Hiking to Lake Haiyaha in Rocky Mountain National Park

If you have plans to hike to Lake Haiyaha in Rocky Mountain National Park, you are in for a real treat. This beautiful lake has picture-perfect blue hues, a gorgeous setting, and a great hike leading to it.

Can you do this hike with kids? Yes! Though there are some things I would have liked to have known before we went.

We just completed this hike with our kids and they loved it. I would have loved to know more about different parts of this hike before I went (like bouldering at the end) and want you to feel prepared to go with (or without) your own kids.

Here’s everything you need to know about hiking to Lake Haiyaha in Rocky Mountain so you can plan your trip accordingly and enjoy this lovely setting.

Reservations to Hike to Lake Haiyaha

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the parks that requires timed-entry during busy months, typically late May to mid-October.

To get to the Lake Haiyaha trailhead, you need the specific timed-entry + Bear Lake Road.

The regular timed entry will get you into the park, which includes anything BUT Bear Lake Road.

The Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road is good for the entire park, including Bear Lake Road.

👉🏼 To snag a timed entry, log onto recreation.gov with your free account. You can reserve a timed entry on the first day of the month before you plan to visit.

For example, if you plan to visit September 5th, you can log on August 1st at 8:00 am and snag a reservation.

Miss your opportunity on the first of the month? You have a second chance on the night before your visit at 7:00 pm SHARP to snag a reservation.

Still miss your chance? You can enter Bear Lake Rd without a reservation before 5:00 AM, or after 6:00 PM. (You can enter the rest of the park before 9:00 am or after 2:00 pm without a reservation).

Where to Find the Lake Haiyaha Trailhead

The Shuttle from the Park-n-ride is the easiest way to get there without worrying about a parking spot!

Now that you’ve got your reservation, here’s where to go!

Enter the park through the Beaver Meadows entrance in Estes Park. Show your reservation during necessary months, then take a left on Bear Lake Rd, the first road after the ranger station. There will be more rangers here checking to make sure you have the Bear Lake Rd pass.

You’ll drive all the way to the end of this road to park at the Bear Lake Trailhead.

However, this parking lot fills fast during busy months, so driving here is a risk. If you don’t want to risk it, then I highly recommend stopping and parking at the Park-n-Ride lot along Bear Lake Rd.

This is a giant parking lot with shuttles that run through frequently. If you grab the shuttle, take it all the way to Bear Lake.

Once at Bear Lake, walk along the trail a few steps until you see the signs for the other trails that begin there. You’ll follow the signs for Nymph/Dream and Haiyaha.

Hiking the Lake Haiyaha Trail

Distance: 4 miles
Difficulty: Moderate, difficult at the end

You’ll begin right away with an incline. It’s not terribly steep or difficult, but if you’re not use to the elevation it might get you breathing hard.

After a half-mile you’ll come to Nymph Lake. This beautiful spot has lily pads across it and is a great place for families to hang out since it’s a pretty short hike.

To get yo Haiyaha, continue down the trail along the lake. You’ll end up hiking around to the other side when another small climb begins again.

About a half-mile later (from Nymph Lake) you’ll come to a split off. Going to the right will take you to Dream Lake (one of my favorite spots in Rocky Mountain) just a few more steps away.

You’ll want to stay to the left to head to Lake Haiyaha. As you continue up this next climb, you’ll be able to see a little bit of Dream Lake through the trees below.

At this point, you’re about halfway, with just a mile to go. Make sure to take some breaks and look out and enjoy the view. At some spots you’ll be able to see both Nymph and Bear Lake in the distance among the trees, and it’s pretty awesome.

You’ll know you are really close when you come to the field of Boulders.

We did not know about this part! Luckily, my kids found this the most fun part of the whole hike. But I would caution those with knee problems or balance issues from doing this.

Here you’ll find a large area of large boulders. You’ll want to head across and slightly to the left to get through. Once you’re through, there’s a narrow little trail along a rock that will land you at the lake.

And it’s so worth the 2 miles of climbing and bouldering to get arrive to this view.

Yes, the colors really are like that. In fact, some years the water turns a milky blue thanks to large amounts of sediment and minerals falling into the water.

Whatever color it appears when you arrive, the whole setting is just stunning.

Hiking to Lake Haiyaha in Rocky Mountain National Park

Hiking to Lake Haiyaha with kids is totally doable, and very rewarding. We have been to Rocky Mountain National Park many times and seen some really things there, but Lake Haiyaha is definitely at the top. Any hike that ends in a great lake is worth the effort.

The trail was 4 miles, making it fun and challenging but not terribly long. It had some good rock jumping for the kids which they loved. And it ended with an incredible mountain-lake setting. It was a beautiful place to climb up on a large boulder and enjoy the view with a well-earned snack.

The major surprise in this hike was the boulder field at the end. It would have been nice to know about that, however, as I’ve mentioned, my kids loved it. It would possibly be a bit tricky for a toddler, but doable if they enjoy climbing around.

Check out more adventures in Rocky Mountain National Park:

Full Guide to Rocky Mountain: All you need to know to visit
6 Fun Hikes on the WEST side of Rocky Mountain National Park
How to get from Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park
What to do in Estes Park for families
Why You’ll Love Staying at YMCA in Estes Park