Rocky Mountain National Park Visitor's Guide



Bear Lake Road

Gore Range Overlook View
Spring Snowfall
Longs Peak from Bear Lake

BEAR LAKE ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT SUMMER 2012 means that Bear Lake Road from about one mile southwest of Moraine Park Visitor Center to Bear Lake is accessible by free shuttle bus only, seven days a week, from 9 am to 4 pm. Private vehicles are allowed both directions prior to 9am and after 4pm. Visitors in private vehicles who make the 9am cutoff time will be allowed to travel eastbound throughout the day. All visitors, in private vehicles or shuttle buses, should expect at least two 20 minute delays both directions through the construction area. There will be no construction delays between Park & Ride and Bear Lake.

Bear Lake Road runs between Upper Beaver Meadows and Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Along the way you will pass hiking trails, picnic areas, campgrounds, the Moraine Park Museum and Sprague Lake.

There is a large picnic area at Sprague Lake (elevation 8710 feet), portable rest rooms, a stable, and a wheelchair-rated trail around the lake. The view to the west from just around the curve of the trail is fabulous.

The road ends in the Bear Lake parking lot. Park your car and walk the few yards to the famous lake. There are rest rooms a few yards from the parking lot for summer visitors.

Several popular trails begin at Bear Lake. Some are short and moderate hiking for families with younger children, while others are more strenuous. The trail circling the lake is easy, and photographic opportunities abound around the clear, smooth waters of the beautiful lake.

At an altitude of 9475 feet, Bear Lake freezes in the winter. Cross country skiers take advantage of the snow-covered lake and trails. Tubers hike across the lake and up the mountainside for a fast descent back down and across the lake. Bear Lake Road is plowed during the winter, but may be closed for clearing after significant snowfall. Please call (970) 586-1206 for current conditions.

Traffic can be heavy during the summer months and parking may be difficult to find. There is a shuttle parking lot on the Bear Lake Road where you can park, and take the shuttle bus to and from the lake. The shuttle runs during the summer months only.

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