Lawn Lake Trailhead
- nps.gov
- Estes Park
About
Lawn Lake is a long, honest climb out of Horseshoe Park. It's a big day and I wouldn't hand it to a first-timer. The trail also follows the path of the 1982 flood, so the scenery has a story.
Look for the Lawn Lake trailhead, at about 8,540 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park, up the Endovalley and Old Fall River Road area in Horseshoe Park near the Alluvial Fan. The NPS lists Lawn Lake at 6.2 miles each way, with well over 2,000 feet of climbing, so it's a strenuous day of about 12 miles round trip. The lake at the top sits at roughly 11,000 feet, and the walk up passes the route the 1982 Lawn Lake dam failure took.
Start early, truly early, because afternoon weather up high can be mean and the descent is long on tired knees. Bring layers, plenty of water, and a map. Check NPS trail conditions first, since this valley has seen closures after floods and storms. In summer you'll need a timed-entry reservation, and you should read the current NPS page for what applies to this area. Dogs aren't allowed on Park trails. Plan to turn around if the sky builds, even close to the top.
