— In our trip to Rocky Mountain NP in September 2019, we wanted to revisit some of our favorite places. Also, we wanted to discover new trails and sights. If you have been reading my notes here, you have seen some of our favorite locations in that park: Trail Ridge Road, Sprague Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, Emerald Lake, and Bear Lake. Then, there were new discoveries, including Alberta Falls and Mills Lake. That is what you see above.
The hike to Mills Lake is approximately 5.3 miles (8.53 km) roundtrip with an elevation gain of 780 ft (237.75 m). Those factors make this a moderate trail. The scenery along the trail is unforgettable. I would recommend definitely doing the hike mid- to late afternoon. You will catch two birds with a single stone. You will experience the late afternoon light at Mills Lake and also catch Alberta Falls at dusk. As you are approaching Mills Lake, you will go over Glacier Creek. Just past that creek, you’ll also see a small waterfall named Glacier Falls. All through this hike, the scenery is constantly changing and captivating you.
When we did this hike, we were not sure exactly what we would see. Luckily, after passing Alberta Falls, traffic on the trail is light. We did run into a few people coming back from the lake. However, when we arrived at the lake, there was only one other couple. You will likely share the peace and quiet in the scene here with only wildlife. in fact, we had to pull aside to let three elks come by. We were nervous to see them close — they are truly enormous — but they were aware of us, too. They kept moving away while looking at our direction. Anyway, we stood by the lake shore and waited till they passed us. We let wildlife control its territory. It’s theirs, not ours.
The photo here shows the tranquil waters of this subalpine lake. The mountains you see in the background are the majestic Keyboard of the Winds. In order to capture all the diverse light in the location, I made three bracketed shots and merged them to create what my eyes were seeing. We explored the shore a little, and then we headed back to capture the last sunlight at Alberta Falls. The lake takes its name from Enos Mills, who is considered the father of Rocky Mountain NP.
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