Parking
From Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, take US 36 west to US 34 at Deer Ridge Junction. Continue to Horseshoe Park, turn left toward Endovalley, and watch for Lawn Lake Trailhead parking on the right.
Overview
About Ypsilon Lake Trail
Why go
- Chipmunk Lake gives a memorable view of Ypsilon Mountain's Y-shaped couloir.
- A waterfall marks the trail's arrival at Ypsilon Lake.
Heads up
- Nine miles, 2,180 feet of climbing, and high altitude make this a long day.
Ypsilon Lake Trail is a 9-mile out-and-back from Lawn Lake Trailhead, with 2,180 feet of climbing and a high point near 10,740 feet. Allow about 6 to 8 hours with stops. The distance and altitude make this a hard day, not a quick lake stroll. I'd choose it for a long mountain walk with a strong payoff, but save it for a day when you feel good at elevation.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the hike for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Rocky Mountain map
Full mapElevation8,560–10,728 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Rocky Mountain alerts
- ClosureOld Fall River Road closed to vehiclesOld Fall River Road is closed to motor vehicles for the season.Official details
- ClosureSun Valley burn-area access remains closedThe area and trail west of Sun Valley Trail remain closed, including the route used for angler access to the Colorado River, because of impacts from the 2020 East Troublesome and Cameron Peak Fires;…Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Rocky Mountain Tour Guide
Your drive to Ypsilon Lake Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Rocky Mountain National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Rocky Mountain audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Lawn Lake Trailhead: A Long Climb or a Shorter View0:00 / 0:21
“You're coming up on Lawn Lake Trailhead, where a long climb follows the Roaring River to a lake ringed by the Mummy Range.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Rocky Mountain Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Alluvial Fan and the Flood of 1982
- West Horseshoe Park: A Meadow-Level View
- Sheep Lakes: Watch for Bighorns
- Beaver Ponds: A Wetland Left by Dams
- 79 audio storiesacross Rocky Mountain’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Elk, Moose, Mountain Goat, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 136 trails, 88 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“…No cell service for majority of the day but had continuous access to the app - the maps, the tour guide as you drive is amazing. Highly recommend purchasing the subscription.”
Trail guide
Hiking Ypsilon Lake Trail
Take the Ypsilon forkThe first 1.4 miles follow the Lawn Lake Trail.
The first 1.4 miles follow the Lawn Lake Trail. At the signed junction, go left for Ypsilon Lake; straight continues toward Lawn Lake. The route climbs steadily through dense pine, with occasional views toward Deer Mountain, Longs Peak, and the peaks around Horseshoe Park. A footbridge crosses Roaring River near the junction. The trail ends at Ypsilon Lake's west shore; the rougher continuation toward Spectacle Lakes is a separate scramble, not part of this route.
Chipmunk comes firstThe climb levels near its high point around 3.5 miles, then drops briefly to Chipmunk Lake.
The climb levels near its high point around 3.5 miles, then drops briefly to Chipmunk Lake. Pause by the shore: Ypsilon Mountain rises beyond the trees, and its snow-filled couloir draws a clear Y down the face. The trail then descends past Upper Chipmunk Campground at about 4.2 miles and reaches Ypsilon Lake around 4.5 miles from the start. A waterfall feeds the lake near the trail. Save some energy for the uphill return and the climb back over the high point.
A river valley reshapedLawn Lake Dam failed on July 15, 1982, sending a flood down Roaring River.
Lawn Lake Dam failed on July 15, 1982, sending a flood down Roaring River. It scoured the channel and left a broad debris fan where the river meets Fall River. That history is part of the approach: the crossing and its footbridge sit in a valley dramatically changed by the flood.
Water and accessLawn Lake Trailhead is on the road to Endovalley, with parking on the right and a vault toilet.
Lawn Lake Trailhead is on the road to Endovalley, with parking on the right and a vault toilet. Upper Chipmunk Campground also has a privy, but it is a backcountry campground rather than a day-use shelter. Treat stream water near Ypsilon Lake before drinking. Pets aren't allowed on trails in the park.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Rocky Mountain
3,124 sightingsElkMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
1,601 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
19 sightingsMountain GoatMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
19 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
30 sightingsGolden EagleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
270 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Rocky Mountain. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
