Rocky Mountain National Park's Lake Haiyaha Cutoff Trail

Lake Haiyaha Cutoff Trail

Description:
The Lake Hiayaha Cutoff Trail connects the Loch Vale Trail with the Lake Hiayaha Trail. It begins at the junction of Loch Vale and Mills Lake-Black Lake trails at an elevation of 9,796 feet. It travels west for 1.1 miles, climbing 373 feet. Horses are not permitted on this trail. It is not heavily traveled.

The trail leaves the Loch Vale Trail as a sharp right hand turn as you face The Loch. It is called an "unimproved trail" but is not difficult to follow. It travels through a spruce forest as it makes its way to the Lake Haiyaha Trail. The first part of the trail is level but soon makes a fairly steep climb. It stays in the forest most of the way. The trail surface is pretty rough due to exposed tree roots. At one point it travels through an open area offering some good views of the valley below. It gets a little steeper as it makes some switchbacks near the Lake Haiyaha Trail. This trail is of moderate difficulty.

Features:

Length:	1.08 miles (1.73 kilometers)
Elevation Range:	9,796' -10,146'
Elevation change:	495 feet
Season:	Jun 1 - Oct 15
Difficulty:	Moderate
Use:	Low
USGS maps:	McHenrys Peak
Trailheads:	Glacier Gorge Junction
Restrictions:	No pets are permitted
Suitable for mountain bikes:	No (not permitted)
Suitable for horses:	No

Vicinity Map

Altitude Profile

Directions:
The Lake Haiyaha Cutoff Trail is reached via the Loch Vale Trail. This trail begins from the Glacier Gorge Junction Trailhead. Take Highway 36 from the Beaver Meadows Entrance to the Bear Lake Road. Follow Bear Lake Road for about 7.7 miles to the trailhead. The trailhead has room for 27 vehicles and fills up early. No roadside parking is permitted for a half mile on either side of the trailhead. There are restrooms and trash bins at the trailhead. Take the Loch Vale Trail for about 1.9 miles to the Lake Haiyaha Cutoff Trail.

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