Dream Lake, Colorado, United States
5.0 (66 reviews) Spent Ranking #14 in Rocky Mountain National Park Bodies of Water
Very crowded but very scenic
This is the middle lake in the Emerald Lake Trail triad. It is gorgeous, clear water (you can see fish ) and very scenic — great views of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain. It is also very easy to get to — 1.1 miles on the trail with 425 feet of elevation rise. We hiked in the morning and the lake and the train near were very crowded — tons of people taking selfies and group pics. It did not get better on our way back from Emerald Lake, the final lake, which was 0.7 miles away up the trail.
Address
, Colorado, United States.
Website
http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails.com/dream-lake.htm
Current local date and time now
Thursday, May 09, 2024, 20:37
User Ratings
5.0 based on (66 reviews)
Excellent
87%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Reviews
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5CraftBeers 5:00 PM Aug 11, 2020
Stop #3 on this four lake hike - take in the views and enjoy the day
Read this review in conjunction with Bear Lake Trailhead. It explains park access, parking, reservations and available trails. Dream Lake is the third stop on a four lake hike that begins with Bear Lake at the ranger station and parking lot. All four lakes require a one-way 1.8 mile hike. Dream is at the 1.1 mile marker or another .6 miles past the Nymph Lake the second stop. The climb changes to moderately challenging. It's a steady upward progress without any real hard climbs. There are a couple of tiny water falls that are great photo ops along the way. The number of people start to thin out with this section of the hike. Half the people hiking wear masks while the other half turn away as they pass you. Some even stop and step off the trail to keep a six foot distance. Dream Lake is spectacular. I think Emerald lake, which is the next and last stop, is better. However, this is worth the hike. The clear water reflects the mountain slopes covered in pines and evergreens. The flat path around the edge is serene and beautiful. I'd sit here for several minutes taking in the view. You might even want to have lunch here if you packed it. Emerald Lake is more breath taking, but it's colder and windy too.
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5Becky D 5:00 PM Jan 13, 2023
Great Mix of Challenging and Rewarding
I’m not an experienced hiker, and this hike was just the right amount of challenging and rewarding for me. This is the second to last stop on a chain of lakes hike in RMNP that starts at Bear Lake. It requires a decent amount of stamina but it’s a beautiful and rewarding hike. I highly recommend bringing water and a snack to enjoy at the lake before making the hike back because you’ll burn a ton of calories on the way up and arrive hungry for more than the gorgeous views. In my opinion this hike is suitable for most ages. Plan on spending 2-4 hours on this hike depending on the speed and number of stops you decide on. Also, be aware that you need park reservations to get into RMNP and also that you need special reservations for this area because it’s so popular.
