Best Easy Day Hikes Rocky Mountain N.P. details 36 of the best day hikes that lead to some of Rocky Mountain's most scenic destinations.
National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map for Rocky Mountain National Park contains detailed topographic information, clearly marked trails, recreational points of interest, and navigational aids.
Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park: The Essential Guide covers nearly 200 miles of trails. Each hike includes color photos, custom maps, elevation profiles and descriptions.
Rocky Mountain National Park Hiking Trails by Difficulty Rating
Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park can be quite challenging, and hiking a trail above your fitness level can make for a less than enjoyable day while out on the trail. Below is a list of hiking trails in Rocky Mountain National Park based on difficulty rating, and ranked from easiest to hardest hikes. This list is intended to help hikers find a trail that's best suited to their abilities.Difficulty Rating Defined: a difficulty rating of less than 5 is generally considered to be an easy hike. Between 5 and 10 is moderate, and anything over 10 is considered to be a strenuous hike. For a more detailed explanation on difficulty ratings while hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, please click here.
By clicking on any of the trail names below you'll find more detailed information for each hike, including trail descriptions, directions, key features, pictures, elevation profiles and maps.
R/T on the table heading below stands for total round trip mileage.
To get a general idea on the location of any hiking trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, please check out our RMNP map page.
| Trail Name | General Location | Trail Features | RT Miles | Elevation Gain | Difficulty Rating |
| Lily Lake Loop | Longs Peak | Scenic Lake Views, Wildflowers | 0.8 | 10 | 0.82 |
| Bear Lake Loop | Bear Lake Road | Scenic Lake Views, Fall Aspens | 0.8 | 45 | 0.89 |
| Sprague Lake Loop | Bear Lake Road | Outstanding Lake Views | 0.9 | 10 | 0.92 |
| Copeland Falls | Wild Basin | Waterfalls | 0.9 | 75 | 1.01 |
| Alpine Ridge Trail | Alpine Visitor Center | Panoramic Views, Wildflowers | 0.6 | 209 | 1.02 |
| Coyote Valley Trail | West Side | Scenic Views, Wildlife | 1.0 | 15 | 1.03 |
| Lake Irene | Alpine Visitor Center | Lake, Scenic Views | 0.9 | 95 | 1.09 |
| Adams Falls | West Side | Waterfalls, Fall Aspens | 0.9 | 113 | 1.13 |
| Holzwarth Historic Site | West Side | Historic Structures, Scenic Views | 1.3 | 70 | 1.44 |
| Tundra Communities Trail | Alpine Visitor Center | Outstanding views, Alpine Tundra | 1.1 | 175 | 1.45 |
| Nymph Lake | Bear Lake Road | Lake Views, Fall Aspens | 1.1 | 245 | 1.55 |
| Lily Ridge Loop | Longs Peak | Scenic Lake Views, Wildflowers | 1.2 | 200 | 1.60 |
| Alberta Falls | Bear Lake Road | Waterfalls, Fall Aspens | 1.7 | 200 | 2.06 |
| Dream Lake | Bear Lake Road | Outstanding Lake Views, Wildflowers | 2.2 | 450 | 3.14 |
| East Meadow | West Side | Scenic Views, Waterfalls, Wildlife | 2.8 | 235 | 3.27 |
| Bierstadt Lake | Bear Lake Road | Lake Views, Fall Aspens | 2.4 | 675 | 3.75 |
| The Pool | Estes Park | Stream, Fall Aspens, Wildflowers | 3.4 | 205 | 3.81 |
| Aspenglen Loop | Estes Park | Mountain Views, Wildlife, Wildflowers | 3.0 | 425 | 3.85 |
| Eugenia Mine | Longs Peak | History, Pleasant Forest Hike | 2.8 | 540 | 3.88 |
| Chasm Falls | Estes Park | Waterfalls | 2.8 | 585 | 3.97 |
| Bierstadt Lake Loop | Bear Lake Road | Scenic Lake Views, Fall Aspens, Forest | 3.2 | 725 | 4.65 |
| Ute Trail | Alpine Visitor Center | Outstanding Views, Alpine Tundra | 4.0 | 405 | 4.81 |
| Calypso Cascades | Wild Basin | Waterfalls | 3.6 | 610 | 4.82 |
| Emerald Lake | Bear Lake Road | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Views, Wildflowers, | 3.5 | 650 | 4.84 |
| Little Horseshoe Park Loop | Estes Park | Panoramic Views, Wildlife, Wildflowers | 3.9 | 472 | 4.84 |
| Moraine Park Loop | Estes Park | Panoramic Views, Wildlife | 4.8 | 120 | 5.04 |
| Big Meadows | West Side | Scenic views, Meadows, Wildflowers | 3.6 | 740 | 5.08 |
| Gem Lake | Estes Park | Panoramic Views, Lake, Wildflowers, Fall Apens | 3.5 | 1,000 | 5.50 |
| Lake Haiyaha | Bear Lake Road | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Views | 3.9 | 865 | 5.63 |
| Bierstadt Lake (via Bear Lake) | Bear Lake Road | Scenic Lake Views, Fall Aspens | 4.4 | 630 | 5.66 |
| Cub Lake | Estes Park | Lake Views, Fall Aspens, Wildlife | 4.8 | 570 | 5.94 |
| Forest Canyon Pass | Alpine Visitor Center | Panoramic Views, Wildflowers | 4.8 | 600 | 6.00 |
| Lily Mountain | Longs Peak | Panoramic Views | 4.0 | 1,180 | 6.36 |
| Fern Falls | Estes Park | Waterfalls, Fall Aspens, Wildflowers | 5.2 | 700 | 6.60 |
| Mills Lake | Bear Lake Road | Outstanding Lake Views, Waterfalls | 5.3 | 780 | 6.84 |
| Upper Beaver Meadows Loop | Estes Park | Scenic Views, Fall Aspens, Wildlife | 5.0 | 935 | 6.87 |
| Poudre River Trail | Alpine Visitor Center | Scenic Views, River, Wildlife | 6.0 | 475 | 6.95 |
| Ouzel Falls | Wild Basin | Waterfalls, Wildflowers | 5.4 | 870 | 7.14 |
| West Creek Falls | Estes Park | Waterfalls, Wildflowers | 4.4 | 1,400 | 7.20 |
| Cascade Falls | West Side | Waterfalls, Wildlife, Wildflowers | 6.8 | 430 | 7.66 |
| Four Lakes Loop | Bear Lake Road | Scenic Lake Views, Waterfalls, Fall Aspens | 5.6 | 1,030 | 7.66 |
| The Loch | Bear Lake Road | Outstanding Lake Views, Waterfalls | 5.7 | 1,040 | 7.74 |
| Bridal Veil Falls | Estes Park | Waterfall, Fall Aspens, Wildflowers, Wildlife | 6.2 | 990 | 8.18 |
| Peak 12,150 | Alpine Visitor Center | Outstanding Views | 5.6 | 1410 | 8.42 |
| Deer Mountain | Estes Park | Panoramic Views | 6.2 | 1,210 | 8.62 |
| Lulu City | West Side | Historic, Scenic Views | 7.4 | 660 | 8.72 |
| Lake Helene | Bear Lake Road | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Views | 6.5 | 1,340 | 9.18 |
| Estes Cone (via Longs Peak) | Longs Peak | Panoramic Views, History | 6.5 | 1,790 | 10.08 |
| Green Mountain-Onahu Creek Loop | West Side | Scenic Views, Meadows, Wildflowers | 7.5 | 1300 | 10.10 |
| Fern Lake | Estes Park | Scenic Lake Views, Fall Aspens, Wildflowers | 7.6 | 1,400 | 10.40 |
| Timberline Falls | Bear Lake Road | Waterfalls, Outstanding Lake Views | 8.1 | 1,510 | 11.12 |
| Boulder Brook Loop | Bear Lake Road | Waterfalls, Scenic Views, Fall Aspens | 8.6 | 1,510 | 11.62 |
| Bear Lake to Fern Lake TH | Bear Lake Road | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Views | 9.2 | 1,230 | 11.66 |
| Twin Sisters Peak | Longs Peak | Outstanding views, Fall Aspens | 7.0 | 2,475 | 11.95 |
| Estes Cone (via Lily Lake) | Longs Peak | Panoramic Views | 7.5 | 2,275 | 12.05 |
| Finch Lake | Wild Basin | Lake Views, Fall Aspens | 8.6 | 1,850 | 12.30 |
| Spruce Lake | Estes Park | Lake Views, Fall Aspens, Waterfalls | 9.0 | 1,675 | 12.35 |
| Black Lake | Bear Lake Road | Outstanding Views, Alpine Lake, Waterfalls | 9.6 | 1,480 | 12.56 |
| Sky Pond | Bear Lake Road | Outstanding Views, Alpine Lake, Waterfalls | 9.0 | 1,780 | 12.60 |
| Granite Falls | West Side | Waterfall, Scenic Views, Wildflowers | 10.4 | 1120 | 12.64 |
| Odessa Lake (via Bear Lake) | Bear Lake Road | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Views | 8.9 | 1,900 | 12.68 |
| Sandbeach Lake | Wild Basin | Outstanding Lake Views, Fall Aspens | 8.8 | 2,020 | 12.84 |
| Shadow Mountain Lookout | West Side | Panoramic Views, History | 9.6 | 1,635 | 12.87 |
| Odessa Lake (via Fern Lake TH) | Estes Park | Outstanding Lake Views, Fall Aspens, Wildflowers | 9.5 | 1,890 | 13.28 |
| Hollowell Park Loop | Bear Lake Road | Scenic Views, Lake Views, Solitude | 10.2 | 1630 | 13.46 |
| Chasm Lake | Longs Peak | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Panoramic Views | 8.5 | 2,500 | 13.50 |
| Ouzel Lake | Wild Basin | Subalpine Lake, Scenic Views, Waterfalls | 10.2 | 1,695 | 13.59 |
| Ypsilon Lake | Estes Park | Lake Views, Waterfalls | 9.0 | 2,380 | 13.76 |
| Andrews Tarn (Glacier) | Bear Lake Road | Alpine Lake, Glacier | 9.3 | 2,300 | 13.90 |
| Lone Pine Lake | West Side | Scenic Lake Views, Waterfalls, Wildlife | 11.0 | 1,625 | 14.25 |
| Chapin / Chiquita / Ypsilon | Alpine Visitor Center | Outstanding Panoramic Views | 8.3 | 3,100 | 14.48 |
| Mt. Ida | Alpine Visitor Center | Outstanding Views | 9.6 | 2465 | 14.53 |
| Flattop Mountain | Bear Lake Road | Outstanding Views | 8.9 | 2,850 | 14.60 |
| Timber Lake | West Side | Subalpine Lake, Meadows, Wildflowers | 10.4 | 2,120 | 14.64 |
| Battle Mountain | Longs Peak | Outstanding Views, Fall Aspens | 9.7 | 2,639 | 14.98 |
| Lumpy Ridge Loop | Estes Park | Outstanding Views, Wildflowers, Fall Aspens | 11.0 | 2,475 | 15.95 |
| Parika Lake | West Side | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Views, Wildflowers | 11.1 | 2,510 | 16.12 |
| Thunder Lake | Wild Basin | Subalpine Lake, Outstanding Views | 11.6 | 2,275 | 16.15 |
| Hallett Peak | Bear Lake Road | Outstanding Views | 10.3 | 3,240 | 16.78 |
| Baker Pass | West Side | Outstanding Panoramic Views | 12.1 | 2,400 | 16.90 |
| Lion Lake No. 1 | Wild Basin | Subalpine Lake, Outstanding Views | 12.1 | 2,675 | 17.45 |
| Lawn Lake | Estes Park | Subalpine Lake, Outstanding Views | 12.6 | 2,490 | 17.58 |
| Bluebird Lake | Wild Basin | Alpine Lake, Outstanding views | 12.6 | 2,490 | 17.58 |
| Lake Verna | West Side | Scenic Lake Views, Waterfalls, Wildlife | 13.8 | 1,975 | 17.75 |
| Pear Lake | Wild Basin | Alpine Lake, Outstanding Views, Fall Aspens | 12.8 | 2,575 | 17.95 |
| Baker Pass-Parika Lake Loop | West Side | Outstanding Panoramic Views, Alpine Lake | 13.5 | 2,625 | 18.75 |
| Keyhole on Longs Peak | Longs Peak | Outstanding views, Fall Aspens | 12.4 | 3,825 | 20.05 |