Bear Lake Ranger Station

About

The ranger station at Bear Lake sits between the parking lot and the trailhead, so you'll walk right past it. Stop in when it's staffed. Rangers and volunteers can tell you what the trails are doing today, which beats guessing from the parking lot.

Bear Lake is inside Rocky Mountain National Park at the end of Bear Lake Road. The ranger station is between the parking area and the trailhead. On busy days there are usually rangers or volunteers there to answer questions, and they sometimes sell small things like bottled water and maps. It's seasonal and tied to the busy periods, so don't count on it being open in the off-season. The old 1923 log and stone station was removed years ago, so what you see now is a newer setup.

My advice is to ask before you hike, especially if you're headed past the first couple of lakes. Conditions at this elevation change fast, and the people at the station know what happened on the trail this morning. A park entrance pass is required, and in summer you'll likely need a timed-entry reservation for this corridor. Check the NPS site for current rules before you drive up. The lot fills early, so the shuttle from the Park & Ride is the easier plan. No pets on the trails here. Dogs aren't allowed on Park trails.