Cub Lake / The Pool

Cub Lake / The Pool

In addition to the many superlatives for Rocky Mountain National Park— spectacular, impressive, memorable— “rewarding” should join the list for the Cub Lake/The Pool Loop. Diversity lies at the heart of this fine hike. The 6.2-mile loop at montane elevation travels through a number of interesting habitats populated with well over 80 wildflower species. From a level beginning, the trail climbs with most of the elevation gain accumulated as the trail nears Cub Lake. From there, it rambles down to The Pool, returning on a fairly flat track along the Big Thompson River. A shorter out and back hike to Cub Lake covers 4.6 miles. However, hikers will miss some of the ambience and interesting flowers if they don’t complete the entire loop. At different times of the bloom season hikers may come across calypso orchids in late June (one-quarter mile east of The Pool); wood lilies not far from the beaver ponds in early July; yellow pond lilies on Cub Lake in July; and prince’s pine on the downhill run from the lake to The Pool in late July. Several possible parking areas at the west end of Moraine Park serve the Cub Lake/The Pool Loop. Each requires a walk down a portion of the level dirt road ending at The Pool/Fern Lake Trailhead. The second parking area driving west has restrooms and is a good place for starting the loop. Wildflower alert: Pockets of wood lily and a lake of yellow pond lilies.

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