Wild Basin
Wild Basin is the south entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park and is located south on Hwy 7. With the exception of the short hike to Calypso Cascade and possibly up to Ouzel Falls, this area does not draw as many people as say, the Bear Lake Area. There are some excellent peaks, but due to long approaches they are mostly strenuous in difficulty. Wild Basin excels in pine forest and lots of running water.
Thunder Lake Cabin in late spring
Distance: 6.8 miles (0ne-way)
Elevation Gain: 2,074 ft.
Difficulty: High-moderate
Trailhead: Wild Basin main parking lot
Overall: If you love trees, water and fewer people, Wild Basin is a great place to hike. Trails are long before approaching treeline, but worth the effort.
Quiet at Finch Lake
Distance: 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,442 ft.
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Finch Lake Trailhead at Wild Basin or Allenspark Trailhead
Overall: Mostly in the forest. The lake is gentle and calm and seldom has many people.
Pear Lake
Distance: 6.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,112 ft.
Difficulty: High moderate
Trailhead: Finch Lake Trailhead in Wild Basin or the Allenspark Trailhead
Overall: You won’t find many people here. Mostly forest hiking until you reach the lake.
Looking back at Bluebird from the “route” to Junco Lake
Distance: 6.4 miles (one-way) to Bluebird
Elevation Gain: 2,478 ft.
Difficulty: High moderate
Trailhead: Wild Basin Ranger Station
Overall: The real beauty of this hike begins right where it starts to get hard which is at the Bluebird/Ouzel Lake Junction. Hang in there. After a mile you’ll come to one of the best subalpine forest in the park. Fields of wildflowers set amidst large boulders with babbling brooks will take your mind off the last 200 feet of climbing. Junco is located about three-quarters miles to the south with a route that is unmarked, but fairly straight-forward and requires route-finding skills.
Top of Ogallala
Distance: 9.75 miles (one-way)
Elevation Gain: 4,638 ft. (seems like more)
Difficulty: strenuous
Trailhead: Wild Basin Ranger Station
Overall: Two great peaks- one hard day. Not for the faint of heart. Lots of loose stuff on the way up to Ouzel, but once there, Ogallala is just another long mile of beautiful tundra walking with an even better summit at the end.
