Rocky Mountain National Park's Storm Pass Trail

Storm Pass Trail

Description:
The Storm Pass Trail begins just south of Lily Lake at an elevation of 8,970 feet. It climbs through Storm Pass at 10,257 feet and descends to the Bear Lake Road at 8,848 feet. The first 2.7 miles of the trail was completed in September of 2001. The trail drops down to Aspen Brook in about .3 miles and crosses the drainage over a large wooden bridge. It makes a moderate climb up the ridge on the opposite side. You get good views of Lily Ridge and Lily Lake where there are openings in the forest along the way. The trail intersects the Old Storm Pass Trail near the beginning of the Estes Cone Trail. It continues west through Storm Pass. It makes a level path through shorter spruce trees with little in the way of views.

From the pass, the trail makes a long descent into Glacier Basin, passing through alternating open areas and dense timber. You get good views of the valley and peaks to the north and west as well as Estes Cone back to the east. The trail intersects the Wind River Trail after about 2.9 miles. From here it climbs over a ridge and then drops down to intersect the Glacier Creek Trail. It is a short hike to the Bear Lake Road from there.

Features:

Length:	6.73 miles (10.84 kilometers)
Elevation Range:	8,845' - 10,257'
Elevation change:	3,172 feet
Season:	Jun 1 - Nov 1
Difficulty:	Moderate
Use:	Low to moderate
USGS maps:	Longs Peak
Trailheads:	Lily Lake, Bierstadt Lake
Restrictions:	No pets are permitted
Suitable for mountain bikes:	No (not permitted)
Suitable for horses:	Yes

Vicinity Map

Altitude Profile

Directions:
The east end of the Storm Pass Trail begins about .3 miles south of the Lily Lake parking area. Take Highway 7 south from Estes Park for about 6.2 miles to the Lily Lake Trailhead. Take the south loop of the Lily Lake Trail to where it turns west. Continue south to the end of an open area. The Storm Pass Trail begins at the southwest end of the open area.

The west end of the Storm Pass Trail begins about .45 miles south of a small parking area on Bear Lake Road. Take the Bear Lake Road for about 6.5 miles to the Storm Pass Trailhead. This is a very small parking area (3 cars) on the right side of the road. The Bierstadt Lake parking area is a short distance to the west. Take a cutoff trail .45 miles to the Storm Pass Trail.

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