Hike to Tourmaline Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park | Challenge Hike

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Tourmaline Lake - 5.4 miles

Trail Type: Challenge Hike
Trailhead: Bear Lake
Beginning Elevation: 9,475'
Destination Elevation: 10,580'
Total Elevation Gain: 1,105'
Total Roundtrip Miles: 10.8

Tourmaline Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park

Tourmaline Lake with The Gable

Trail Description
This trail has experienced significant fire damage from the 2020 East Troublesome Fire.
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 Odessa Lake trail from Bear Lake and navigate around the northwest shoreline. Then, ascend through thick trees into Tourmaline Gorge. Tourmaline is a crystal and classified as a semi-precious stone.

How to Get There
Take the Bear Lake Road from US 36 to the Bear Lake trailhead, 9.7 miles. Parking during the summer season is very limited. It's best to utilize the Hiker Shuttle from the Estes Park Visitor Center and the Park Shuttle Buses.

Trail Profile