Hiking to Ypsilon Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

Trailhead: Lawn Lake
Trailhead Elevation: 8,540'
Destination Elevation: 10,559'
​Total Elevation Gain: 2,180'
​Total Roundtrip Miles: 9.4

---

The trail to Ypsilon Lake is a quiet trail traveling up to a fine alpine lake. This can be a casual dayhike if not in a rush. However, with careful route finding, there can be adventure opportunity by trekking beyond the lake. 

The hike begins at the Lawn Lake trailhead at the west end of Horseshoe Park.

---

The initial trail rises off the broad valley floor on the northern side with occasional views of Endovalley and Sundance Peak.

---

After topping the north hillside, the trail cuts north into the the Roaring River valley above the Alluvial Fan. Portions of the original trail was washed away by the 1982 Lawn Lake flood, and the dramatic gash left by the washout is still in the very early stages of recovery 40+ years later. Watch carefully for the trial cuttoff to Ypsilon Lake and take the new footbridge over the Roaring River.

---

The trail then rises quickly again and maintains a steady uphill pace as it meanders through lodgepole pine. Eventually, there's a welcoming view of Ypsilon Mountain through the trees. From here, the trail drops to the lake.

---

When the trail reaches Ypsilon Lake, the views are to the east. There is a non-established 'fisherman's trail' that skirts along the south shore of the lake and a little careful navigation along the eastern shore brings one around to views of Mt Chiquita. The surrounding terrain blocks the view of Ypsilon Mt from the lake.

---

At the inlet to Ypsilon Lake, there a small footbridge and a path that leads to a beautiful waterfall, a must see if traveling to the lake. My hiking partner and I decided to further. Again, with careful navigation up steep terrain, an unmaintained trail leads up to the spectacular Spectacle Lakes, surrounded by rocky terrain, at the very foot of Ypsilon Mountain, now on full display. 

---

After having a break, and considering working our way to the upper lake, with still plenty of summer sun, we opted for a different route. The Spectacle Lakes are embraced by two long named ridges that come off the summit of Ypsilon Mtn like two arms, popular in the alpine climbing world, the Donner Ridge on the south and the Blitzen Ridge to the north. After careful examination, we picked a route on the far east end of Blitzen Ridge to traverse into the Fay Lakes region.

---

This route is not something I would recommend unless you are absolutely comfortable traveling off trail and in difficult terrain; it would be easy to get into trouble. Good map reading skills and an awareness of the lay of the land are important. Because these are sensitive areas, it's important to travel carefully. Having said this, this kind of hiking can be exciting adventures.

---

We saw many kinds of alpine wildflowers in bloom, including Mountain Deathcamas and Potentilla.

---

We were treated by a very brief visit by this little critter, either an ermine or a long-tailed weasel. It was hard to get a good look at it because it moved around so quick, and then disappeared. 

---

There are numerous small waterfalls between the upper and middle Fay Lakes. Blitzen Ridge of Ypsilon Mtn is in the background. We navigated quickly down to the Middle Fay Lake and then picked up a faint trail marked by rock cairns back to Ypsilon Lake. 

---