At a Glance
Difficulty
Hard
Distance (one-way)
6.5 miles
Elevation
12,438 ft
Elevation Gain
N/A
Trailhead
Forest Canyon Overlook (off-trail)
Park Area
Gorge Lakes
Side of Divide
East
Coordinates
40.3663°N, 105.7719°W
Gorge Lakes

Highest Lake

Highest named lake in RMNP; off-trail only

Highest Lake, Gorge Lakes, Rocky Mountain National Park — 12438 ft elevation

About Highest Lake

Highest Lake has its own place in the Gorge Lakes landscape: a hard lake at 12,438 feet. It sits on the east side of the Continental Divide.

The listed approach is 6.5 miles one-way from Forest Canyon Overlook (off-trail), but this should be treated as a route-finding objective rather than a simple maintained-trail hike. It is the highest named lake in RMNP and off-trail only. In this area, the Gorge Lakes are off-trail objectives above Forest Canyon, known more to map readers than casual park visitors.

NPS wilderness tables include Little Rock Lake in the Gorge Lakes Area, a reminder that this part of the park is treated as backcountry rather than a casual viewpoint stop.

Route Map

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