Hike to Cub Lake

Estes Park, Colorado

5.0/5

based on 2 reviews

Save

View all 7 photos

All 7 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

4.6 miles

Elevation Gain

645 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Ryan Mckinney

Cub Lake in Rocky Mountain NP offers amazing wildlife viewing opportunities and excellent fly fishing in the Big Thompson River.

Rocky Mountain National Park showcases 355 miles of hiking trails, 6 campgrounds, and hundreds of backcountry camp sites. The cost to enter the park is $20.00 per vehicle, I recommend buying the annual National Parks Pass for $80.00.

Cub Lake is an excellent trail for viewing wildlife. There are small ponds that you will pass on this trail that are great locations for spotting elk, mule deer, and moose. The majority of this trail is easy but slightly steepens towards the end. Cub Lake Trail is very well marked and maintained. It is difficult to explore the shoreline of Cub Lake because of the fallen timber that surrounds the lake. The total distance out and back is 4.6 miles.

Moraine Park is a great basecamp: https://www.theoutbound.com/co...

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Fitness

Camping

Fishing

Photography

Snowshoeing

Backpacking

Hiking

Bathrooms

Family Friendly

Forest

Groups

Lake

Picnic Area

River

Scenic

Wildflowers

Wildlife

Reviews

Rachael Westergard

Hike to Cub Lake

08/10/20

We saw so many elk on this trail! Keep your eyes out, because there may be some nearby! Beautiful trail, perfect to see wildlife.

5.0

Explorer

Haley Baker

Explorer

Hike to Cub Lake

09/12/16

We haven't done much hiking in Moraine Park, but after this hike that's bound to change. Cub Lake is absolutely gorgeous and the scenery feels so much different than the rest of the park (on the Bear Lake side). It was an easy walk and we didn't see many people on our way out - but we did see lots of animals! Be sure to get an early start so you can get a parking spot and have the same sort of wildlife luck - a coyote, a moose, and two elk harems!

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Winter Camp at Moraine Park

For the extra-adventurous (my friends call me crazy for this), I recommend experiencing Rocky Mountain National Park in the off-season, when nobody else is there. Dead winter.Of course, you'll want to be uber prepared if you choose to take on this adventure, as the mountains are very unforgiving, especially in winter, so why not try a winter camping trip? If you do, you'll get to experience one...

Camp at Moraine Park

Moraine Park Campground is the only year-round campground at Rocky Mountain National Park. During the summer there are 244 reservable campsites and 77 first come first serve during the winter. Large numbers of elk gather in Moraine Park during the rut (September-October) and it's a popular wildlife viewing location. The cost per campsite is $14 during the winter and $20 during the summer.You ca...

Backpack to Odessa Lake via Fern Lake Trailhead

Odessa Lake seems to be one of the true hidden gems of Rocky Mountain National Park. Don't get me wrong, you will likely see some folks there, but it is a far cry from the other crowded Bear Lake trailhead lakes. There are two ways to reach Odessa; one, from the Bear Lake Trailhead, and the other from the Fern Lake Trailhead, which can be accessed via Moraine Park. I have only gone the latte...

Hike along Tombstone Ridge

Tombstone ridge can be accessed via the ute trail from two directions. The lower trail starts at upper beaver meadows and is ~4.3 miles with 3250 feet of elevation gain. It can also be accessed at the Ute trail crossing along trail ridge road, which leaves you a 1.1 mile hike with just under 300 feet of elevation gain.Tombstone ridge is a scenic and interesting ridge that runs for almost a mile...

Photograph Elk in Moraine Park

The perspective here is vastly different from other areas in Rocky Mountain National Park as Moraine Park is essentially a large, very flat valley surrounded by tall mountains. You'll want to come during the elks' rutting season, which is between mid-September and mid-October. Park at the lot on South Moraine Road, just off of Bear Lake Road. There will be a large gated fence here that is used ...

Rocky Mountain NP's Trail Ridge Road

Start by entering Rocky Mountain National Park through Estes Park, Colorado. After acquiring a map start your ascent on Trail Ridge Rd (the road is closed in winter). The Road will take you up in elevation into the mountains so a good car is strongly recommended. As you wind up the switch backs, the tree line will start to thin and you will come upon an overlook called Medicine Bow Curve which...

Hike to Cub Lake

Details

Description

Download the Outbound mobile app

Features

Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Winter Camp at Moraine Park

Camp at Moraine Park

Backpack to Odessa Lake via Fern Lake Trailhead

Hike along Tombstone Ridge

Photograph Elk in Moraine Park

Rocky Mountain NP's Trail Ridge Road

Discover

Community

Company

Follow Us

Mobile Apps