Intro | High Lakes | Day Hikes | Overnight Camping | Park Streams | Local Amenities | Greenbacks | Map (3 MB .pdf)

Day Hikes
Most fly fishers day-hike to the high lakes of RMNP. If you are in reasonably good shape and travel light, you can easily make a 5-mile hike in two hours. If you leave the trailhead at sunrise or earlier, you can be lakeside before the morning sun hits the water and have all day to fish. The park headquarters are 7,840 feet above sea level and many of the lakes are at between 9,500 and 11,000 feet, so expect a steep hike on any excursion.

To reach the best backcountry lakes, expect a 4- to 6-mile hike with a steep elevation gain of 2,000 feet or more. The fish average 8 to 12 inches but larger trout (below) are possible..

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Fern, Sandbeach, and Ouzel lakes are excellent greenback lakes less than 5 miles from a trailhead, but the hikes are steep. Fern Lake is also a popular day hike for nonanglers, and around lunchtime you may see hikers having a picnic. If your wife enjoys the outdoors but doesn't like to fish, these lakes are perfect places for her on a warm summer afternoon.

From the Glacier Gorge trailhead, Mills Lake, The Loch, Glass Lake, and Sky Pond are all good fishing lakes with spectacular views. The trail to Sky Pond is one of the most scenic hikes in RMNP. It passes two waterfalls--Alberta and Timberline--and ends at a high cirque fringed by Taylor Glacier and the jagged spires of Taylor Peak. The fishing is the dessert after a fine meal of spectacular hiking. The deep pools of Glacier Creek upstream of The Loch are also worth fishing.

Bring fleece and waterproof jackets on any trip to the high country. The Denver weather forecast is meaningless at places like Thunder or Hayden lakes, where it can be 40 degrees and windy while it is 90 degrees and sunny in Denver.

Hiking at higher altitudes increases the chance of dehydration, severe sunburn, mountain sickness (headaches, nausea, dizziness), and the aggravation of pre-existing medical conditions. If you begin to feel sick or experience any physical problems descend to lower elevations.

Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the park. When black clouds roll in, stop fishing, put down your rod, and take cover below the treeline until the storm passes.

Always hike with a buddy, and let someone know where you'll be hiking and fishing, and when you are expected to return. Cell phones have limited coverage in the park so don't expect them to work.

Greenback cutthroat trout (above) are one of the rare jewels of the Rockies.

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Bring twice as much food as you think you need for a day trip and at least 64 ounces of water to prevent dehydration. Water is heavy, and filter systems are too slow when I'm really thirsty, so I use Aquamira water treatment drops (or similar). It's a tasteless treatment that allows me to drink as much stream or lake water as I want without carrying water on the trail.

Footwear is the other most important factor you should consider. Wear two pairs of socks. The liner socks should be thin, tight, synthetic material that wicks moisture outward. This layer serves as a buffer. Think of it as an extra layer of skin because if you don't wear it, you'll sacrifice your own skin with blisters.

The outer sock should be thick and cushioning like heavyweight Capilene or SmartWool to help protect your feet at friction points including the back of your heel or the outside of your big toe. A two-sock system protects against blisters even when your shoes are soaked from wading. I wear lightweight hikers with a stiff sole and aggressive tread. In most cases, the trails are smooth and well maintained, and you don't need heavy, ankle-high hiking boots. Waders are too bulky and heavy to be worth the effort for a day trip, and are also impractical for overnight trips when you also must pack a tent, sleeping bag, and food.

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Ross Purnell is the editorial director of Fly Fisherman magazine. He used to live near RMNP in Fort Collins, Colorado, and now lives in Pennsylvania.

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