ELEVATION GAIN: 120 meters DISTANCE: 1.3 km one way (to the lake) Elbow Lake is a short, sweet hike to a pristine mountain lake. The 1.3km trail takes you from the trail head to the far end of the lake. Though it’s short, there are steep sections on the trail. That being said, the trail is wide and easy to navigate. This is a popular hike, so the trail will be busy, especially on a warm summer day. It’s also an equestrian trail so you may see some horses.
The lake itself is beautiful and the valley beyond also stunning. We followed the trail into the valley for close to an hour. This part of the trail follows the Elbow River and is consistently flat with great views in every direction. We ended up crossing the river and climbing into a mountain cirque on Elpoca Mountain. Though there wasn’t a trail, we made our way along the grass and scree to a beautiful lookout. There is a lot to do once you make it to the lake. You can fish, swim and hang out at the lake or you can head into the valley for a walk, or make your way to the Rae Glacier. The trail for the glacier is located on the far SE side of the lake. We didn’t make it to the glacier on this day, but hope to return in the fall. Overall, I really enjoyed this hike. It is a great hike to do with the family as it’s a pretty short distance to the lake. I would suggest arriving a bit earlier to find parking more easily and avoid some of the crowds. Happy Trails. (note: Hwy 40 is closed annually from December-June)
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Of all the paths you take in life make sure a few of them are dirt. John Muir Archives
September 2017
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