Fern Lake
- nps.gov
- Estes Park
About
Fern Lake sits at the end of a long, steady climb up the Big Thompson canyon, with a quiet backcountry campsite on its north shore. It's the one I'd pick when Bear Lake looks like a parking lot sale.
The Fern Lake Trailhead is at 8,155 feet, reached through the Moraine Park side of the Bear Lake Road corridor, and the park's Moraine Park shuttle has a Fern Lake bus stop. NPS lists the lake at 3.8 miles one way with about 1,375 feet of gain, so roughly 7.6 miles round trip. The lake itself is near 9,530 feet. It's inside Rocky Mountain National Park, so you'll need the entrance pass, and the Bear Lake Road corridor has its own reservation system in summer (check nps.gov/romo, since I won't guess at the rules for this trailhead).
Plan a full day. Four to five hours is what NPS gives for reaching the campsite, and the trail is long, not scary. Go early, carry real water and a rain layer, and eat at the lake. Snow lingers up here well into the season, so check conditions before you commit in spring or fall. If you camp, a bear canister is required April through October and campfires are not allowed at that site. Dogs can't come on any park trail. If you want a short hike, this isn't it. If you want quiet, this is it.
