Estes Park Village—Moraine Park—Glacier Park Campground— Bierstadt Lake—Bear Lake; 11.1 miles, Bear Lake Road. Oil-processed road entire distance. Accommodations of all kinds.

This tour traverses a section of the Big Thompson Valley highly developed as a summer resort, presenting ever changing vistas of the Continental Divide. Substantial log cabins and cottages, perched on craggy slopes amid aspens and pines, border both sides of the winding highway. At times the clear stream paralleling the road is lined with fishermen; others wade out to cast flies into deep pools.

In ESTES PARK VILLAGE, 0 miles, the route branches southwest from US 34 (see Park Tour 1) and follows the course of the Big Thompson River. Southwest of BEAVER POINT, 1 miles, a group of stores and camps, the broad grassland, carpeted with wild flowers, green and inviting throughout early summer, turns brown in later months.

At 1.8 miles the road forks.

Right from this fork to MORAINE PARK, 0.6 miles, an open valley on the Big Thompson River. To the south is a great moraine of rock and debris carried down the valley by glaciers. This 2,500-acre park is covered with a thick matting of grass, a favorite pasture for deer and elk during the fall, when snow drives them from the higher ranges. In these months it is not unusual to come upon herds of these animals along the road.

A MUSEUM (open 8-5 daily), 0.7 miles, houses exhibits of Indian culture, history, and glacial geology. During the season park naturalists give lectures (inquire at Museum) in the adjoining amphitheatre. The route continues to the junction with the Trail Ridge Road, 52 miles (see Park Tour 1).

Bear Lake Road winds through Tuxedo Park and along Mill Creek (L) to HOLLOWELL PARK, 5.6 miles, another open grassland, once the pathway of glacial masses.

At 6.9 miles is the junction with a dirt road.

Left on this road 0.1 miles to the GLACIER PARK CAMPGROUND (free picnic and camping facilities), where park naturalists lecture on local flora and fauna.

The highway remains well up on the hillsides among thick lodge-pole pine and aspen. From the curves and occasional open places the great peaks of the park are sighted, dominated by Longs Peak, which stands well apart from the main range to the south. In front of Longs Peak and slightly to the east is MT. LADY WASHINGTON (13,269 alt.) ; to the east (L) of the highway are the TWIN SISTERS (11,436 and 11,438 alt.), outside the park.

At 9 miles is the junction with a marked trail.

Right on this trail on a stiff zigzag climb to the top of a moraine, 1.1 miles; here the trail descends through a forest of lodgepole pine to BIERSTADT LAKE, 1.3 miles, named for Albert Bierstadt, the painter, and turns northwest (L)along abandoned Mill Creek Road. Passing the unoccupied Mill Creek Ranger Station, 2.4 miles, it reaches the summit of a ridge, 3.1 miles, from which appears (R) CUB LAKE, a tiny body of water far below. The trail follows the Big Thompson River to its headwaters at FERN LAKE, 6.8 miles (see Trail Tour 8).

The Bear Lake Road ascends steadily; green forests mantle the hills in all directions; tiny lakes and pools dot parks and valleys; numerous streams, like silver threads, appear and disappear in the changing vista.

GLACIER GORGE PARKING AREA, 10.5 miles, is the starting place for trail trips to Glacier Gorge (see Trail Tour 2) and Loch Vale (see Trail Tour 2).

BEAR LAKE (8,700 alt.), 11.1 miles, is hemmed in by towering summits, but its beauty is marred by the effects of a fire that swept the slopes many years ago. Here is the BEAR LAKE RANGER STATION, the starting point for hiking or horseback trips to Loch Vale (see Trail Tour 2), Fern Lake (see Trail Tour 3), and Grand Lake (see Trail Tour 4).