Fern Falls (RMNP)

Fern Falls is a 60-foot waterfall on Fern Creek in Larimer County.  The waterfall is located in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Hike Length: 5 miles
Estimated Time: 2 to 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Rocky Mountain National Park
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: No dogs
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: High
Warnings: The rocks around the waterfalls are very slippery.
Trailhead GPS: 40.35492,-105.63091
Waterfall GPS:  40.34717,-105.66787

Directions:

To visit the falls, head west from Estes Park on US-36 into the park.  In about 4 miles, turn left on Bear Lake Road.  Drive 1.3 miles and turn right on Moraine Park Road.  In a half-mile, bear left at the campsite and just over 2 miles to the trailhead parking at the end of the road.

Map:

Hike Description:

From the trailhead, hike on Fern Lake Trail towards the lake, following Big Thompson Creek upstream.  You'll pass Cub Lake Trail in 1.7 miles at the Pool near the confluence of Fern Creek and Big Thompson River.

The trail gets steep as it starts to follow Fern Creek upstream.  The trail makes a couple big switchbacks; after the second switchback, the trail approaches Fern Creek near the base of the waterfall.

Blog Entries:

28-Aug-2019: Bear Lake to Fern Lake

External Links:

National Park Service website for Rocky Mountain National Park: https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm