Today there is an afternoon thunderstorm rolling through and I’m attempting to catch up on laundry, but in between loads, I wanted to share about a recent hike our family took to Black Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.
Navigating the Popular Bear Lake Road
The most direct route to Black Lake starts at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. There is a small parking lot that filled up before we arrived, so we headed further up to Bear Lake and lucked out by finding a spot. These fill up quickly! Another option is parking at the Park and Ride lot and taking the free shuttle. The shuttles start at 6:30 each morning and go through 7:30 pm between May 22nd and October 18th. You can find out more information about the shuttle buses on the park’s website.
Because this hike is located in the most popular area of the park, we had to get a timed-entry + Bear Lake Road reservation through recreation.gov.
Black Lake vs. Sky Pond
There are so many hikes to choose from in the Bear Lake area. We chose Black Lake because we recently hiked up Mount Ida which is a challenging summit hike with sweeping views. The hike to Mount Ida is mostly above tree-line. For our next hike, we craved a contrast. The hike to Black Lake is a moderately difficult hike with a round trip distance of 9.4 miles+ according to our essential guide by Erik Stensland. It features lush forests = more shade, beautiful alpine lakes, wildflowers, and several waterfalls.
Another awesome hike that delivers similar features is Sky Pond. I felt that Black Lake was a safer, slightly easier option to do with our kids. With Sky Pond you are basically climbing on steep, wet rocks and with Black Lake it is much easier to avoid wet rocks (in my experience).
I’ve hiked both hikes with my husband and wrote about our experience in previous posts:
Highlight Hike: Sky Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park
Black Lake Hike in Rocky Mountain National Park
Bear Lake Trail Head
Bear Lake wasn’t technically on our route, but we couldn’t miss an opportunity to take in the view of the alpine lake with Hallett Peak in the background.
Alberta Falls
We retraced our steps and officially started our hike to Black Lake by following signage towards Alberta Falls arriving at 7:31AM with no other visitors in sight.
Mills Lake
The next destination on our hike was Mills Lake which has been a family-favorite for years! On this trip, we enjoyed spotting many trout in the clear waters of the mountain lake.
Be Aware of Aggressive Elk
Here we met a helpful local women who told us about an aggressive female elk she recently encountered in the meadow near Black Lake. ‘Elk calves are born from late May into June,’ according to the National Park Service, ‘Cows are extremely protective of their calves so use caution around elk at this time of year.’
I love the advice from a local expert who says, if you feel like you are giving the elk enough space – double or triple it. (Estes Park Police warn of aggressive cow elk after attack, 9News)
Safety in Numbers: When we are hiking in nature, we are always are on the look out for wild animals. We tell our girls that we have to remain close to each other when hiking. For a variety of safety reasons, kids shouldn’t be running ahead on trails.
Jewel Lake
After eating snacks and taking in the views from Mills Lake, we continued along the trail until we reached Jewel Lake which can be easy to miss because it seems to flow right into Mills. The views from this peaceful spot were incredible.
Wildflowers including columbine dotted the meadow as we continued on the hike. We passed over several wooden walkways. The trail becomes noticeably more rugged after Mills Lake. I tripped over a root on my way back down the trail, but thankfully I caught myself.
Waterfalls
We walked alongside waterfalls as we approached Black Lake. For me, this is a highlight of this hike.
Black Lake
At 10:00AM (after several stops along the way) we reached our destination. We were lucky to arrive on a beautiful, clear morning with few pesky mosquitos due to a crisp, light breeze. The elevation is 10,611 feet.
Return Hike
I already mentioned tripping on my way back down the trail, so keep an eye out for rocks and roots as you go down. This can be difficult when surrounded by beautiful scenery. I’m easily distracted by cute chipmunks, wildflowers, and sweeping views.
5 Top Takeaways for Hiking to Black Lake
- Get a timed entry permit that includes access to Bear Lake Road. Have this out and ready along with your national park pass and ID when you arrive at the park entrance.
- Arrive during your designated window – preferably an early morning window that will allow you time to arrive at Black Lake before afternoon storms which are common.
- Wear sunscreen and insect repellant along with comfortable hiking shoes to help with rocky terrain. Bring lots of water and snacks. Wear layers.
- Choose this hike after you are acclimated to the high elevation. Even though it is rated at moderate, I was huffing and puffing up the steep hills.
- Respect wildlife by keeping your distance. Mama elk can be fierce!
Getting the Kids’ Opinions
Finally, I wanted to share my daughters’ review of this hike. I asked them a few questions and this is what they have to say:
What was your favorite part about the hike to Black Lake?
The waterfall and playing around on rocks near Mills Lake
What was your least favorite part about the hike to Black Lake?
The rocky way back. There were a lot of annoying tree branches and it was busy (on the trail).
Would you say the hike was worth it? Do you mind getting up early or hiking nearly 10 miles?
It was worth it, you just need to know what you are in for.
What hike do you want to do next?
Flattop Mountain or Chasm Lake
rocky mountain tot 