Photos above are of the "accessible" part of the trail
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Bear Lake Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Length: accessible part is 0.4 mi. out and back Width: 60 in. Surface type: compacted soil Typical grade: 2 % Maximum grade: 4 % Typical cross slope: 1 % Maximum cross slope: 2 % Use Fee required? park entrance + timed entry permit Accessible features: 7 accessible parking spots Accessible restroom with vault toilet Viewing deck Sprague Lake Trail is another beautiful trail less than 4 miles away; it is almost flat. Bear Lake is one of the most beautiful places in Rocky Mountain National Park! The portion of the trail which can be considered "accessible" is the part adjacent to the parking lot. The measurements above are only for the accessible portion of the trail. The total length of the trail that meets U.S. accessibility standards is 0.4 miles out and back. From the parking lot, a trail takes you around the ranger station to the lake. Once you reach the lake, the trail splits. The trail in both directions offers beautiful views of Bear Lake, mountain peaks, wildflowers, aspen, and majestic evergreens before you reach warning signs of steep grades ahead. Beyond the warning signs, grades reach as much as 16 percent, and there are obstacles such as steps and drop offs. I never felt crowded on the Bear Lake Trail. Rocky Mountain National Park has a timed-entry system specifically for this part of the park during the summer months. You can reserve a timed entry permit by phone, but the easiest way for me was through www.recreation.gov. If you are camping at Glacier Basin Campground, you do not need a timed entry permit. Just show your campsite pass at the entry station. There is a huge paved parking area with 7 accessible parking sites and an accessible restroom (with vault toilet) at the Bear Lake Trailhead, OR you can take a free shuttle bus to the trailhead from the Park and Ride near Glacier Basin Campground. Taking the shuttle allows you to enjoy the beautiful forest as you climb in elevation to the lake which is at 9475 feet. I hiked the entire trail to see if it was suitable for my hiking partner to take in a manual wheelchair. It was not. There were 9 spots along the trail that had grades from 10-16 percent. You will have to make your own decision if your ability, equipment, and hiking partner will allow you to do the entire trail. The entire trail is a beautiful 0.6 mile loop and has numerous benches for resting. To reach the Bear Lake Trailhead, travel almost 4 miles southwest from Estes Park on Highway 36 to enter Rocky Mountain National Park at the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station. Immediately turn left (south) onto Bear Lake Road, and travel about 10 miles. August 2021 |