Experience the Emerald and Dream Lake Trail without Crowds

Thanks for watching this local guide to the Emerald Lake and Dream Lake trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. The ancestral home of the Ute and Arapahoe people.
Fox in the Forest aims to empower you to get outside. Covering incredible outdoor locations in Colorado, the American Southwest, and Lake Tahoe, I want you to travel like a local, not a tourist.
As always, visit wild spaces responsibly! Always pack out your trash including water bottles, fruit peels, toilet paper, and anything else you bring with you. Leave only footprints.
Follow all closures, fire bans, drone regulations (no drones in Rocky Mountain National Park), and dog rules (dogs are prohibited on unpaved trails in Rocky Mountain National Park).
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✨ Additional Resources ✨
Purchase Your America the Beautiful Annual Parks Pass and enter RMNP at no charge (affiliate link): bit.ly/nationalparkspass2024
Bear Lake Corridor Timed Entry Permit Information: www.recreation.gov/timed-entr...
Camping reservations: www.recreation.gov/camping/ga...
Hiking to Emerald and Dream Lake: bit.ly/emeraldlakermnp
✨ More amazing things to do near Dream Lake and Emerald Lake and how to do them without the crowds:
The Local Guide to Rocky Mountain National Park: bit.ly/localguidetorockymount...
Spend the Day at Rocky Mountain National Park: bit.ly/onedayitineraryrmnp
Top hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park: bit.ly/besthikesrockymountainnp
Local Guide to Trail Ridge Road: bit.ly/localguidetrailridgeroad
The Sky Pond Hike: bit.ly/skypondhike
Your Guide to the Cables Route on Longs Peak: bit.ly/cablesroutelongspeak
Practice Leave No Trace: bit.ly/leaveitbetterthanufoundit
Hiking Safely in Colorado: bit.ly/cohikingtips
✨ Discover more about visiting Colorado like a local:
The Ultimate Interactive Guide to Colorado: bit.ly/localcoloradoguide
Local Tips: bit.ly/localcotips
Colorado’s Top Hikes: bit.ly/bestcoloradohikes
The Prettiest Places in Colorado: bit.ly/beautifulcolorado
Alpine lakes in Colorado to add to your bucket list: bit.ly/ColoradoAlpineLakes
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Hand-picked, incredible outdoor gear that keeps you moving: bit.ly/outdoorgearthatrocks
Snag the Colorado Packing List: bit.ly/coloradopackinglist
#rockymountainnationalpark #coloradohikes #coloradotravel #colorado #estespark #estes
✨ Time stamps:
00:00 - intro
1:00 - crowds at Emerald Lake
01:35 - Basic hiking stats for Emerald and Dream Lake
02:15 - Timed Entry Permits for Rocky Mountain National Park Bear Lake Corridor
02:58 - Parking at the Bear Lake Trailhead
03:20 - Beating the crowds at Emerald Lake
06:58 - Other things to do near Dream Lake
07:43 - Safety information and hiking tips
09:10 - outro

[@somedayistodayrv]

Just wonderful. Thanks for sharing the adventure out there!

[@megintheforestoutdoors]

Of course! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@somedayistodayrv]

You are welcome.

[@jouayang5849]

Thank you so much! This was helpful. I’ll be there Monday June 11, you say be there around 4:30am? Would there be any snow left on some trails? Also, how chilly does it get early June? TIA 😊

[@megintheforestoutdoors]

Yes! You will want to arrive a bit before the timed entry starts since the lot will be almost full around 5 am (it's the most popular trailhead in the park).
I can't predict the weather, but in general, the trail SHOULD be mostly snow-free by then (you may have patches of slushy snow, which will be a little firmer and easier to walk through early in the morning) but you shouldn't need snowshoes. Waterproof footwear would be helpful if there's patchy snow.
In terms of the chill factor, I always bring a fleece layer, beanie, wind/lightweight rain layer, and liner gloves when I hike in the mountains - even in summer. That way you'll be prepared for any conditions.
Typically, it's pretty chilly in the mornings, but once the sun hits the trails, it warms up quickly. Layers let you adapt to the changing conditions.
Weather.gov is a great resource for getting accurate, hourly weather. You can type Emerald Lake right into the search bar and get an hourly graph that's helpful for planning. AllTrails is regularly updated for this trail, so you'll also get accurate snow info too! I'd start looking a week before your trip and continue to check conditions up until the night before.
Hope that helps and have fun!