Rocky Mountain National Park: Chasm Lake Beneath Longs Peak

A Little Information About Rocky Mountain National Park

For our journey to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) we stayed in Estes Park which is known as the base camp for RMNP. Estes Park is located only 70 miles from Denver.

RMNP is the 26th largest national park, which encompasses 265,461 acres (414.78 sq mi) of federal land, with an additional 253,059 acres (395.40 sq mi) of U.S. Forest Service wilderness adjoining the park boundaries. The Continental Divide runs generally north–south through the center of the park, with rivers and streams on the western side of the divide flowing toward the Pacific Ocean while those on the eastern side flow toward the Atlantic.

RMNP is one of the highest national parks in the nation, with elevations ranging from 7,860 feet in the grassy valleys to 14,259 feet at the top of Longs Peak. The Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in North America with a peak elevation of 12,183 feet. The scenery is unlike any other with the spectacular beauty of the Continental Divide and collection of 72 peaks that all top 12,000 feet in elevation. Several small glaciers and permanent snowfields are found in the high mountain cirques.

Picture below are Mount Julian (left of center) a 12,933 foot peak; Cracktop (center peak) at 12,760 feet and Chief Cheley Peak visible to the right of the snow bowl (12,804 feet).

Given only four full days and a high probability of afternoon thunderstorms, we were hoping for favorable weather to squeeze in two solid hikes.

Our best wildlife sighting. We saw this elk driving back to the Airbnb from RMNP.

Why Hike to Chasm Lake

At 11,760 feet, Chasm Lake feels like stepping into the heart of the Rockies. The trail climbs steadily from forest to tundra until Longs Peak suddenly dominates the sky. You don’t hike to Chasm Lake for solitude alone, you hike for perspective. The Diamond’s sheer east face rises nearly 1,000 feet above the cirque, a wall of granite sculpted by ice and time. Below it, Chasm Lake rests in a glacial bowl carved during the last Ice Age, its cold, clear water reflecting alpine light with startling clarity. This hike delivers more than scenery. It’s a lesson in geology, elevation, and endurance. By the time you reach the lake, you’ve climbed into a different world—one defined by stone, sky, and scale.

Hike Distance: 10.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 2,545 feet

TrailsNH Hiking Difficulty Calculator: 234 – Very Strenuous 

Click here to navigate to the TrailsNH website for a description of the hiking difficulty calculator

Let's Start Hiking

Be forewarned, parking is limited so get to the trail head early. The Longs Peak trail head started at an elevation of 9,405 feet with a walk through a thick forest.

The sound of water continued throughout much of the early hike.

After approximately 2 miles, we emerged from the forest and entered the subalpine zone (9,000-11,000 ft). Fir and spruce trees grow straight and tall in the lower subalpine forests, but become shorter and more deformed the nearer they are to the tree line.

In this region. the trees began to change shape into what’s called Krummholz forest. It’s a German term meaning “crooked” or “twisted wood”.

After leaving the forest we had a clear view (left to right) of Mt. Meeker (13,916 ft), Longs Peak (14,259 ft) and Mt. Lady Washington (13,281 ft). It was a short walk to the tree line and the alpine tundra region.

The alpine tundra is characterized by dwarf shrubs which grow close to the ground due to the cold climate and strong winds. More than 33% of RMNP is located in the alpine tundra zone, which exists above 11,000 feet.

The next section of the trail involved crossing a snow field situated on the hillside above Peacock Pool and Columbine Falls. The falls are visible in the picture below; they were much more impressive the closer we got.

We weren't surprised to see snow in July since we were at an elevation of 11,486 feet.

Slow and steady.... one wrong step and it was a long slide down toward Columbine Falls. The path was only slightly wider than two boots. After a short adjustment period, it was fun walking through the snow field (at least one of us thought so!).

The final section of the hike involved some scrambling and hand holds up the outer side of the 'wall' that holds the lake. This short but strenuous pitch was well worth since we were quickly rewarded with the views of Chasm Lake.

Chasm Lake sits in front of you in a grand cirque below the towering Longs Peak.

Situated in the top middle section of this picture is Longs Peak and the 'Diamond' (top center). The Diamond is the sheer east face of Longs Peak; 900 feet of vertical and overhanging rock tops out at 14,000 feet, forming a diamond-shaped wall within the wall—the premier alpine face in the lower forty-eight states.

Joining us during the lunch break was a marmot. Marmots spend their whole lives in the alpine. They live in talus fields or in rocky meadows. They are skilled burrowers and spend 80% of their lives underground. During the summer, they feed constantly on grasses and wildflowers, racing against time to gain enough weight before the snows return. Marmots hibernate from September until late April or May, one of the longest hibernation schedule of any mammal in the lower 48 states.

After a quick lunch we started back to the trailhead. Out-and-back hikes can be repetitive, but this one offered equally impressive views in both directions.

Thickening clouds covered the alpine tundra, despite the forecast promising dry weather until late afternoon.

A welcome sight after a long day of hiking the below tree line and into lower elevations.

The first drops fell right as we arrived at the trail.

What a great introduction to Rocky Mountain National Park. A day of rest tomorrow then on to a climb Mount Ida.

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