Lawn Lake Hike

The Lawn Lake Trail is a stimulating adventure that reveals the devastating impacts of the dam failure all those years ago. Exhibiting diverse terrain, this hike will guide you through boulder fields, along the riverbanks, through lodgepole pine forests and up to the lake which sits in the foreground of the Front Range’s snow-dusted peaks. If you are venturing this path in the autumn or winter, ensure to wear microspikes or snowshoes to help navigate the icy and snowy terrain. Note that visitors are required to purchase a Rocky Mountain National Park pass to utilize the trails.

Embark on your adventure up to Lawn Lake from the trailhead off the Old Fall River Road. From here, the Lawn Lake Trail tracks a set of switchbacks before heading northwest to the Alluvial Fan. Explore the boulder field before hiking up to Horsetooth Falls. Enjoy the scenery of the Roaring River cascading over the granite boulders before merging back onto the path. Eventually, you will meet an intersection with the Ypsilon Lake Trail, keep right along the Lawn Lake Trail. Ascend the path as it follows the curves of the Roaring River. You will pass several dispersed campsites before encountering another junction. This intersection with the Black Canyon Trail reveals expansive views of the Mummy Range.

Keep left and the Lawn Lake Trail will deliver you to the crystalline lake. Revel in the scenery of the lake and encompassing peaks. There are designated dispersed campsites along the shore if you have your gear to stay overnight! If not, simply retrace your steps down the path to the trailhead.