Lily Lake, Colorado, United States
4.5 (365 reviews) Spent Ranking #9 in Rocky Mountain National Park Bodies of Water
Always Beautiful Lily Lake
Lily Lake is always beautiful but due to the apparent drought the area has been experiencing, it is several feet down from what one would normally see in the spring and early summer months. There are restrooms available and parking at the lake and also across the road. There are several trails to walk. We especially like the one that encircles the lake. It's an easy walk so almost anyone could do it. There are benches available with beautiful views of the lake if you need a break in your trek. The lake is part of Rocky Mountain National Park which due to the Pandemic is requiring visitors to make reservations at a cost of $2.00 per day to access the park in order to keep crowds at a minimum. There was a sign at Lily Lake indicating that the reservation was required to visit the lake. There was no one on duty to check for reservations so people were just walking in.
Address
South Saint Vrain Ave/Hwy 7 Rocky Mountain National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO 80517
Mobile
Website
https://www.nps.gov/romo/lily
Current local date and time now
Thursday, May 09, 2024, 16:02
User Ratings
4.5 based on (365 reviews)
Reviews
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5_glbetrkkr_ 5:00 PM Sep 21, 2020
what a view
It's no Jenny Lake, but still, what a wonderful way to spend several hours. It's about a 30-40 minute drive from Estes Park. There is limited parking, but plenty of shoulder parking on the road. The walk around the perimeter of the lake is flat and easy. I recommend going on the trail, though, for swoon-worthy views of the lake and mountains. Fortunately, the trail is well-paved so you just need a good pair of shoes and an intrepid spirit. I spent a good three hours hiking, as well as pausing to absorb all of the natural beauty. There are picnic tables at the entrance of the park; who needs TV when you have the lake as your background? It wasn't terribly crowded when I arrived (around noon) so there's plenty of opportunity to social distance. Half of the patrons wore masks. Admittedly, I took mine off when I knew nobody was around me, but I would put it on with passersby. Climbing at that elevation can make one winded! Lily Lake came as a recommendation from one of the rangers at RMNP. I learned we needed reservations to enter RMNP. Alas, I didn't have any, but she gave me a list of nearby places I could explore. RMNP does open up to the public after 5 pm. It certainly helped to kill the hours, and am thankful I came to this beautiful spot. Highly recommend.
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5Kim K 5:00 PM Aug 30, 2022
Accessible to all, beautiful lake
We did visited this lake trail on our 2nd day in the afternoon. It was after 3 p.m. when we arrived and we did find a spot to park. There wasn't anyone there to look at our park passes so not sure if you need them or not, since this is actually accessed off a public road and not inside the park. The trail around the lake is flat, however there is Lily Lake Trailhead that takes you up the mountain and gives you amazing views. If you are able, definitely do that.
