Stay … The hike is most often started at Bear Lake due to shorter hiking distance and more established trail. Lake Haiyaha is quite a steep trail but well worth the amazing alpine lake nestled into a panoramic mountain cirque! The Lawn Lake trail climbs to a pair of beautiful alpine lakes (Lawn Lake and Crystal Lake) along the course of the Roaring River. No spam. From Emerald Lake, retrace your steps back down to the Lake Haiyaha and Dream Lake junction and follow the trail to the right towards Lake Haiyaha. Lake Haiyaha – 3.9mi / 6.3km This gorgeous lake sits in the surreal boulder fields of Chaos Canyon. From the junction, the trail takes us south and we flank Hallet Peak. To the left is the short but steep ascent to Mills Lake (0.6 mi.). No horses are allowed beyond this point. The hike up to Lake Haiyaha shares a trail with that of Nymph, Dream, + Emerald Lakes, only splitting to the left a mere 100 yards from Dream Lake. Just beyond the Beaver Meadows entrance station, turn left onto Bear Lake Road. 5 backcountry sites along the trail before the Lake. Want to find more amazing hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park? The trail to Haiyaha Lake is one of the most popular trails in the state if not all of the National Parks. This will add an additional 1 mile roundtrip to the hike. Follow the sign with directions to Lake Haiyaha at the foot of Dream Lake. 9. Lake Haiyaha has some good fishing and just above the lake … 9. Print Trail The Lake Haiyaha Trail is located 8.9 miles from Estes Park, Colorado (CO) in Rocky Mountain National Park. This hike starts at the crowded Bear Lake trailhead but you can ditch the bulk of the less adventurous hikers by heading straight for Lake Haiyaha. 8. After continuing on the trail for approximately another .5 mile, hikers will reach a trail split. Trail Description: The trail to Lake Haiyaha follows the Emerald Lake trail from the Bear Lake parking lot. Lake Haiyaha is accessed from the Bear Lake Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. 0 2. From the Bear Lake Trailhead, hikers will reach Nymph Lake at .5 mile in. Download the free Mchenrys Peak topo map. Located 28 miles northwest of Boulder Colorado. Follow the Emerald Lake Trail for 0.5 miles to Nymph Lake, and then another 0.6 miles to a junction with the Lake Haiyaha Trail at Dream Lake. The trail crosses three small footbridges in quick succession just past an opening in the forest along a south-facing slope. The trail to lake Haiyaha hugs the right shore of the lake before climbing up in elevation as the trail traverses along the steep mountainside. Eventually, the ‘social’ trails will reconvene into a single well-defined trail that traverses around the slope above a small cliff band. Upon reaching Dream Lake, the trail moves up a southward slope, into the Chaos Canyon drainage, and arrives at Lake Haiyaha, located at the timberline along Chaos Creek. It's breathtaking. Less trafficked than emerald lake, I visited it a year ago. The trail to Lake Haiyaha is located on your way to Bear Lake, off to the left, just before reaching the shore viewing area of Bear Lake. Lake Haiyaha can alternatively be reached via the Bear Lake Trailhead (3.9 miles roundtrip). The trail from Bear Lake Trailhead to Emerald Lake is quite popular. The Lake Haiyaha hike can be connected into a larger loop connecting Dream Lake with the Glacier Gorge Trail towards The Loch. Due to the extreme popularity of the area you may want to consider using the free park shuttle to reach the trailhead during peak tourist season. Lake Haiyaha Trail - Rocky Mountain NP - Located 4.1 miles away, on the Mchenrys Peak Topo Map Chasm Lake Trail - Rocky Mountain NP - Located 4.3 miles away, on the Longs Peak Topo Map Deer Ridge Trail - Rocky Mountain NP - Located 4.4 miles away, on the Estes Park Topo Map The river shows the massive damage caused by a dam failure in 1982 that claimed the lives of three campers. You can either follow the tracks through the snowfield or you can follow an alternative track that heads straight up the mountainside, avoiding the snowfield all together. Chaos Creek exits Lake Haiyaha from its northeast corner; those with good navigational skills can follow it a very short distance down valley to the seldom visited, Those seeking a comparably long dayhike with more points of interest can create a 6 mile loop by starting at the. This trail stands a head above in terms of ecological variety, accessibility, and kid friendliness. Hallet Peak (12,713') and Otis Peak (12,486') stand over Lake Haiyaha on the Continental Divide; the glacier between them carved out this canyon millennia ago, churning and depositing boulders throughout the basin: The Loch Vale Trail rises steadily through young aspen and mixed pine to Alberta Falls (.85 miles : 9,423'). At times, it will be teeming with risen fish rather easy to … The trail gradually climbs until Alberta falls, which you’ll reach after 1.2km. Lake Haiyaha's (3.45 miles : 10,221') shore is guarded by large boulders and talus, requiring nimble feet and minor scrambling to move about. The snow made everything looked so fluffy. For our journey to Lake Haiyaha, we have to backtrack 0.6 miles, down past Dream Lake to Glacier Trail Junction, where the trail crosses Tyndall Creek. Sit on rocks along the edge of the peaceful lake and enjoy the stunning scenery. This has got to be one of the most beautiful places on earth! From Estes Park, take the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station entrance into the park. Despite its unmaintained classification the trail is fairly well defined and easy to follow (remain vigilant as snow, overgrowth, or animal tracks can obscure the path). After hiking for about a 1.6km, the trail will split. Take a few steps off trail into clearings by the pond for good views of the Continental Divide. Once you reach Lake Haiyaha prepare yourself for breathtaking scenery. Stay right here and follow the path for ~0.25 miles to the southeastern shore of Lake Haiyaha (~1.9 miles from the trailhead). The trail climbs steeply up the north aspect of the mountain slope. (Grab a trail map from a ranger as it will come in handy.) After hiking 2.4km, you’ll reach the Mills Lake intersection. 8 4. This trail will take you past Lake Haiyaha. 0. The hike to Mills Lake is an easy, busy trail that is perfect for a family walk, or you can…, The Bluebird Lake hike is in the lesser known Wild Basin area of RMNP. It was nice to veer off on the trail to Lake Haiyaha which is much less traveled, The views of the Bear Lake area and Morraine Valley are quite spectacular as you make the tough ascent to the lake. The trail is roughly 4 miles round trip up pretty easy terrain. It follows the same main trail that leads hikers up to both Nymph and Dream Lakes. 3. The hike to Lake Haiyaha begins at the Bear Lake Trailhead. This is a very finicky lake to fish. The trail begins alongside Bear Lake and climbs westward towards Tyndall Gorge, passing Nymph Lake along the way. Bear left and ascend the trail up a steep spruce- and fir-covered mountainside to Haiyaha Lake. Go straight for Loch Vale (0.8 mi. Snowshoeing to Lake Haiyaha. Stay on the main trail, staying to the right and then make a left at the next intersection that shortly follows, following the signs for Alberta Falls. 8. About 0.1 miles past this is the junction with the Lake Haiyaha Trail (right) and the trail leading down towards Glacier Gorge (left). The two peaks that stand out from all the other ones are the Otis Peak (3806m)  on your left and the Hallet Peak (3875m) on your right. Directions to Trailhead. Beginning at Bear Lake; Alberta Falls – @ .8 miles; Glacier Gorge Junction – @ 1.7 miles; Loch Vale/Haiyaha Junction – @ 2.2 miles Lake Haiyaha – @ 4.3 miles Worth the effort. The trail was built between 1930 and 1935 by landscape architect Allison van V. Dunn of the National Park Service. Perfect view of the lake with the beautiful mountains on the back. 8 3. As you wrap around the mountain, Longs Peak will become visible off in the distance. It’s about 1 mile (1.6 km) from Dream Lake to Lake Haiyaha, but it was slow going in the winter so it felt much longer. Elev. This is a fantastic loop option. This moderate trail switchbacks trough a dense pine forest and offers some amazing views of the Glacier Basin area. More on Lake Haiyaha trail... Nymph Lake. Once you arrive at Nymph Lake, about a half-mile from the trailhead, you’ll be able to see the top of Hallett Peak which is also the direction towards Dream Lake and Emerald Lake. Follow the sign with directions to Lake Haiyaha at the foot of Dream Lake. See the Dream Lake trail description for details. Become a Contributor at 10Adventures and share your adventures! 7 1. Lake Haiyaha Trail Area. This section of steep trail is not well defined and is more of a ‘social’ trail finding the path of least resistance. As you reach Haiyaha Lake, you will notice that the shoreline is quite rugged. Add 0.1 miles to trail distance. The trail is shorter, has less elevation gain and is fully maintained. It makes a hairpin turn west (left) over the third bridge (2.9 miles : 10,065') and steepens up uneven switchbacks to the Lake Haiyaha - Dream Lake Trail split (3.2 miles : 10,184'). The Glacier Gorge Trailhead is located on the left side of the road and has limited parking. There are huge boulders circling the whole lake – with an obvious reward in the middle of Chaos Canyon. Emerald Lake, Lake Haiyaha and Alberta Falls Loop Trail map, courtesy of the National Park Service The trailhead starts from the western end of the parking lot. Beautiful hike and many lakes with generous views. The trail branches off just before reaching Dream Lake and rises to a switchback and around a ridge with more terrific views of the Glacier Gorge and Longs Peak. Lake Haiyaha is also accessible from Glacier Gorge Trailhead by hiking nearly 2 miles to where the trails to Mills Lake and Loch Vale split. Bear Lake Trailhead – Dream Lake, and Lake Haiyaha | 3.9 Miles One Way. This trail is breath taking and worth every mile. In between the two magnificent mountains is the Chaos Canyon. Compare elevation, range, calories and other trail … Expect rough footing on the final .25 mile approach, especially under winter conditions. The trail climbs steeply up the north aspect of the mountain slope. From Estes Park, take highway 36 west and enter RMNP at the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station. Trail Map | Photo Gallery. Lake Haiyaha Trail is a 1.06 mile one way hike with 451 feet accumulated elevation gain. A moderate climb continues to the North Longs Peak Trail split (1.6 miles : 9,768'), where it banks southwest and levels through a narrow gorge between Thatchtop Mountain (12,668') and the Glacier Knobs. Will not show on comments list. The hike to Lake Haiyaha is a classic trail which offers you breathtaking rewards in exchange for your hard effort. Just before reaching Dream Lake, the trail to Lake Haiyaha branches left (south), and begins a climb of about 3/10 mile up the side of Hallett Peak. Trail Map Anticipate more traffic, however, as much of the route is shared by those venturing to Dream and Emerald Lakes. I couldn't ask for more. Round trip gets 4.67 miles under your feet and, according to my Garmin … Note: It is extremely important not to feed, approach, or disturb wildlife within the park. Due to the extreme popularity of the area you may want to consider using the free park shuttle to reach the trailhead during peak tourist season. The trail reaches an outdated 'End of Trail' / directional sign for Haiyaha near a small pond (2.6 miles : 9,880'); simply follow the sign's guidance and continue on. Beautiful lake. Follow the road for about 16.1km until it ends at the Bear Lake Trailhead. Lake Haiyaha. As with any loop, this can be hiked clockwise or counter clockwise. August and June are the best Warning: number_format() expects parameter 1 to be float, string given in /var/www/10Adventures/version/1608335827/wp-content/themes/adventures/functions.php on line 1361. ), and head right to Lake Haiyaha, 1.9 miles from this point.. 5 1. Even though it is a mere 0.6 miles in length and does not gain any notable altitude, views of Hallet and Longs Peak abound, and early birds are especially privileged to enjoy breathtaking reflections of these jagged behemoth mountains reflected in the morning calm of the subalpine lake. Both paths reconnect and continue towards Lake Haiyaha. From Steve Schweitzer's A Fly Fishing Guide To Rocky Mountain National Park, flyfishingrmnp.com: Lake Haiyaha is only one of two lakes in the Park that have Yellowstone cutthroat. 6 5. For those who would like to make the trail longer, you can return for (m) to a junction with the Glacier Gorge trail and hike an extra (1.6km) to the Glacier Knobs and from there you can follow a trail to The Loch, which is a beautiful mountain tarn situated in a peaceful corner of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Look for summer raspberries amid the boulders. It’s truly an amazing sight. Lake Haiyaha is accessible from two popular trailheads in Rocky Mountain National Park: The Bear Lake Trailhead provides a maintained and more direct route, while the Glacier Gorge Trailhead follows a longer, slightly more challenging one that includes 1.3 miles of unimproved trail. Rocky Mountain National Park Visitor Information: 970.586.1206. You will know you are getting close when the trail opens up to a boulder field where you will navigate to the beginning of Lake Haiyaha. The unimproved trail undulates - abruptly at times - through a busy subalpine forest. 5. 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