At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Distance (one-way)
0.1 miles
Elevation
8,367 ft
Elevation Gain
N/A
Trailhead
Grand Lake (road-accessible)
Park Area
Kawuneeche Valley (West)
Side of Divide
West
Coordinates
40.2431°N, 105.8170°W
Kawuneeche Valley (West)

Grand Lake

Colorado's largest natural lake; west entrance

Grand Lake, Kawuneeche Valley (West), Rocky Mountain National Park — 8367 ft elevation

About Grand Lake

Grand Lake is the major west-side water body at the park's Grand Lake entrance, sitting at 8,367 feet. It is road-accessible and widely cited as Colorado's largest natural lake.

This lake belongs to a different kind of RMNP visit than the remote alpine tarns. It is tied to the town of Grand Lake, the Colorado River headwaters region, and the chain of west-side waters that also includes Shadow Mountain Lake and Lake Granby.

NPS park materials identify the west side around Grand Lake and Kawuneeche as part of the Colorado River side of the park, a broader valley landscape than the tight east-side cirques.

Route Map

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