We left the house around 7:30 am for our RMNP reservation to the Bear Lake Corridor. We should have left earlier to avoid the crowds waiting to get into the park before 9 am without a reservation.
We waited for about a half an hour at the main RMNP gate. We waited for about five minutes more at the entrance to the Bear Lake Corridor. If you don't have this specific reservation, you can only get into this section of the park without a reservation before 5 am and after 6 pm. It is the most popular area of the park and most people don't understand that you need to have a specific reservation for Bear Lake. As we wait in line, you see that lots of people get turned around at the entrance kiosk.
We parked in the Park and Ride lot. By the time we arrived, it was mostly full and the line for the restrooms was about a 15-minute wait. Chris dropped Misha and I off at the restroom line and went in search of a spot.
We then had to wait in line again to get on the shuttle bus.
This place is much too popular. Chris and I have decided that even though we have more reservations this summer for the Bear Lake Corridor, we are going to find somewhere else to hike.
Fortunately, the hike to Lake Odessa was not a popular hike today. We passed a few people on the trail, but it was fairly quiet. Hot too. It was 103° at home and still quite hot in the mountains for hiking. The first part of the hike was hot and intensely uphill. We stopped every so often to catch our breath.
We did pass a few small ponds along the way, a butterfly, a marmot, and Lake Helene. We climbed up on a huge rock overlook to stop for lunch. Lunch with a view that overlooked Lake Helene behind us, Odessa Gorge below us, Notchtop Mountain in front of us and Grace Falls.
We enjoyed lunch and then continued on toward Odessa Lake. From here, it was all downhill.
Chris and Misha soaked their feet in the stream for a bit. I stuck my water bottle in the cold lake to see if I could get my drink colder. Chris tried his Life Straw to drink the lake water (he is fine one day later so I guess it worked). We watched a guy catch fish after fish and a crazy girl float on the water (she eventually got dumped as she tried to climb out of her floating device).
After Lake Odessa, the scenery changed quite a bit as we hike through a burn scar area. Did you know that if you take a picture of a flower on your iPhone and then swipe up, Apple will identify the flower for you?
Click on the pic to see the deer standing in the shade of the rock.
This flower is called Fireweed and grows prolifically among the burnt out remains on the mountain side.
After hiking ten miles, we finally reached the Fern Lake Shuttle stop. I stretched my legs and feet and then settled in for a wait since we knew the shuttle bus wouldn't arrive for about 45 minutes. Chris and Misha walked over to a stream where they soaked their feet in the cold water.
We finally got on the shuttle bus that came a few minutes early. It was air conditioned and felt oh so good.
After getting back to our car, we drove to Estes Park and stopped for ice cream. Misha felt it was well deserved.