Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Shelf Lake and Solitude Lake are a pair of alpine lakes off the beaten path in Rocky Mountain National Park. No matter how busy the rest of the park is in the summer months, one can always find solitude on this hike as soon as one leaves the Black Lake trail about 3/4 mile past the wilderness campsite split. The solitude is earned though as one has to semi-bushwhack up 1000’ in about 1/2 mile, but the views of the lakes and the magnificent Glacier Gorge are well worth the effort. It is one of our favorite lake hikes in this park. Total stats with fire trail shortcut: 8.5 miles with 2400’ elevation gain
Music:
Discovery, by AK
Homestead, by Punch Deck
Snowfall, by Punch Deck
#rockymountainnationalpark
Shelf Lake and Solitude Lake are a pair of alpine lakes off the beaten path in Rocky Mountain National Park. No matter how busy the rest of the park is in the summer months, one can always find solitude on this hike as soon as one leaves the Black Lake trail about 3/4 mile past the wilderness campsite split. The solitude is earned though as one has to semi-bushwhack up 1000’ in about 1/2 mile, but the views of the lakes and the magnificent Glacier Gorge are well worth the effort. It is one of our favorite lake hikes in this park. Total stats with fire trail shortcut: 8.5 miles with 2400’ elevation gain
Music:
Discovery, by AK
Homestead, by Punch Deck
Snowfall, by Punch Deck
#rockymountainnationalpark
