Gem Lake

Access to this picturesque lake's shore is provided by a relatively easy trail, traveling at a lower altitude.

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Gem Lake Details

Access to this picturesque lake's shore is provided by a relatively easy trail that heads through a ponderosa pine forest, traveling at a lower altitude than most trails in Rocky Mountain National Pak, and therefore becoming very hot, sunny, and exposed during the peak of summer. The trail contains few steep sections, and spends most of its length following a small valley lined with quaking aspen and chokecherry. Along the way are fantastic views of Estes Park and Lumpy Ridge, including the massive, bulging rock formations known as the Twin Owls and Hens and Chickens. Measuring a mere 5 feet in depth, Gem Lake seems hardly worthy of its name, but what it lacks in depth it makes up in beauty. Surrounded by an amphitheater of 40-foot granite walls, the lake features a sand beach shaded by aspen, pine, spruce, and firs.

Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

1.6 miles

Estimated time

1 hour

Region

N/A