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Shelf Lake - 4.9 miles


Trail Type: Challenge Hike
Trailhead: Glacier Gorge
Location: Bear Lake Corridor
Beginning Elevation: 9,175'
Destination Elevation: 11,220'

​Total Elevation Gain: 2,045'
​
Total Roundtrip Miles: 9.8

Shelf Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park
Shelf Lake and Longs Peak
Trail Description
The destination for this hike in Rocky Mountain National Park is off the main trail and requires some backcountry navigation skills including map reading skills and an awareness of the lay of the land. These are sensitive areas, please travel carefully.
​
Follow the trail past Mills Lake and about mid-way towards Black Lake. The lake is perched at the edge of a hanging valley at the base of the southern ridge of Thatchtop Mtn.
How to Get There
Take the Bear Lake Road from US 36 to
 the Glacier Gorge trailhead, 8.3 miles. Parking during the summer season is limited. It's best to utilize the Hiker Shuttle from the Estes Park Visitor Center and the Park Shuttle Buses.
Trail Profile
Profile, Shelf Lake Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park
See an Index of Trail Profiles here
Weather Information
Picture
Trail Map
Shelf Lake Trail Photo Gallery

Picture
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  • Home
  • Hike Rocky Magazine
    • Hike Rocky magazine
    • RMNP Updates
    • Trail Reviews
    • Gear Reviews
    • Science & Ecology
    • History & Current Issues
    • Stories & Adventure
    • Culture and Arts in the Park
    • The Continental Divide Story, 1977 by Kip Rusk
  • Trail Guide to RMNP
    • Trails by Location
    • Trails by Distance
    • Trails by Destination
    • Index of Trails
  • Wildflowers of RMNP
    • April/May Flowers
    • June/July Flowers
    • August/September Flowers
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
    • Supporting Partners
    • Media Kit
    • 2025 Hike Rocky Print Edition
    • 2024 Hike Rocky Print Magazine