🗺️🥾🌲Make sure to save this post for later when you need directions and your Rocky Mountain National Park trip saved!
There are three known and one lesser known way to get to Bear Lake Rd in Rocky Mountain National Park
1. Drive in before 5am
2. Get a timed entry + Bear Lake road to Rocky Mountain National Park (released at 7pm day before)
3. Ride the hiker shuttle from Estes Park (released at 7pm day before)
4. No entry requirements and no parking in the National Park (my method below)
I wasn’t able to secure a timed entry or an early enough shuttle, that’s where finding the fourth unofficial option came in!
This fourth option is ideal for moderate hikers, as it’s 1.7 miles in to Bear Lake Rd + any hiking you want to do in there (and back to your car)
🚗 Park your car at the end of Tunnel Road (all trails directions for Sprague Lake via Glacier Creek and Sprague Lake Trail) you don’t enter the park for this trail head, so you don’t need a timed entry
🥾 Begin hiking the All Trails Sprague Lake via Glacier Creek and Sprague Lake Trail, it’s a gorgeous trail with some horseback riding
📍 About 1 mile in you’ll turn off to Glacier Basin Campground - you are officially in Rocky Mountain National Park
🏞️ Walk .7 miles around the campground road to the Park & Ride parking lot on Bear Lake Rd
🚌 Get in line to take the 10 minute free shuttle down to the last stop
🌲 You are now at the starting point for Bear Lake, Emerald Lake, Dream Lake and many more! There are water fill up stations at this trail head
If you are a larger group and don’t want to hike 1.7 miles back to the car, you can leave one car at Estes Park and take the last Hikers shuttle from the park & ride lot at 6pm to the Estes Park Visitors Center. They did not check any tickets going back to Estes Park.
Let me know if you need any of the All Trail Maps! 🗺️
#Rockymountainnationalpark #rockymountainnationalparkhack #rockymountaintimedent
