August 30, 2022
Rocky Mountain National Park
I thought about cycling into Rocky Mountain National Park but it's just easier to leave my bicycle at my hostel in Estes Park and catch a couple of shuttle buses up to Bear Lake. I wish the buses had bike racks like they do at Glacier National Park so I could ride one way. However it won't hurt to have a day off the bike.
I had to book my first shuttle bus last night for $2 but it isn't full when I catch it at 9am from the Visitor Centre in Estes Park.
It's reasonably busy at Bear Lake, so at times I have to wait while walking around this scenic lake, surrounded by mountains.
Even as I walk towards more lakes, the trail is still busy.
Despite being smaller Nymph Lake is more scenic with many lilly pads. While the long skinny Dream Lake leads to the more spectacular Emerald Lake, surrounded by mountains.
Further on a creek suddenly changes colour and has a strange musty smell. As I approach Haiyaha Lake has the same smell and the water is musky green colour. I'm told it's because of a landslide.
To get back to a shuttle bus it makes more sense to take a slightly longer loop route via a waterfall. Still the trail is busy. Water is rushing through Alberta Falls but just like yesterday at Wild Basin, none of the waterfalls are memorable.
After a couple of shuttle buses, I'm soon back in Estes Park, allowing me to have an afternoon relaxing. I could have gone exploring more but I'm just not enjoying Rocky Mountain National Park.
While there are some colourful scenic lakes to see, I wouldn't travel just to see it. Maybe it's because having been in mountainous Colorado for a month already or because I have previously seen more spectacular National Parks elsewhere. I just didn't find anything unique about this national park.
Still it is popular and the shuttle bus was useful, allowing me to have a day off my bicycle.
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