Rocky Mountain National Park's Mills Lake

Mills Lake - Black Lake Trail

Description:
The Mills Lake-Black Lake Trail begins at the Loch Vale Trail at an elevation of 9,796 feet and ends at Black Lake at 10,718 feet. The total elevation gain is 977 feet. This trail travels through spruce forest past three lakes and one waterfall. Horses are not permitted on this trail. A hitch rack is provided about a tenth of a mile down the trail.

The trail first descends toward Icy Brook. It crosses this stream over a wooden bridge. It soon follows some rock cairns over slab granite rocks. From here it crosses Glacier Creek and follows it a short distance to Mills Lake. This is a beautiful long lake with rugged mountain peaks as a backdrop. It was named for Enos Mills who was instrumental in the founding of Rocky Mountain National Park. The trail continues along the east shore of Mills Lake. Although quite rocky, the trail along the shore is fairly level. Near the south end of the lake, it begins a short climb over some rock steps. It soon heads back down to the lake. From here the trail travels past Jewel Lake, following some log walkways over some wet areas. Jewel Lake is shallow with a silt bottom. Farther south, the trail again climbs over slab granite and follows Glacier Creek toward Black Lake.

After climbing for a while, the trail enters a beautiful grassy meadow. This is a great spot for pictures. There are streams flowing into the valley from all directions. As you leave the meadow, the trail makes a steep climb below some large rocks. You get great views of Glacier Creek as it cuts its way down through the rock on its way to Mills Lake. The trail gets a little faint as it climbs through the rocks. Keep heading up the valley and you'll pick it up again.

The trail breaks out into a meadow below Black Lake where you get a good view of Ribbon Falls. It climbs some rock steps to the left of the falls to Black Lake. Black Lake is a beautiful emerald green lake surrounded by high rock walls and magnificent peaks. McHenrys Peak and Arrowhead are to the west, while The Spearhead and Chiefs Head Peak are to the south.

Features:

Length:	2.44 miles (3.93 kilometers)
Elevation Range:	9,796' - 10,718'
Elevation change:	1,060 feet
Season:	Jun 1- Nov 1
Difficulty:	Moderate
Use:	Moderate
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 Mills Lake - Black Lake 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 1.7 miles to the Mills Lake - Black Lake Trail.

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