We recommend using Alltrails.com for the latest updates on trail conditions. https://www.alltrails.com/ RMNP intermittently updates their site while Alltrails is updated almost daily.
Trail Conditions
RMNP Trail Conditions Report as of May 23, 2024
Plan Ahead and Be Prepared
It continues to snow throughout RMNP. There is still a lot of snow in the backcountry.
Be prepared with gear and skills to travel safely in spring conditions, with continuing avalanche and weak lake ice risks. In general, for both east side and west side trails, spring conditions are icy in the mornings and mushy, soft, and slushy in the afternoons. Traction devices are advised for lower, more compacted trails. You may posthole in deeper snow. If you start to posthole, either put on snowshoes or turn around. Some trails may have patchy snow, especially as snow melts. Conditions can change quickly. If a trail is muddy, walk through the mud rather than around it to prevent trail damage. Tennis shoe wearers will slip and slide, and have wet feet on snowy trails.
Snow instability and avalanche risks persist. Stay aware and make good decisions – we are not yet out of avalanche season. Currently above treeline the avalanche danger is MODERATE.
The traverse from Dream Lake to Lake Haiyaha, the traverse between the Loch/Mills Junction and Lake Haiyaha, and the route from above The Loch past Timberline Falls are not advised for the general visitor at this time because of steep and potentially avalanche-prone snow and icy conditions. Hiking these trails is not advised for the next few weeks (late May at least) due to avalanche danger and exposure.
RMNP plow crews are plowing the east and west sides of Trail Ridge Road. Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road are open to hiking, bicycles, and walking leashed dogs beyond the winter gates except during road maintenance operations and emergency closures as posted. Signs will be posted with information about how far visitors can go.
Timber Lake Trail Be advised a landslide occurred summer 2014 two miles beyond the Timber Lake trailhead and goes all the way to the top of Jackstraw Mountain. That landslide is still there, is active and unstable, and continues to worsen each year.
Any time of year, and affected by season, elevation, slope, and exposure, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) can have extreme weather. In RMNP, all four seasons can happen in one day! Plan ahead and be prepared for weather to change rapidly.
Any Time of Year: Choose Your Destination Wisely. Always tell someone where you are going, where you will be parked, what your intended route is, when you plan to be back home, and then let them know when you return.
Route-finding is important. RMNP trails are not marked in winter and following other tracks is not advised, as you don’t know where they lead, and wind and new snow obliterate tracks. When trails are covered in snow, signs may not be visible. Carry a map and compass or GPS and know how to use them.
Be Prepared for Conditions with Essentials. It is important to bring and use the right gear, especially suitable gear for the season.Plan that trails can be snowy much of the year. Depending on conditions and elevation, some trails can be icy and snowy September through midsummer. Do you have the right gear and equipment, and know how to use it?
REMEMBER, PETS ARE PROHIBITED ON ALL RMNP TRAILS, TUNDRA AND MEADOW AREAS
It continues to snow throughout RMNP. There is still a lot of snow in the backcountry.
Be prepared with gear and skills to travel safely in spring conditions, with continuing avalanche and weak lake ice risks. In general, for both east side and west side trails, spring conditions are icy in the mornings and mushy, soft, and slushy in the afternoons. Traction devices are advised for lower, more compacted trails. You may posthole in deeper snow. If you start to posthole, either put on snowshoes or turn around. Some trails may have patchy snow, especially as snow melts. Conditions can change quickly. If a trail is muddy, walk through the mud rather than around it to prevent trail damage. Tennis shoe wearers will slip and slide, and have wet feet on snowy trails.
Snow instability and avalanche risks persist. Stay aware and make good decisions – we are not yet out of avalanche season. Currently above treeline the avalanche danger is MODERATE.
The traverse from Dream Lake to Lake Haiyaha, the traverse between the Loch/Mills Junction and Lake Haiyaha, and the route from above The Loch past Timberline Falls are not advised for the general visitor at this time because of steep and potentially avalanche-prone snow and icy conditions. Hiking these trails is not advised for the next few weeks (late May at least) due to avalanche danger and exposure.
RMNP plow crews are plowing the east and west sides of Trail Ridge Road. Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road are open to hiking, bicycles, and walking leashed dogs beyond the winter gates except during road maintenance operations and emergency closures as posted. Signs will be posted with information about how far visitors can go.
| Destination | Date | Description of Conditions Found | Hiked By |
| Fern Lake from Fern Lake Trailhead | May 23 | Snow is melting quickly near Fern Falls. There were a couple of patchy slopes, but it was easily navigable even without traction devices. At least a 1/2 ft - 1 ft of snow on the NW side of Fern Lake with deeper snow toward Odessa Lake and Spruce Lake. | Park Ranger |
| East Inlet Trail | May 22 | Trail was clear and dry the first 3½ miles. | Park Ranger |
| Colorado River Trail | May 21 | Trail is free of snow but muddy for the first one mile. However, the river has started to flood one mile from trailhead, where the river meets the trail. Park rangers are monitoring conditions as snowmelt increases. | Park Ranger |
| North Fork Trail | May 21 | The first five miles from the trailhead to the park boundary have been cleared. But past that, there are huge numbers of downed trees. | Park Ranger |
| Twin Sisters Peak | May 20 | Trail is dry to the landslide. The next mile the wet in spots. Then the trail is snowpacked. Snow is mushy, slippery, and generally in spring conditions. Turned around at this point. | Park Ranger |
| East Shore Trail | May 20 | From the East Shore Trail to the park boundary the trail is muddy with patches of snow and ice. | Park Ranger |
| Coyote Valley Trail | May 20 | Parking area is open. Trail is mostly snow free with a few patches of snow in the shade. Some muddy spots. | Park Ranger |
| Holzwarth Historic Site | May 20 | Trail is clear of snow to the historic buildings. (Buildings are still closed for the season but the grounds are open.) Trail has some muddy spots and a few large puddles of water. | Park Ranger |
| North Inlet Trail | May 19 | Trail clear of snow to Cascade Falls. The trail is muddy. Snowshoes were needed intermittently beyond the Falls. | Park Ranger |
| West Glacier Creek Trail from Storm Pass Trailhead to Bear Lake | May 18 | Hiked West Glacier Creek Trail from Storm Pass Trailhead to Bear Lake. Lower half had intermittent snowpack and running water, but upper half was mostly 2 -3 feet of packed snow. | Visitor |
| Old Fall River Road | May 17 | Road was clear and dry until about mile 3 when scattered snow piles were encountered. At Mile 3.6, encountered a snow pile that spanned the full with of the road for about 30 yards along the road. Post-holed to about a depth of 12"-14" inches with every step so did not continue. They met up with a hiker who went further and stated that at just short of mile 4, snow on the road made it impassable. | Volunteer |
| Lake of Glass | May 17 | The trail to the base of Timberline Falls was mostly packed or slushy snow. Spikes and poles recommended. The climb to Lake of Glass from below Timberline Falls was very slippery and the compressed, slushy snow made it difficult to kick in steps. Maintaining control of slide and getting traction on the way down from Lake of Glass was challenging. The trail to Mills Lake is also snow covered and slushy, making some of the foot bridges across streams slippery. Spikes and poles were helpful. Both Mills Lake and the Loch are melting significantly along the edges. | Park Ranger |
| Emerald Lake | May 16 | All lakes (Bear, Nymph, Dream and Emerald lakes) showed melting and slush. From dream to Emerald, the path first goes around the edge of the lake and then has two options, either over some rocks or over to the summer route, then along the lake and up. Traction devices and hiking poles recommended. The hike definitely took more effort than a summer hike to Emerald Lake. | Volunteer |
| Ypsilon Lake Trail | May 15 | After crossing the Roaring River, there were thirteen trees that had fallen across the trail for the next mile to mile and a half. At the 3.3 mile point from the Lawn Lake Trailhead, there is a steep incline that is entirely covered in snow. It was at this point that traction devices and hiking poles were used, as the trail, with the exception of one 10-yard long spot, was completely covered in snow for the rest of the trail. Stopped at the point where the trail descends to Chipmunk Lake as the snow was quite deep. Talked to two hikers who just came up from Ypsilon Lake. They confirmed that the snow was quite deep and were only able to complete the hike to Ypsilon using snowshoes. On the return trip back down the snow was getting quite slushy so they post holed several times, a couple of times up to their knees (22"). | Volunteer |
| Glacier Gorge to Black Lake via winter trail | May 13 | Mills and Jewel lakes starting to melt out quite significantly around the edges. Black Lake still snow/ice covered. Flotation (snowshoes) desirable beyond east end of Mills Lake. Traction devices helpful from trailhead to Mills. Wet, loose snowslides observed on many slopes and all aspects. Visitors should be prepared with gear and skills to travel safely in "winter"/spring conditions, with continuing avalanche and weak lake ice risks. | Volunteer |
| Storm Pass up Boulder Brook and above to treeline | May 13 | Snow-free to major Boulder Brook / Sprague intersection, then back and forth snow drifts for several hundred yards, then deep soft snow from there on. Above the North Longs Peak trail, upthe drainage just to the west, quite soft snow all the way to treelineand above. Flotation (snowshoes) recommended the whole way. | Volunteer |
| Lake Helene | May 13 | Trails fully covered and traction devices helpful with snow except for a few small spots just above the Bierstadt/Flattop-HeleneIntersection. Flotation helpful beyond the "banana bowl". Two RiversLake and Lake Helene still fully covered with snow/ice. Highlydiscourage continuing past Helene toward Odessa/Fern because of steep, unstable snow, especially in the first several hundred yards beyond Lake Helene. Numerous wet loose snowslides observed on all aspects above treeline in the Lake Helene area. | Volunteer |
| Lawn Lake | May 13 | Lawn Lake - Ypsilon Junction were snow free, slightly wet in areas of melting snow. Good dry trail mostly overall. | Ranger |
| Cub Lake | May 12 | The trail from the Cub Lake Trailhead to Cub Lake is clear. To loop down to The Pool, there is snow on the trail with slipping and postholing, so traction devices are needed. From The Pool to the trailhead is dry. | Volunteer |
| The Pool | May 12 | The trail is dry to The Pool. Past that it is very snowy and you either use traction devices or use snowshoes. | Volunteer |
Any time of year, and affected by season, elevation, slope, and exposure, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) can have extreme weather. In RMNP, all four seasons can happen in one day! Plan ahead and be prepared for weather to change rapidly.
Any Time of Year: Choose Your Destination Wisely. Always tell someone where you are going, where you will be parked, what your intended route is, when you plan to be back home, and then let them know when you return.
Route-finding is important. RMNP trails are not marked in winter and following other tracks is not advised, as you don’t know where they lead, and wind and new snow obliterate tracks. When trails are covered in snow, signs may not be visible. Carry a map and compass or GPS and know how to use them.
Be Prepared for Conditions with Essentials. It is important to bring and use the right gear, especially suitable gear for the season.Plan that trails can be snowy much of the year. Depending on conditions and elevation, some trails can be icy and snowy September through midsummer. Do you have the right gear and equipment, and know how to use it?
- Traction devices for the bottom of your boots and hiking poles are strongly recommended, as trails may be icy. Or depending on conditions after snowstorms or at higher elevations, the snow may be deep enough that snowshoes are advised. Hiking poles are helpful for stability.
- Food and water are essential no matter how long your hike.
- Layers of wicking clothing and extra socks.
- Waterproof outer layers and extra layers for warmth; in summer, raingear.
- A hat and gloves, sunglasses or goggles, and sunscreen any time of year. Sunlight can damage your eyes and skin, even on cloudy days. Protect your eyes from the sun and blowing snow
- Wear closed-toed footwear with a treaded sole for hiking. Slick-soled shoes without good traction (ex. sneakers), sandals, flip flops, plastic clogs) can lead to cold toes, wet feet, slips, trips and falls.
REMEMBER, PETS ARE PROHIBITED ON ALL RMNP TRAILS, TUNDRA AND MEADOW AREAS
SNOTEL SITES AS OF May 23, 2024
There are several SNOTEL sites in and around Rocky Mountain National Park. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides a website where monitoring results are available.
SNOTEL Website: https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum= and every SNOTEL site has a unique Site Number. For example, Bear Lake is https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum=322
|
Bear Lake (Site #322) elevation 9500’ 31” snow |
Long Draw Reservoir (Site #1123) elevation 9980’ 22” snow |
Stillwater Creek (Site #793) elevation 8720’ no snow |
|
Copeland Lake (Site #412) elevation 8600’ no snow |
Never Summer (Site #1031) elevation 10,280’ 49" snow |
Wild Basin (Site #1042) elevation 9560’ 28" snow |
|
Lake Irene (Site #565) elevation 10,700’ 50” snow |
Phantom Valley (Site #688) elevation 9030’ no snow |
Willow Park (Site #870) elevation 10,700’ 44” snow |
Submit Your Own Trip Report
Send us an email, call (970) 586-1206, or stop by a park visitor center.
For Your Safety
These Trail Conditions reports are the viewpoints of the submitters, whether park staff, volunteers, or visitors. Conditions can change rapidly in the mountains. Use these reports only as guidelines. Be prepared for varying weather and trail conditions.
Falling trees are ever-present hazards when traveling in the forest. Be aware of your surroundings. Dead trees can fall without warning!
Due to the September 2013 Flood, missing foot bridges, uneven trail surfaces, unstable slopes, falling trees due to soil moisture, rutted trails, damaged water bars and steps, standing water, difficult water crossings, and missing directional signs could be encountered. Most of Rocky Mountain National Park is designated wilderness, where self-reliance and adventure are expected. Hikers should be prepared to take responsibility for their own actions; search and rescue may be delayed. Be prepared to stay overnight even if you are a day hiker. Hiking poles may be helpful on uneven trails. Route finding skills may be required. Carry a map and compass and other backcountry travel essentials. Hike at your own risk.