Hike Fern Lake

Starting from the Fern Lake Trailhead, you'll follow the Big Thompson River through dense stands of aspen and lodgepole pine, with the sound of rushing water keeping you company for the first couple of miles. The trail climbs steadily but never cruelly — think persistent staircase rather than wall. You'll pass through The Pool, a wide calm stretch of river worth a quick stop, before the path steepens through subalpine forest thick with spruce and fir. The final push rewards you with Fern Lake itself, a glassy alpine pool tucked beneath the dramatic cliffs of Notchtop Mountain and Little Matterhorn. The setting feels like a postcard that somehow undersold itself. Anglers will want to linger — the lake holds greenback cutthroat trout. This trail hits the sweet spot for hikers who want a legit mountain day without committing to a death march.