favorite hikes to do in the early summer months.*

Moraine Park is a hotspot for wildlife. We encountered a rabbit, Cooper’s Hawks, marmots, a mommy moose with her baby, a big buck elk with several female companions, chipmunks and two snakes.

coopers hawk moraine valley rocky mountain national park

Cooper’s Hawks– A fellow hiker told us to look out for Cooper’s Hawks and we soon spotted what I believe to be a Cooper’s Hawk perching on a pine. According to allaboutbirds.org, these guys are tricky to identify and ‘among the world’s most skillful fliers.’

Moose – If you are hoping to spot moose on your trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, a good place to see them is in the Kawuneeche Valley, but we’ve spotted a couple this summer on the east side of the park at Sprague Lake and here at the Beaver Ponds along Cub Lake trail. Did you know moose can swim? You can learn more fun facts about moose on the National Park Service’s website.

buck elk in rut season - rocky mountain national park

Elk – Elk mating season or ‘rut’ begins September 1st. During this time, the park closes down areas in the evening until early morning (5pm to 7am). These areas include Horseshoe Park, Upper Beaver Meadows, Moraine Park, Harbison Meadow and Holzwarth Meadow. Closures remain in effect until October 31st. (more info)

Snakes – According to this video clip by Nick Molle, Rocky Mountain National Park does not have poisonous snakes, but you can find garter snakes like the ones we spotted in the meadows by water.

A good portion of this hike is in the meadow, but it becomes wooded and lush with ferns and noticeably picks up in intensity – gaining about 500 feet of elevation before arriving at Cub Lake.

Cub Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

The lake was covered in lily pads and made a great resting spot for a hearty snack before our 2.5 mile return trip.

Picnic at Cub Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

Hiking Gear Checklist

Kid carrier – we have a Deuter Kid Comfort Carrier backpack similar to this one. We can hike longer distances when the kids get to ride. Our daughter appreciates being up high so she can have a good view of our hike.

Hiking boots – Good hiking boots make a big difference when hiking on rocky terrain. I have a pair of Oboz waterproof boots similar to these.

Sunglasses and sunscreen for the whole family

GPS watch – My husband always wears a watch with GPS so he can track how far we’ve hiked. For anyone looking for a Father’s Day gift idea, a GPS watch could be a fun pick!

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Thank you for following along on our adventures!

Mountain Hiking – Good for My Soul

‘He put an arm around me and we looked out, feeling the mystifying affinity with the universe that mountain trails can bring.

“When we get back home and life gets busy again, we have to stop and remember how we feel right at this moment.”‘ – The Gratitude Diaries

Hiking is good for the soul — Hiking pre-children with my husband.

Do you dwell in your favorite vacation memories? Today, I’m stopping and remembering what it is like to hike a long mountain trail with my husband. We are lucky to go to our favorite place (Rocky Mountain National Park) pretty often. I’m glad we get to share these experiences with our little ones. We can’t hike as far, but it’s a new adventure each time. I’m counting down the days until our family is back breathing in the mountain air!

Sometimes You Have to Say ‘No’ so You Can Say ‘Yes’ to Dream Vacations!

Weddings, bachelorette parties, wedding showers, baby showers, kids birthday parties, friends birthdays, house-warming parties, family visits…. this summer is booked. I don’t want the invitations to stop because I want to be present in my loved ones’ lives. However, I can’t attend everything and still have enough time and money to go on great vacations. The big question I’ve been wrestling with is, when should I say ‘no’?

Know Yourself– One of my favorite podcasts is ‘Happier with Gretchen Rubin’. Gretchen and her sister Liz frequently ask thought-provoking questions that help listeners know themselves better. My question is based on a belief that people view booked calendars in different ways. Does a booked calendar excite you or leave you feeling stressed out?

Know What You Want– In his book, Essentialism – The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, author Greg McKeown speaks of the advantages of clarifying your top priority. If you want to prioritize a vacation, write down the concrete objective such as, ‘I want to take a week-long trip to Estes Park this summer with my immediate family’. Sharing your goal with others is a great way to gracefully decline events and combat your fears of missing out. Try saying, “Thank you for thinking of me, I would love to go to your birthday dinner but I’m saving money for my dream trip to Australia.”

How Do You Know What You Want? Listen to your body’s reaction to an invitation suggested Cheryl Strayed, best-selling author of Wild and co-host of ‘Dear Sugars’ in her two-part podcast titled “The Power of No”. The podcast featured an interview with Oprah who admits struggling with saying ‘no’ for years. Oprah spoke of the importance of asking yourself the intention behind your actions. If you are accepting an invitation because you want to be seen as a nice person, that’s not a good reason.

Don’t Become A Resentful Friend and Family Member– a ‘Catholic Stuff You Should Know’ podcast – episode, “Kristen’s Resentment” helped me to see that feeling out of control leads to resentment which is toxic to long-term relationships and leads to feelings of revenge, anger, malice and envy.

Consider Other Ways to Show You Care – You can offer to watch a friend’s pet when they go on a honeymoon; watch their kids so they can go out on a special anniversary dinner; bring them soup if they are filling ill; or send them a postcard from your vacation destination.

Pay Yourself First – it’s a popular financial investment idea but can be applied to vacations if they are an important investment to your life. Fill out that vacation request today and fill in other activities around it.