Lily Lake
- nps.gov
- Estes Park
- Open now · open 24 hours
About
Lily Lake is the easy one. A flat, accessible loop on Highway 7 with Longs Peak hanging over the water, and none of the Bear Lake Road scramble. If you've got a grandparent or a toddler along, this is the easy win.
Lily Lake is inside Rocky Mountain National Park, off Highway 7 about 6.4 miles from the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center on the Park's east side. The NPS describes an accessible trail around the lake with benches, a viewing dock, trail bridges and a boardwalk, plus vault toilets. The path passes through wetland and looks toward Longs Peak and the surrounding ranges. It's a short walk, a good one for kids, and easy to do at your own pace.
Go early or at sunset, when the light is soft and the wind is down, because the NPS lists visitation here as heavy. Dogs can't walk the trail, since Park rules keep pets off all trails, so leave them at home. Stay on the boardwalk to protect the wetland. Check nps.gov/romo for current entry rules in the busy season.
