Evening Adventure Hike to Lake Haiyaha 🥾

We started our hike at Bear Lake and were immediately hit with crowds at the trailhead. However, as we got closer to Nymph and Dream Lakes, the trail gradually thinned out and started to feel more peaceful.

The higher we went, the better it got—fewer people, cooler air, and bigger views.

At Lake Haiyaha (about 4.5 miles round trip with over 1,000 feet of gain, topping out around 10,200 feet), every stop along the way was rewarded with incredible views.

Sunset over Lake Haiyaha was absolutely stunning. The photos are great, but they still don’t fully capture it. ✨

Heading back down was a completely different vibe. Suddenly the trail was busy again with hikers streaming up in waves—you could really see the impact of not having a time-entry pass and the 6pm entry crowd shifting the rhythm of the mountain.

On our way out, a couple of bucks were calmly grazing roadside, totally unfazed by the traffic chaos. 🦌

To cap the day off after a full day on the trails, we rewarded ourselves at Prospect Bistro in Estes Park. Don went with the elk burger (he never passes up elk or bison), and I had the trout—which was fantastic. Once again… the pictures didn’t capture it. 🤣Read more