The Pool
- nps.gov
- Estes Park
About
The Pool is where the Big Thompson River meets Spruce and Fern Creeks, a wide spot in the water that people were stopping at long before the Park existed. It's an easy-ish first stretch of the Fern Lake trail and a good turnaround if you don't want the full day.
The Pool is about 1.7 miles up the Fern Lake trail from the Fern Lake trailhead, on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park. The trail follows the Big Thompson through mixed forest and passes Arch Rocks, a clump of house-size boulders, before you reach the water. It's an out and back, so figure around 3.4 miles round trip. A small lodge stood here before the Park was created in 1915. Dogs aren't allowed on the trail.
I like it as a turnaround for a morning when you want the sound of moving water without a full Fern Lake day. Parking at the trailhead is limited, so most people take the shuttle from the Park and Ride, which adds a bit of walking. In summer, timed entry rules apply, so check the NPS site first. Go early, bring a layer, and stay out of the river current in spring runoff, because the water is fast and cold. Snow can show up on the trail in the cold months.
