Rocky Mountain National Park's Finch Lake

Finch Lake - Pear Lake Trail

Description:
The Finch Lake - Pear Lake Trail begins from the Thunder Lake Trail just prior to reaching Calypso Cascades. It begins at an elevation of 9,140 feet. It climbs to Pear Lake at 10,578 feet. The total length of the trail is 5.2 miles. Most of it is easy to hike with a few moderate sections.

The trail leaves the Thunder Lake Trail and climbs along the north slope of the basin through a dense spruce forest. It passes through a small boulder field and makes a few switch backs along the way. Passing through an area burned by a fire in 1978, you get great views of Wild Basin and the peaks to the north. Young aspen are growing up through the debris in the burn area. It intersects the Allenspark and Finch Lake Cutoff trails after about 1.26 miles.

The trail leaves the junction, making a gentle climb through the spruce forest. You'll soon pass through the burn area again. Look for deer and elk grazing in this area. On the other side of the burn area, the trail makes a rocky climb through spruce and lodgepole pine. It crosses a stream over a log foot bridge before making a winding descent to Finch Lake. The trail travels around the north side of the lake, passing several backcountry campsites.

After leaving Finch Lake, the trail crosses Cony Creek over a foot bridge. A horse crossing is to the right of the trail. The trail is fairly level for a while before making a moderate climb away from Cony Creek. It is quite rocky all the way to Pear Lake, passing a pond and some meadows with numerous wild flowers. After crossing Pear Creek, it is a short climb to Pear Lake. There is a hitch rack at the lake. Horses are not permitted beyond that point.

Features:

Length:	5.21 miles (8.39 kilometers)
Elevation Range:	9,131' - 10,614'
Elevation change:	2,031 feet
Season:	June 15 - Oct 1
Difficulty:	Easy to moderate
Use:	Moderate
USGS maps:	Allenspark, Isolation Peak
Trailheads:	Wild Basin
Restrictions:	No pets are permitted
Suitable for mountain bikes:	No (not permitted)
Suitable for horses:	Yes

Vicinity Map

Altitude Profile

Directions:
The Finch Lake - Pear Lake Trail begins from the Thunder Lake Trail. The nearest access to this trail is via the Wild Basin Trailhead. Take Highway 7 south from Estes Park for about 10.8 miles to the Wild Basin Area turnoff (about 3.8 miles south of the Longs Peak access road). Turn right and follow the road for about .4 miles to the Wild Basin Entrance (just past the Wild Basin Lodge). Follow the narrow dirt road for about 2 miles to the Wild Basin Ranger Station and the trailhead. Take the Thunder Lake Trail for about1.9 miles to the Finch Lake - Pear Lake Trail intersection (just before Calypso Cascades). There is room for 50 to 60 vehicles at the trailhead and 30 to 40 more at various spots along the road to the trailhead. The road is narrow and not recommended for Rvs. This a popular area and often fills up by mid morning.

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