Day 2: Rocky Mountain National Park
Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, Emerald Lake, and Lake Haiyaha via Nymph Lake Trail
To access Rocky Mountain National Park, , including its outlying areas, visitors are required to either obtain a timed-entry reservation, choosing between Option 1 (access via Bear Lake Road from 5am–6pm) or Option 2 (entry without Bear Lake Road access from 9am–2pm), or secure a Service Reservation for camping, guided trips, or commercial tours, plus a park pass or entrance fee. I chose Option 1, which includes access via Bear Lake Road (5am–6pm), and purchased a 6–8am timed-entry reservation for Wednesday, September 14, 2022, my first full day in Colorado.
That morning, I drove to the Bear Lake Trailhead to hike Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, Emerald Lake, and Lake Haiyaha via the Nymph Lake Trail and the Bear Lake Trail, as I had read that these were great hikes to tackle while acclimating to Colorado’s elevation. Given their popularity, I woke up early to ensure I’d arrive at the trailhead around 6am. Fortunately, finding a parking spot at that hour wasn’t difficult.
The Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, Emerald Lake, and Lake Haiyaha via Nymph Lake Trail is an out-and-back trail, meaning you can turn around at any point to head back to the trailhead. I started the trail at the Bear Lake Trailhead, then continued on to Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and finally Emerald Lake. When I was done taking photos at Emerald Lake, I retraced my steps toward Dream Lake and followed the signs to Lake Haiyaha.
Lake Haiyaha was so beautiful to see. In 2022, the lake’s color changed from a clear blue to a milky turquoise due to exposed glacier sediment in Chaos Canyon (located above Lake Haiyaha) flowing into the lake after summer rains.
Bear Lake Trail
After checking out all I could of Lake Haiyaha, I retraced my steps back toward the Bear Lake Trailhead. Next, instead of heading back to the parking lot, I followed the signs to hike the Bear Lake Nature Trail, an easy, tranquil 0.8-mile loop around Bear Lake offering spectacular mountain views. It’s a good hike for all skill levels and is wheelchair accessible.
According to my AllTrails app, the Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, Emerald Lake, and Lake Haiyaha via Nymph Lake Trail was 6.07 miles and took me a total time of 5 hours to complete, while the Bear Lake Trail was 0.8 miles and took about 45 minutes.
Overlooks on Trail Ridge Road
After completing the Bear Lake Trail hike, I went back to my car to drive Trail Ridge Road, stopping at Many Parks Curve Overlook, Rainbow Curve Overlook, and Tundra Communities Trailhead.
Many Parks Curve and Rainbow Curve offer picturesque overlooks where you can pull off Trail Ridge Road to take in more of the park’s stunning vistas. Many Parks Curve Overlook offers incredible views of Horseshoe Park, Moraine Park, parts of Estes Park, Deer Mountain, and Longs Peak, the highest mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park, while Rainbow Curve Overlook provides fantastic views of Hidden Valley, Horseshoe Park, Alluvial Fan, Fall River, and more.
The Tundra Communities Trail is a 1-mile out-and-back hike sitting at 12,110 feet in elevation. As I drove toward the trailhead, I started to feel the effects of altitude. At that point, 14 hours had passed since my arrival in Denver, and I had hoped it would be enough time to acclimate. However, it turned out that it wasn’t quite sufficient. Fortunately, all I was experiencing was a manageable headache, so I pressed on with my journey.
It started drizzling during my hike at the Tundra Communities Trail. Hoping it would remain light, I finished the hike, then drove the short 6-minute drive to Gore Range Overlook. However, by the time I arrived, the drizzle had turned into a downpour. Holding out hope for a break in the weather, and maybe a rainbow, I decided to try to wait it out. Unfortunately, I hadn’t brought a book and lacked cell reception, leaving me with nothing to do while enduring my growing headache.
Realizing my headache wouldn’t subside until I descended to a lower elevation, and uncertain how long the storm would last, I decided to return to my hotel for dinner and relaxation. Later, as I scrolled through social media, I saw photos of the rainbow I had missed. While I was disappointed to have missed it in person, I was grateful my headache was gone, thanks to being back in the lower elevation of Estes Park.
