Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
June 30, 2012
Emerald Lake This is one of our new favorite summer haunts. It's hard to believe that this park is just an hour from our house.
The trail to Emerald Lake is an easy 2 miles, with a massive boulder field nestled in the trees near the top. Emerald Lake is fed by falls, pouring water from the glaciers up at 14,000 feet. The falling water runs out the far side of the lake, feeding pools all the way down the trail; Emerald Lake to Dream Lake, Dream Lake to Nymph Lake, Nymph Lake to Bear Lake, where the trailhead is.
The wildlife is amazing here; mountain jays, marmots, moose, deer, rabbits... especially at dusk. The forest comes to life after a long day of bouldering, as you head back down the trail at nightfall.