Odessa Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park
- Date hiked: 07/09/2020
- Hiked from: Bear Lake Trailhead
- Distance hiked: 9 Miles RT
- Total elevation gain: 1,900 ft
- Maintained trail: Yes – Bear Lake trail > Flat-top Mountain trail > Fern-Lake trail > Odessa Lake trail
- Overall Difficulty: 6/10 – There was two small snowfield crossings with a little bit of exposure going downhill into Odessa Gorge
- Overall Views: 7/10 – During the half mile downhill into Odessa Gorge, there is an excellent aerial view of Odessa Lake. Circling the lake are Flattop Mountain, Notchtop Mountain, Knobtop Mountain, Little Matterhorn and Gabletop mountain. Prior to reaching Odessa Lake, scenic detours include Two Rivers Lake, Lake Helene and Grace Falls.
Cinematic Video of our Arrival at Odessa Lake
It’s quite a hike to reach Odessa Lake, but it’s totally worth it. There’s two campsites at Odessa Lake, and they fill up pretty much the first day you are able to make reservations, so get on there fast!
Catch and release fishing is permitted albeit you have a Colorado fishing license. Walk along the lake or hang out by the beach shore. Climb up on the rocks the the north end and soak in views of several named mountain peaks in the park. Definitely one of the more scenic lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park.
If you are feeling adventurous, camping at Odessa Lake, hike up to another alpine lake that’s really off the beaten path. Tourmaline Lake sits 600 feet above Odessa Lake and 1 mile each way. Mileage may very due to lack of established trail.
We did this hike early July and added several other alpine lakes to the entirety of the hike. Check out the full review and video of our day hiking to Two-Rivers, Helene, Marigold, Odessa and Tourmaline Lakes.
