25 replies to this topic

[goatboy]

here is that link i promised you about gem lake, this hike like i said has always been my favorite in rmnp. kids can have a lot of fun all along the trail climbing on rocks and paul bunyons boot rock while you take a rest as it is a little steep in places!
about 3/4 of the way up there is a huge rock outcropping facing back towards town that has the most beautiful views in the park. you can see estes lake , longs peak, stanley hotel, and everything in the valley. you can also climb up from the cow creek trailhead , the trailhead is another mile down the road on a private road but it does have parking available but get there early. i hiked the whole thing one day and my family picked me up at the gem trailhead, it was appx 6 miles end to end. it's a little less steep from that way but i dont like it as well there is no good views from that way.
i hope this helps you want to hike it, when will you be there? we are going out july 1 to july 7 this year, heres a link you will like.
goatboy

http://www.thespiritoftherockies.net/spiri...rnal/Gem10.html

[greencub]

Hi all,

I personally would consider what time of year you are planning to do the Gem Lake hike. I have done it in August and it was one of my least favorite destinations. Packed with people at the lake, yelling and clowning around.
For some people, that might not be a problem, but if you are looking for solitude, you wont find it there.........at least not in August.

Beth L

[TempestT-37]

I love that picture; it reminds me of the Sierra Nevada.

[John]

We went to Gem Lake in 2001 and had a great time. It's a fairly easy hike and because of the lower elevation, it's free of snow sooner than many of RMNP's other trails. The secret of solitude anywhere in the park is getting there early in the morning. Here is a picture of Paul Bunyon's boot which you pass if you start at the Gem Lake TH.

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[TempestT-37]

It is interesting how erosion effect some things.

[junkie]

Thanks Goatboy. We are in the area 7/22-7/31. We are good at getting out early, so we can beat the heat and the crowds hopefully!

Chris

[dennis]

Chris, I think this would be a good hike for kids and a good warm up hike for the first day or two of your vacation. We'll be in the park from 7/24 to 7/30. Maybe we can get together later(wednesday or thursday) that week to climb flattop and hallet. I may need to bring my 9 year old grandson this time. My wife and I did this hike a couple of times. The last time in 2003. We always start early and take our time. Alot of late starters pass us up but we enjoy ourselves and it's not a race. Dennis

[Jenny]

I personally would consider what time of year you are planning to do the Gem Lake hike. I have done it in August and it was one of my least favorite destinations. Packed with people at the lake, yelling and clowning around.

That doesn't sound like my idea of a great destination either. We did the hike in late August of 96 and when we arrived we had the place to ourselves. I wonder if you just caught a bad day and maybe a rowdy group? I have mixed feelings about the hike but possibly because I didn't know what to expect. Now that we've been going to RMNP and hiking every year maybe we should try it again and I would have a different perspective.

I wouldn't say that Gem Lake was my least favorite destination (I would say that for Lily Mountain--it may have a great view from the top, but the hike up doesn't offer much eye-candy). But Gem Lake also isn't my favorite. For me (I'm a bit of a wimpy hiker and haven't done many big hikes ), I prefer going to Nymph, Dream and Emerald Lakes. Now that is a great hike!!!!

Beth L, if you try the Gem Lake hike again, I hope you have better results. When you're out hiking the last thing your looking for is a loud group of people after you've climbed to what you thought would be a peaceful destination. What a bummer!!

-Jenny

[greencub]

I have been hiking Rocky since I think 1990, every year except for one.
I have hiked everything from Longs to Flattop, to the "smaller hikes. I have taken friends new to the park to Nymph, Dream, and Emerald - great taste of RMNP hiking ( although sometimes also too crowed ). Gem just stook out in my mind as not a nice destination - I remember it be crowed and too noisy. Perhaps it was the wrong time of the day, I dont remember, it was so many years ago.

Actually out of the hikes I have done, my favorite mountain hike is Flattop/Hallet. Also another great hike that I love and has great eye-candy along the way is Loch to Mills Lake - absolutely beautiful.

I am actually trying to figure out my hikes for this year.
Yipson is definitely on my list ( has been for 2 years- we did Chapin and Chaquita, but never made it to Yipson due to weather).
After reading everyone else's thoughts, maybe I should include Gem on my hiking itinerary for this summer - perhaps I will have better luck this time.

Beth L

[Jenny]

Actually out of the hikes I have done, my favorite mountain hike is Flattop/Hallet. Also another great hike that I love and has great eye-candy along the way is Loch to Mills Lake - absolutely beautiful.

I haven't done either of these, but Aaron has done both and thinks they are awesome hikes!! I would love to get out and do more but I'm a high altitude wimp!! I know I won't be doing any hiking this summer since we'll be out there approx 6 weeks after I have a c-section (maybe a nice walk around Sprague Lake and Adams Falls if I'm up to it). But maybe I'll work on getting in shape to try a bigger hike than usual in 2006. I know Aaron would love to show me some of the beautiful places he has been to.

-Jenny

[greencub]

Understand completely about the C-section- recovery on that can definitely hinder a hike. My husband and I saw a couple and a baby up on Deer Mountain couple of years agao - that baby was no more than 2 months old, if that. I was amazed the woman hiked so soon after!

Beth L


Would be nice if I used a spell check on Mt Yipsilon!!!!!!!