Dawn Hiking
On the second day at Rocky Mountain National Park, a hike was planned from Bear Lake to Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and finally Emerald Lake. Since it was a short trip of just one night and two days, I had reserved the earliest timed entry to Bear Lake for 5 AM. Bear Lake is a popular spot, but the parking lot is small, so if you don’t arrive early, it can be hard to find parking. Therefore, we left our accommodation for Bear Lake at 4:30 AM.
In fact, it was my first dawn hike, and it was so dark that I worried there might be no one else around. If we had arrived just a bit later, we might not have found parking. It seemed that people who hadn’t made reservations had already filled up the parking lot before 5 AM. Bear Lake is the closest spot from the parking lot, but since it was dark at this hour, we decided to go all the way to Emerald Lake and see it on the way back.
Even though there were people, it was so dark that I could barely see ahead, and I nervously followed closely behind the others. We brought a red light flash, which made it even scarier. I kept questioning whether it was really right to be out here at dawn… but since others were doing it, there must be a reason. With the mindset that we couldn’t just turn back after coming this far, we kept walking.
At around 6 AM, the sun began to rise, and I was able to take some photos that actually turned out somewhat well. The place in the photo is Dream Lake, and getting here wasn’t as difficult as I expected; it was manageable. The stretch from Dream Lake to Emerald Lake had a lot of stairs, making it the toughest part of the hike.
Emerald Lake
Finally, after an hour and a half, we arrived at Emerald Lake. There is no further path beyond Emerald Lake.
When I first arrived at Emerald Lake, it felt like the scene in the photo above. The beauty was hard to capture fully in a photo, but it was truly stunning, and I was glad I made the hike. I took some pictures and sat down to rest.
Suddenly, this bright red light came in, and it was truly amazing. I was so moved that I couldn’t express this feeling in words. But this was not the end.
This time, a bright yellow light came in. At that moment, the sound of the camera clicking was incredible. When we arrived, there were cameras set up here and there, and I thought, “So that’s why they did that.” My brother said he might need to buy a camera now.
Dream Lake
After enjoying the stunning Emerald Lake, we headed back down towards Dream Lake.
As the sun rose, I began to see the paths I had climbed, and I was amazed that I had come up to such a beautiful place. The way down was also incredibly beautiful.
And then we arrived at Dream Lake. It felt like we were going down much faster than when we went up. The view was definitely beautiful with the sun fully up, but unlike Emerald Lake, there were many trees, and the greenery was so vibrant that just looking at it felt healing.
Elk
On the way down from Dream Lake to Nymph Lake, we encountered a herd of elk.
As I went down for breakfast, I saw a lot of elk herds. There were baby elk too, and they were running around and playing with each other, which looked so much like a fairy tale. The sound of their running was surprisingly loud, like the sound of horses galloping.
Nymph Lake
Nymph Lake, which was completely invisible on the way up, felt different from the Emerald Lake and Dream Lake I saw earlier.
The water was covered with lily pads, giving it a mystical feeling. If Dream Lake was a vibrant green, Nymph Lake felt more like a light green. It was fascinating how each lake had such a different vibe.
Bear Lake
Finally, I made it down to the parking lot. At that moment, I was so exhausted that I really debated whether to go to Bear Lake, which was right in front of me.
But since I had come all this way, I felt I would regret it if I just left, so I dragged my heavy legs to Bear Lake. I really just stood there in front of it, zoning out, and only took two pictures. I was so exhausted that I didn’t even have the energy to take more photos… Even though I was tired, Bear Lake was just as beautiful as the other lakes, so if you don’t have the energy to hike, just visiting Bear Lake will still give you a wonderful view, so I highly recommend going.
Bird & Jim
On the first evening, we went to a restaurant called Bird & Jim that I had looked up beforehand. When we entered, it was packed, and I wondered if we would have to wait, but fortunately, there was one seat left, so we could sit right away.
The restaurant’s interior was charmingly decorated and the atmosphere was nice, but I especially liked the sofa because it was comfortable. I ordered Fresh Potato Chips & Onion Dip, Tuna Poke, and Prime Hanger Steak.
First, the Fresh Potato Chips & Onion Dip came out. The chips were a bit salty, but they were still delicious, especially the sauce. Then came the Tuna Poke and Prime Hanger Steak. I thought the Tuna Poke would come with rice, but it came with chips instead. I didn’t read the description properly and just ordered it, so it seems it was chips instead of rice. Anyway, it was very tasty, and it had a strangely Korean flavor, maybe because of the sesame oil. And the Prime Hanger Steak. This was really delicious. The meat was incredibly tender. A chunk of cheese came with it, but it was too greasy for my taste, but the mashed potatoes and the meat were very delicious. I wondered if the portion was a bit small, but it was a very filling and satisfying meal.
Bird & Jim
Boulder Brook on Fall River
The accommodation sends a text with the door code at 3:45 PM, so there’s no need for a separate check-in. You can check in anytime after 4 PM. When I made the reservation, it mentioned that the area around this accommodation is very dark, so it advised bringing a flashlight, and it really was dark. But it wasn’t just this accommodation; the entire Estes Park area was quite dark, and the streetlights were very dim, making it feel even darker as time went on.
I was too tired to take a picture of the bathroom, but there was a large spa bathtub inside, which made showering convenient. My brother enjoyed the spa at the end and was satisfied.
I turned on the fireplace and it was nice and warm. It was incredibly quiet around, and when I lay down to sleep, I couldn’t hear a single sound. The neighborhood itself was very quiet, so I was able to sleep soundly. However, if you ask me whether I would book again next time, I think the price is a bit high compared to the accommodation. It might be because Labor Day was included, but at this price, I think I will book somewhere else in advance next time.
Boulder Brook on Fall River
This trip was so enjoyable, from the first early morning hike to the stunning Trail Ridge Road, that I want to go again. I hope this helps those planning a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park, and I will conclude Rocky Mountain National Park Part 2 here.
