THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Strap on snowshoes and follow a guided winter loop from Bear Lake to Emerald Lake, passing four glacial basins and close-up views of Hallett Peak and Long’s Peak. This 3–3.5 hour outing blends technique coaching with steady, scenic hiking at high altitude.
Strap on snowshoes and follow a guided winter loop from Bear Lake to Emerald Lake, passing four glacial basins and close-up views of Hallett Peak and Long’s Peak. This 3–3.5 hour outing blends technique coaching with steady, scenic hiking at high altitude.
A cold breath of wind moves through the lodgepole pines as your group tightens boots and clips on snowshoes at the Bear Lake trailhead. The guide hands out poles, shows the basics, and you push off onto a compact winter track that climbs steadily past a string of mountain lakes. Snow muffles sound; distant granite faces, including Long’s Peak, loom white and severe.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Sharon S · Estes Park, Colorado
A cold breath of wind moves through the lodgepole pines as your group tightens boots and clips on snowshoes at the Bear Lake trailhead. The guide hands out poles, shows the basics, and you push off onto a compact winter track that climbs steadily past a string of mountain lakes. Snow muffles sound; distant granite faces, including Long’s Peak, loom white and severe.
Geology here is plain to read: glacial basins carved the corries that hold Bear, Nymph, Dream and Emerald Lakes. The route visits four small alpine basins, each with its own mood—mirror ice where safe, wind-scoured shelves of snow, and abrupt clearings that reveal Hallett Peak and the terminus of Tyndall Glacier. The valley has long been travel and observation ground for Ute and Arapaho peoples and later 20th-century park builders who established trails to these views.
Expect about 1.6 miles one-way to Emerald Lake on well-traveled winter-packed trails, with gradual elevation gain and multiple short stops for photos and technique coaching. If the lake surface is sound you'll cross small frozen basins under the sweeping north face of Hallett Peak.
Practical notes: dress in layers for high-altitude cold, bring sunscreen and glacier-glare sunglasses, and acclimate to the roughly 9,000–10,000 ft range if you’re not used to altitude. Guides provide snowshoes, poles, and a hot beverage on return. Follow your guide’s route, stay on packed snow to protect fragile tundra, and expect a 3–3.5 hour outing that balances steady effort with long-picture stops.
No—guides provide instruction and equipment; beginners who can hike moderately fit will be fine.
Meet at the Veterans Memorial parking area in Estes Park and follow the guide to the remote trailhead (about a 30-minute drive); the tour begins and ends at Bear Lake Trailhead.
The route is moderate—1.6 miles one-way with gradual gain, frequent stops, and guidance; expect 3–3.5 hours total on packed winter trails.
The operator may cancel for bad weather; full refunds are available if canceled at least 24 hours prior or by the provider for unsafe conditions.
Sharon S operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
A cold breath of wind moves through the lodgepole pines as your group tightens boots and clips on snowshoes at the Bear Lake trailhead. The guide hands out poles, shows the basics, and you push off onto a compact winter track that climbs steadily past a string of mountain lakes. Snow muffles sound; distant granite faces, including Long’s Peak, loom white and severe.
A cold breath of wind moves through the lodgepole pines as your group tightens boots and clips on snowshoes at the Bear Lake trailhead. The guide hands out poles, shows the basics, and you push off onto a compact winter track that climbs steadily past a string of mountain lakes. Snow muffles sound; distant granite faces, including Long’s Peak, loom white and severe.
Geology here is plain to read: glacial basins carved the corries that hold Bear, Nymph, Dream and Emerald Lakes. The route visits four small alpine basins, each with its own mood—mirror ice where safe, wind-scoured shelves of snow, and abrupt clearings that reveal Hallett Peak and the terminus of Tyndall Glacier. The valley has long been travel and observation ground for Ute and Arapaho peoples and later 20th-century park builders who established trails to these views.
Expect about 1.6 miles one-way to Emerald Lake on well-traveled winter-packed trails, with gradual elevation gain and multiple short stops for photos and technique coaching. If the lake surface is sound you'll cross small frozen basins under the sweeping north face of Hallett Peak.
Practical notes: dress in layers for high-altitude cold, bring sunscreen and glacier-glare sunglasses, and acclimate to the roughly 9,000–10,000 ft range if you’re not used to altitude. Guides provide snowshoes, poles, and a hot beverage on return. Follow your guide’s route, stay on packed snow to protect fragile tundra, and expect a 3–3.5 hour outing that balances steady effort with long-picture stops.