Bierstadt Lake – rocky mountain tot

Feeling Stuck? Try Going on a Hike

“Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action.”
Walter Anderson

3-2-1, we are counting down the days until my daughter starts kindergarten next week. We’ve met the teacher and bought school supplies. I’m confident that she is ready to learn and make new friends.

But, am I ready? I’ve been a stay-at-home mom since she was born. Together we have gone on countless adventures to the library, coffee shops, gymnastics, berry picking, and the zoo. Her little sister and I will miss her very much when she is at school every day.

On the other hand, I’m mentally prepared for the possibility that her in-person classes might turn to virtual at any point during the first semester because of the pandemic. I dislike uncertainty, but mostly I’m scared that we might make the wrong decisions.

Finally, I’m thinking about what the future looks like for my career once the girls are both in school full-time. With this much uncertainty, can I even start to think about my own goals?

I was processing all of this on our hike to Bierstadt Lake. As I walked the switchbacks up towards the lake, I realized that COVID-19 has made it harder to do everything and somehow even simple tasks like going to the grocery store felt like too much. I resolved to take that errand back onto my plate and off my husband’s. This little momentum shift has created a snowball effect and I’m starting to feel empowered again.

Perhaps I was able to feel, think, and work through so many big thoughts and emotions because there is plenty of space for me to do that in the mountains.

And now for some pretty pictures and video from our hike!

Bierstadt Lake hike in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Are you feeling anxious about the upcoming school year? You might find some inspiration in these, 22 Calming Quotes for People with Anxiety from Psychology Today.

If you want to go on this awesome hike to Bierstadt Lake, check out our past posts which go into more details about the hike’s distance, elevation change, and other key details. It’s one of our favorite family-friendly hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Family Hike to Bierstadt Lake Plus An Unexpected Moose Sighting

Our Rocky Mountain Tot goes to Bierstadt Lake

Don’t Feed the Ducks!

Favorite 2-4 Mile Hikes

Snowshoe in Rocky Mountain National Park

Where Should I Hike in Rocky Mountain National Park?

Rocky mountain national park timed entry permit

Planning a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park this summer? You need to make a reservation. The reservation will give you a two hour window to enter the park. The new system is designed to cut down on traffic and allow guests to practice social distancing. You can make a reservation on recreation.gov. There is a $2 online reservation fee in addition to the cost of park pass.

Keep in mind that the lines at the park entrances may be long, so for example if your timed entry is between 8:00 am and 10:00 am, I would avoid arriving last minute at 9:45 am. Also remember to print your pass and have it with you.

hiking near estes park, colorado

Visitors to Estes Park who do not have a reservation to Rocky Mountain National Park have several great trail options outside the park boundaries. If you don’t mind paying a fee, we recently hiked Kruger Rock in Hermit Park. The views are amazing!

Free adventures near Estes Park include walking or biking around the Lake Estes loop, climbing Lily Mountain, or hiking the Homer Rouse trail.

hike in Hermit Park to Kruger Rock near Estes Park, Colorado

favorite hikes in Rocky mountain national park

Sometimes we spend hours debating which hike we should do during our limited time in Rocky Mountain National Park. The reality is, you can’t go wrong. To help make the decision a little easier, I put together a chart (see above) to narrow down the hikes that are best for you based on the number of miles you want to hike, the popularity of the trail, and type of destination such as lake, waterfall or summit.

Bierstadt Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

You will find details about these destinations (and more!) in the following pages:

Best Rocky Mountain Hikes Under 2 Miles

Favorite 2-4 Mile Hikes

Favorite Rocky Mountain Hikes for Families: Beyond 4 Miles

Sky Pond, Twin Sisters, and Flattop Mountain are some of my favorite hikes in the park, so I included them in my decision chart. I don’t classify these destinations as ‘family hikes’ because they are more strenuous. I recommend them to people looking for a fun challenge.

Articles we’ve written about these destinations:

Sky Pond

Twin Sisters

Flattop Mountain

My list is just the beginning. There are countless adventures in and around Rocky Mountain National Park. I relate to the following quote by Abner Sprague, owner of Sprague Lake Lodge from 1910-1940.

‘If he (the guest) fails to see every nook and corner of the place on one visit, he comes year after year…. Our guests never get tired, the same old urge to visit spots seen more than once brings them back on their next vacation. They go home rested.”
Abner Sprague

Moose at Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountains — Sprague Lake

Family Hike to Bierstadt Lake Plus An Unexpected Moose Sighting

Bierstadt Lake hike in rocky mountain national park. hike under 3 miles. features mountain views, wildlife spot in rocky mountain national park, moose

The hike to Bierstadt Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park is one of our family’s favorite hikes. On our most recent trip, we parked at the Bierstadt Lake trailhead at 8,850 ft. in elevation.

The trail to Bierstadt Lake is 1.4 miles each way. You can add on extra mileage by walking around the lake, which we recommend to get the best views of Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak.

One of the benefits of walking at a toddler’s pace is the chance to notice extra details I might miss when walking on my own – like these berries and pretty wildflowers.

You could see the first signs of autumn. These aspens will turn golden yellow in just a few weeks.

The trail up to the lake gains 566 ft. of elevation along several switchbacks.

Wide open views of the surrounding mountains make the climb worth the effort.

We could also see Sprague Lake in the distance. It appeared to be glowing in the morning sunlight.

At just over a mile, the trail levels out and heads back into the forest.

Trail signage points out that there are several paths to get to Bierstadt Lake. Alternative routes include the Park & Ride (1.9 miles/way) and Bear Lake (1.9 miles/way). If you decide to walk around the lake, make note of the direction you came from. With so many trails, it can get confusing.

Bierstadt Lake is beautiful and peaceful. It’s an ideal spot to take a moment to enjoy the mountain views.

In a former post I ‘complained’ about the ducks, but they weren’t as pesky this time.

After we enjoyed a snack at the lake, we headed back down the mountain the way we came. I was very proud of both girls for walking a majority of the trail on their own. I was also proud of myself and my husband for having patience when they wanted to stop and draw pictures in the dirt.

At the very end of the hike, we saw an enormous moose walking through the forest. We were surprised, excited, and a little nervous. We picked up the girls and backed away so the moose didn’t feel threated by our presence. He eventually crossed the parking lot and street. I guessed he might be headed towards Sprague Lake, which is a spot we’ve spotted moose on a prior trip.

Scenic Hike to Emerald Lake Lookout – Rocky Mountain National Park

Emerald Lake is one of the most iconic destinations in Rocky Mountain National Park. If you haven’t taken the trip past Nymph Lake and Dream Lake to visit this inspiring spot, I highly recommend it. It’s one of our favorite 2-4 mile hikes in the park.

However, if you are looking for a greater challenge, you can see Emerald Lake from a whole new perspective by hiking from Bear Lake up to the Emerald Lake Lookout via the Flattop Mountain trail. The starting elevation at Bear Lake is 9,475 ft. and the trail continues to gain elevation from this point.

Hike up to Emerald Lake Look out via Flattop Mountain Trail

We took this trip back in July of 2015 with our friends who wanted to hike up to the summit of Flattop Mountain. We had our daughter with us who was about 8-months-old at the time, so we agreed to hike with them up to the lookout and then hike back down and take a nice stroll around Bear Lake.

The trail leading to Flattop Mountain has spectacular views. From this vantage point, you can also look down at Bierstadt Lake, which is another one of our favorite hiking destinations.

You will pass the Dream Lake overlook at 1.7 miles into the hike. Keep going until you spot the dark green lake and see signage for the Emerald Lake viewpoint.

Our total mileage was about 6.8 miles. (approximately 3 miles up to lookout + 3 miles down to Bear Lake + walk around Bear Lake)

Photo by Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park — Photo by Bear Lake

I can’t believe our little baby is 4.5 this summer! I’m really glad that we keep our family’s hiking journal, so I can look back at hikes we’ve taken in the past with fond memories. I wrote more about our hiking journal here.