July 22, and once again we were off to Rocky Mountain National Park. This time we headed to the park and ride along the Beaver Meadows Trail to take the free shuttle to the Glacier Gorge Trail Head for a hike to Alberta Falls. The lovely 25-foot high cascade in Glacier Creek is the most popular waterfall in the park. It is also a relatively easy hike along a moderate, well-maintained trail. The distance from the trail head in 0.8 miles. The elevation is 9,180 feet and the elevation gain along the trail is 220 feet. It was a beautiful place to sit and watch the cold ice melt flowing down the mountain.From here we hiked back to the tail head and then headed up to Bear Lake. It was a 0.5 mile hike and as we discovered later a 330 foot gain in elevation!! John kept telling me that it was an easy hike, but I was not convinced... but I made it to the top.. only to find out that I could have gone back to the Glacier Gorge Trail Head and taken the shuttle up to the Bear Lake Trail Head. Oh well, It was a beautiful hike. From here it was a beautiful hike around Bear Lake, a 0.5 mile walk with only a 20 foot gain in elevation! I like that much better! Bear Lake is a beautiful clear lake with Hallet's Peak in the background. The lake has been a success story in the propagation of the native Greenback Trout, which at one time was an endangered fish species.
There is always so much to see and learn here in the park. I think you could spend all summer here and never see or learn it all!We have several more days here and then we are off again... until later.
Candy and Johnny
