A scenic paved road to the alpine Bear Lake in Colorado
Usa, north-america
14.96 km
2.505 m
easy
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're cruising along Bear Lake Road in Colorado, heading towards a postcard-perfect alpine lake nestled at 9,491 feet! This gem is tucked away in Rocky Mountain National Park, just a hop, skip, and a jump – 13 miles to be exact – southwest of Estes Park.
The road itself? A smooth, paved dream that was revamped back in 2012 with wider lanes and a fresh route. You'll start your ascent from US-36 at 8,218 feet, climbing almost 1,273 feet over 9.3 miles. It's a pretty gentle climb, with an average gradient of around 2.6%.
Now, a heads up: this place is popular! Over 2 million visitors flock here annually. During summer, especially weekends, the parking lot fills up faster than you can say "mountain vista" – think before 9 AM! But hey, at least there are restrooms close by for summer visitors.
Bear Lake Road is generally open all year round, and they keep it plowed, but keep an eye on the weather, especially in spring and fall. Things can change quickly up there. Word is, Bear Lake totally freezes over in winter, making for some seriously stunning scenery. So, are you ready for the ride of your life?
Where is it?
A scenic paved road to the alpine Bear Lake in Colorado is located in Usa (north-america). Coordinates: 41.8686, -98.8164
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 14.96 km
- Max Elevation
- 2.505 m
- Difficulty
- easy
- Coordinates
- 41.8686, -98.8164
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