Alberta Falls & Bear Lake

July 17, 2010

Alberta Falls, so far this has been the most beautiful destination of any hike we have done.  The hike to the falls is very easy with an elevation gain of only 170 feet.  It's .6 miles one way to the falls from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead.  You can also access this trail from the Bear Lake Trailhead.  If you want to see both I recommend starting at Bear Lake and then heading to Alberta Falls since the trail will mostly be downhill that way.  The shuttle that runs through Rocky Mountain National Park stops at both Glacier Gorge and Bear Lake Trailheads, so you wouldn't have to hike back.  I prefer the loop trails so we don't see the same scenery twice. 

We started at Glacier Gorge Trailhead and hiked the .6 miles to Alberta Falls, then took the .5 mile trail to Bear Lake.  This is also the most beautiful lake I have seen so far in RMNP.  The Bear Lake Nature Trail loops around the lake and it's a very easy .5 miles, but the view from the opposite side of the lake is amazing.  You can also take the guided tour which we didn't do, but might be informative. 

This is the view from the opposite side of Bear Lake along the loop trail.  It's a must see!

Tips:  Take the shuttle in the park if you're trail is along the route.  It mainly goes to trails along the east side of the park along Bear Lake Road, but parking anywhere near those trailheads is almost always full.  Even the park and ride lot fills up quickly, so get there early.