Chasm Lake — Attraction in Estes Park

Everything I saw about this trail stated the trail, out and back, is 8.8 miles long. I tracked half of it at 5 miles (my phone was about to die before turning back), for a total of 10 miles. More than 2,000 miles of elevation gain. The trail is composed of three sections- forest, tundra, and bouldering and took us about 7 hours to complete (including several breaks, lunch, and time to enjoy the lake). All colors of wildflowers line the path along the way along with several gorgeous waterfalls and brooks. Probably the most beautiful and diverse hike I've been on.

This was more difficult than I expected. I read several reviews on AllTrails and knew it would be challenging, but didn't expect this level of difficulty. Also important to note that I'm from the flatland St. Louis area, so my lungs definitely are not acclimated to the high elevation.

The lake at the very end was incredible. It felt like a movie getting there. The very last stretch of the trail takes you to a bouldering section where you must climb to reach the lake. The lake is imperceptible until you climb over the boulders. My sister and I swam in the lake, I would guess the water was 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

HIGHLY recommend starting as early in the day as possible to avoid afternoon thunderstorms. We got caught in one and feared for our lives. 🙃 We made it down safely, but slid quite a bit...

Wow the views are absolutely incredible. This is one of the best hikes we have ever done. First two miles is pretty easy, once you come out of the forest into the ridge be prepared for high and cold winds. We did the hike on October 7th and it was a lot of snow on the last mile. It was extremely windy and cold. Hat, gloves, warm jacket and hiking boots -- must have! When we started approaching the lake, high winds caused rocks and ice chunks to fall down from the top of the mountain. We had to hide behind a big rock. Be very careful on the last...

Chasm Lake is a great adventure that can be grueling but is always worth it. The lake itself is beautiful and I love doing it at sunrise due to the way the light hits the granite surrounding the lake. You get exposed quickly after coming out of the forest as well so it can get hot pretty fast. There is a lot of beauty on the way to the lake so it is a picture paradise. The trek to Chasm is even better in the snow in my opinion although it can get very windy and cold. This is a great journey any time of the year and I highly...