Because so many people have emailed me about my previous post, I decided to provide additional information on how to hike into Arrowhead Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.  This is definitely the crown jewel of the park. I’ve also added a bit with some fishing tips.

The best way to get to arrowhead Lake is to begin at the Milner pass parking lot.

You then head up the trail toward Mount Ida.

You will generally follow the ridge the entire way. Before you get to the top of Mount Ida, you will see another ridge, heading off to your left. You will also see a lake directly below you with some very steep cliffs. That is where you leave the trail and head toward arrowhead Lake.

Also, don’t get fooled into thinking that it is these lakes.  These are little ponds and you still have quite a bit of hiking past these.

Follow the ridge down almost 2,000 feet until you see Arrowhead Lake on your right. At first, you will be tempted to scale the cliffs to get down to the lake. Don’t do this. Trust me, I’ve tried, and it won’t end up well. You actually need to pass the lake and then scale down through the shell. It is very steep, but it’s the best way to get down to the lake. You will actually enter below the lake and then can hike back up into it.

Here is where you should drop down to the lake.

Here is a nice photo at Arrowhead Lake.

When returning back, you will be tempted to take a shortcut and head up through the cliffs. Again, don’t do this. You need to go back exactly the way you came and head below the lake and then shoot straight up to the ridge.

If you want to fish the lake, you should hike all the way around to the far end. That is where the cutthroats tend to hang out. It adds more time to your hike, but that’s the only place I have caught fish.

Here is a photo of a nice one I caught there.

Now for a few tips. The hike to Arrowhead is long and brutal with a total elevation gain of about 4,000 feet. I always left the parking lot before 6 AM and usually got home just after dark. Also, I would bring a water filter as it is nearly impossible to carry enough water for that long of a hike. Finally, don’t try any shortcuts. After leaving the lake and getting on the ridge, it looks like you can avoid heading back up toward Mount Ida and going across the valley below. I have done this once, and it is a bit shorter, but the bush whack is pretty nasty. It’s easier just to suck it up and hike all the way back up to the ridge and follow the trail back to Mount Ida and then down to Milner pass.

Now a note about fishing. I have heard so many rumors about giant cutthroats in Arrowhead Lake. I have fished nearly every lake in Rocky Mount national park and trust me that there are plenty other lakes in the park that have bigger cutthroats. If you go to Arrowhead Lake in search of trophy fish, you will be disappointed. And for that matter, you shouldn’t fish any lake in a park thinking you will catch a trophy. In my view, Rocky Mountain National Park is the prettiest place on the planet and the hike in is all about the experience. Every step has stunning views, and the hike is worth it just to have the experience of seeing something so majestic and beautiful.

I have done the hike three times and wish I had it in me to do again. But the hike is so tough on your body, I don’t think I can hack it. I have run in dozens of triathlons and marathons, and I would put this up with that kind of experience.

Finally, if you’re lucky, you’ll see this herd of bighorn sheep.

Also, this was a massive elk on the trail back down.