At a Glance
- Trailhead: North Inlet, Grand Lake
- To Bench Lake: 3.9 miles
- Full Park Crossing: 21+ miles
- Difficulty: Moderate–Strenuous
North Inlet Trail Overview
The North Inlet Trail begins at the North Inlet Trailhead near Grand Lake Village and follows North Inlet Creek into Rocky Mountain National Park, eventually crossing the park to connect with trails near Bear Lake on the east side. The full one-way crossing is over 21 miles, making it one of the premier backpacking routes in RMNP.
For day hikers from Grand Lake, the lower North Inlet valley provides a peaceful, lightly trafficked trail through spruce-fir forest along a beautiful creek. The first 4 miles to Cascade Falls make an excellent half-day outing with minimal competition for parking compared to east-side trailheads.
Cascade Falls Day Hike
Cascade Falls, reached at approximately 3.5 to 4 miles from the trailhead, is a worthwhile day hike destination on the North Inlet Trail. The falls drop dramatically into the valley below, and the lower trail through the creek corridor is lovely in all seasons — particularly in fall with aspen color and in early summer with high water flow.
The North Inlet valley is consistently less crowded than the east-side RMNP trails, even in peak season. Wildlife viewing along the creek — moose, elk, and various bird species — is productive throughout the hiking season.
Backpacking the Park Crossing
The North Inlet to Bear Lake crossing is a classic Rocky Mountain National Park backpacking route. It requires backcountry permits, proper navigation, and at least 2 to 3 days. The route climbs from Grand Lake's elevation through the high country, crossing the Continental Divide before descending to the east side.
Permits are required and should be reserved well in advance through recreation.gov. The RMNP Backcountry Office in Grand Lake can also provide walk-up permits when available.
The Trailhead and What Leaves From It
North Inlet sits at roughly 8,540 feet, reached by heading east from Highway 34 on the road toward Grand Lake and bearing left at the forks. It is one of the two main trailheads on the town side of the park.
Published distances from here give Cascade Falls at around 3.5 miles, North Inlet Falls at about 7.6, Lake Nokoni at roughly 9.9 miles with some 2,240 feet of gain, and Lake Nanita at around 11 miles. Difficulty runs from moderate at the near end to difficult at the far.
A Gentle Start That Does Not Last
The first section runs level along an old road through meadow, which is why families walk part of it without any intention of reaching the falls. The climbing begins later, and the character changes with it.
That gradient profile is what makes this trailhead flexible: a group can turn round at any point and still have had a proper walk, which is not true of every route on this side of the park.
Also a CDT Access Point
The Continental Divide Trail Coalition lists North Inlet and Tonahutu as the trailheads reached via County Road 663 south of State Highway 278, which makes this one of the access points for the CDT's roughly 30-mile passage through the park.
For a group at the cabins, that means the same five-minute drive serves both an afternoon walk to a waterfall and the start of a multi-day route. Afternoon storms build fast in summer at these elevations, so the longer objectives want an early start.
Distances, elevation gain and difficulty above are drawn from published trail listings and are given as a guide. Published figures vary between sources, and trail conditions, closures and access change through the season. Check current conditions with the National Park Service at nps.gov/romo before setting out.