Upper Beaver Meadows Loop

Upper Beaver Meadows Loop is a moderate 5-mile loop from Upper Beaver Meadows Trailhead, following Upper Beaver Meadows Trail to Beaver Mountain Trail before returning along the ridge, a mapped connector and a short road stretch. Plan on about 3 to 4 hours. The route gains roughly 935 feet, starting above 8,400 feet and topping out around 9,200 feet, so even a steady, nontechnical climb can feel demanding at this altitude. The payoff is a mix of open meadow, aspen and forest, with long views toward Moraine Park, Longs Peak and the Continental Divide.

This entry describes the longer Beaver Mountain circuit, not the separate short meadow walk of about 1.1 miles from the same trailhead. If you want the full loop, follow the longer route at the early forks and don't take the short return after Beaver Brook.

At the trailhead, take the signed left fork toward Moraine Park. At roughly 0.6 mile, turn left toward Ute Meadow and Trail Ridge Road. Around 1.6 miles, the route reaches the Ute and Beaver Mountain junction: turn right onto Beaver Mountain Trail. The Ute Meadow spur is optional and adds distance; it is not part of this loop. Several named paths meet in this area, so use the signed destination at each junction rather than following a path simply because it points toward an open meadow.

The opening meadows give way to ponderosa pine and sections opened by the 2020 East Troublesome Fire. The route climbs steeply for about 0.2 mile to its high point, then breaks above the trees near 2.25 miles. The ridge gives you a broad look back over Moraine Park and toward Longs Peak and the Continental Divide. Aspen and lodgepole pine alternate with standing and fallen trees affected by fire and pine beetles; take the wind hazard seriously in that stretch.

At about 3.25 miles, the trail skirts a small aspen-dotted meadow and crosses Beaver Brook. At the next junction, stay left for the longer loop; the right branch returns to the trailhead about 0.7 mile sooner. The full route climbs a short ridge, then reaches the Deer Ridge connector around mile 4.4; turn right toward Upper Beaver Meadows. At about mile 4.9, reach the road and follow it roughly 0.1 mile back to the trailhead.

Upper Beaver Meadows Road reaches the end-of-road trailhead on a mostly dirt approach with several small parking areas. The road typically closes to vehicles from mid-October through mid-May; foot access from Highway 36 is possible, but adds a road walk to the 5-mile trail route. Meadow areas also close overnight during elk-rut season, typically September through October from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m., so check the park's current access information before planning a visit in those windows. Pets are prohibited on Rocky Mountain National Park trails and meadows. The wider Upper Beaver Meadows area has a picnic area and seasonal vault toilets near the road; those are access-area facilities, not services along the loop.