Cub Lake
- nps.gov
- Estes Park
About
Cub Lake is a Moraine Park classic, a walk out of the big glacier-carved meadow and up to a quiet lake. It's a moderate hike, and if you start early, you'll have a good share of it to yourself.
The trail leaves from the Cub Lake Trailhead in Moraine Park, along Bear Lake Road. It's about 2.3 miles one way with around 540 feet of gain, per the NPS trail list, and the trailhead sits near 8,080 feet. Moraine Park is a glacier-carved meadow and one of the better places in the park to watch elk. You'll need the timed entry plus Bear Lake Road reservation in summer, since Moraine Park is inside that corridor. Check nps.gov/romo.
Go early or on a shoulder-season weekday. Parking in this corridor fills early. The meadow is good in September and October when the elk are rutting, but keep your distance and never approach them. Wear real shoes, not sandals. Dogs aren't allowed on the trail. And stay on the trail, because off-trail wandering does real damage in a meadow like this.
