Alberta Falls

Rocky Mountain National Park
Drivetime
2 Hr
FROM DENVER
DIFFICULTY
Easy
250 ft gain
LENGTH
1.7 Mile
Out and Back
TAKE ME TO THE TRAILHEAD
NEW YORK WEATHER
WHAT YOU'LL SEE
Peaks
Peaks
Rapids/Creeks
Rapids/Creeks
Waterfalls
Waterfalls
Wildlife
Wildlife
Forests
Forests
THINGS TO DO

A Short Hike for a Stunning Waterfall!

If you're looking for a fairly easy hike with a great payoff in Rocky Mountain National Park, this is a good one. A 1.7 mile round-trip hike to stunning 30 foot tall Alberta Falls, this adventure is a perfect one to bring the whole family!

Start your adventure from either the Bear Lake Parking area, or even better, the smaller Glacier Gorge parking lot. These are super popular spots in the park, and thus fill up quickly. If you can't get there super early, there is a free shuttle that runs to both trailheads.

Head off on the trail and you will traverse through a gorgeous grove of aspens, almost feeling like a magical forest at times. You climb a bit and are treated to some gorgeous views of surrounding peaks. You will begin to hear the falls in what feels like no time.

Alberta falls is a gorgeous waterfall, and a great place to sit on a nearby rock, and bask in the beauty of the park. You can climb up next to the falls for fantastic views and enjoy the roar of the water. This is one of the more popular hiking spots in the park, so it can get a bit crowded.

If you want to turn this into a longer adventure, and get away from some of the crowd, you can continue on the trail past Alberta falls and head to Mills Lake, Timberline Falls, or Sky Pond. All of these are breathtaking hikes and I would highly recommend making the trek! You can easily hit all of these places in one day!

THINGS TO DO

Bring the Whole Family!

This is a great easy trail in the park if you are looking for something short with a wide trail and a great payoff. Kids love exploring the area around the falls!

Photography

The falls present a great spot to snap some awesome pictures!

Continue the Adventure to Another Towering Waterfall

To see two gorgeous RMNP waterfalls in one adventure, continue the trail up to Timberline Falls!

Continue the adventure to Mills Lake

Head a little further into Glacier Gorge and see fantastic Mills Lake!

Leave No Trace Bigfoot Sign
It is of the upmost importance that you always remember to take care of our precious outdoor spaces, and preserve them for future generations. Be as invisible as bigfoot and practice Leave No Trace Principles. For more info on how to be an environmentally conscious adventurer, click HERE!
GETTING THERE

Starting this trail from the Glacier Gorge trailhead is optimal, however, you can also start from the Bear Lake lot. There is a free shuttle that runs throughout the park with stops at these lots if they are full. Click HERE for more info on the shuttle.

Mountain landscape

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