Alberta Falls is a tall, beautiful waterfall in Rocky Mountain National Park. We’ve written about a few other hikes in this park, which you can learn more about here. You can also search the name of any national park on our site, and if we’ve been there, you’ll get a whole list of our recommended hikes.
Alberta Falls is located on the east side of the park near the end of Bear Lake Road. The most difficult thing about it is the parking. The trail starts at a tiny parking area called Glacier Gorge Trailhead. However, it is difficult to find parking there, so you have a few alternatives. The first is to continue up to Bear Lake and hike down. This adds a little distance to the hike, but it is all downhill. There is a much larger parking area at Bear Lake, and there’s a small ranger station. Just ask the rangers to help you do the hike from the top. The other choice is using the shuttle. On busy days, the park runs a shuttle every 15 minutes that stops at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead, just make sure you plan a little extra time.
The hike to Alberta Falls is out and back, and the total distance is only around a mile and a half. There are a few forks in the trail, but they are all well signed, and so it’s no problem getting to the lake. This hike is perfect for the kids. There is plenty of shade, and it is relatively flat. Along the way, there are several little bridges to cross, and the area is green and beautiful.
The view is amazing when you arrive at the waterfall. The water roars over the granite rocks and falls a little over 30 feet to the river below. You can scramble up along the side of the waterfall to several different viewpoints, but watch the kids, as there is no barrier between the trail and the river. This is probably the most must-do hike in Rocky Mountain National Park, so make sure to plan for it!
