Cub Lake Loop Hiking Guide
The Cub Lake Loop starts on the edge of Moraine Park, climbs to a lily-covered lake, then drops through the Big Thompson River valley past The Pool and returns along Fern Lake Road. It stays low by Rocky's standards, so it opens earlier in spring and holds fall color and elk activity in September and October. Here is how the loop works, how to skip the road walk, and the seasonal rules in Moraine Park.
Permit: Rocky Mountain National Park requires an entrance pass at every hour of the year: $30 per private vehicle for one day or $35 for 7 days, $25 or $30 per motorcycle, $15 or $20 per person on foot or bike (16 and older), the $70 park annual pass, or an America the Beautiful pass. Non-US residents 16 and older pay an extra $100 each unless entering on an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Entrance stations take cards only. From late May to mid-October you also need a Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road reservation to drive onto Bear Lake Road between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. (May 22 to October 18 in 2026); it costs a $2 Recreation.gov fee per vehicle. No permit is needed for the day hike; backcountry campsites along the loop are reserved separately.
Loop or Out-and-Back
AllTrails maps the full loop at 6.2 miles with 679 feet of gain, a walk of two and a half to three hours for most people. It runs from the Cub Lake Trailhead to the lake, over to the Fern Lake Trail, down the valley to the Fern Lake Trailhead, then back along Fern Lake Road. If you only want the lake, the park gives 2.4 miles and 540 feet one way from the Cub Lake Trailhead at 8,080 feet; its older list says 2.3.
Lake, Valley and The Pool
Cub Lake is shallow and covered with water lilies in midsummer; by late August rangers reported the blooms finished. Past the lake the trail crosses to the Fern Lake Trail and descends along the Big Thompson, passing The Pool, 1.7 miles from the Fern Lake Trailhead by the park's count. AllTrails notes backcountry sites at Cub Creek and Arch Rocks along the way.
Using the Moraine Park Shuttle
The free Moraine Park shuttle stops at both the Cub Lake Trailhead and the Fern Lake bus stop, hourly from 7 a.m., so you can ride between the two instead of walking the road. The last bus leaves the Fern Lake stop at 7:30 p.m., and the park says to catch the 5:30 bus if you need to connect back toward Glacier Gorge or Bear Lake. Shuttles run late May to mid-October.
Elk Season Rules
From September 1 through October 31, the park closes Moraine Park and several other meadows to foot travel off established roads and trails from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. to protect rutting elk. The trail itself stays open, but don't wander into the meadow for a closer photo, and give bulls plenty of room. The trailhead sits inside the Bear Lake Road corridor, so in season a car arriving between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. needs that corridor's reservation.
Hiking tips for Cub Lake Loop
- Ride the Moraine Park shuttle between trailheads to skip the road walk.
- Stay on the trail through the meadows at dawn and dusk during the rut.
- Visit earlier in summer for lilies in bloom; rangers found them finished by late August.
- Start from the Cub Lake side so the long descent along the river comes second.
- Check the last shuttle time before you start the far side of the loop.
Nearby trails to explore
- Deer Mountain Trail (Rocky Mountain National Park)
- Emerald Lake Trail (Rocky Mountain National Park)
- Gem Lake Trail (Lumpy Ridge)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
The Cub Lake Loop is a relaxed half day with elk, a lily pond and a river. Use TrailMates to find Estes Park hikers heading to Moraine Park. Download the TrailMates app to connect.