Lily Mountain
Lily Lake
Cascade Falls
Calypso Cascades


(Author's note - the following trip reports contain lots of selfies. My wife and I aren't a big fan of them in general, but when you hike early, and see very few people, it is sometimes the only option you have!)

For the first time in five years, my wife and I were able to plan a vacation sans children. While we love our three kids dearly, this was a highly anticipated break, and we wanted to explore Rocky Mountain National Park as much as possible. In the month leading up to our trip, I asked the members here at 14ers.com what hikes should be on our must-do list. In addition, I scoured the internet, doing my own research. I came up with a list over a page long, and Kellie and I began the process of narrowing our choices down, creating multiple drafts of our hiking itinerary. And even then, various factors forced us to change our plans on a day-by-day basis.

Shortly after arriving Sunday afternoon, the skies opened up on us. We took a quick drive into the park first, catching a brief glimpse of Longs Peak - something we wouldn't see again over the next few days - before the clouds swallowed it whole. We checked into our cabin, and ate dinner at Smokin' Dave's BBQ. Here is where I'll admit that I'm from Kansas City, which automatically makes me a barbeque snob. My one and only previous experience with Colorado barbeque was, shall we say, not that great. But I'm happy to report that Kellie and I thought Smokin' Dave's was excellent!

Monday's forecast called for rain - not just the typical afternoon summer thunderstorms, but constant rain all day long. Our original plan had been to explore the Wild Basin area early in the morning, then head over to Gem Lake a bit later in the day. However, the Rooftop Rodeo was taking place the same week, and their parade was scheduled for 10 a.m. on Monday in Estes Park. We didn't want the hassle of trying to get through town to go to Gem Lake, so we pulled a last-minute switch and decided to go for Lily Mountain, and then continue on to Wild Basin.

Lily Mountain is a very nice 4-mile roundtrip hike, with more large rock outcroppings than I can count, that are perfect for some fun little scrambles. Obviously, I couldn't resist on the way down.

As we made our way up, a cloud/fog settled in the forest, creating a very eerie vibe (a recurring theme over the next few days). Adding to the creepiness was that we reached the summit without ever seeing another person! There were also a few bizarre trees that had trunks bent at a 90-degree angle, completing the haunted forest look. Anyone have an explanation for these? We both loved the still, quiet morning, completely silent save for the occasional chirping of a bird, squeak of a chipmunk, or the wind rustling the forest leaves.

I'd seen from pictures that the summit of Lily Mountain gives you an awesome view of Longs Peak, as well as a very cool look straight down at Lily Lake. All we saw on Monday, however, was a thick mass of clouds. Still, it was a great hike to start our week! After heading back down, we drove maybe 1/4 mile to hike around Lily Lake, so we could actually see it! The fog/clouds lifted just a bit, even as the rain fell, allowing us to see the mountain we had just climbed.

It was still only 10 a.m. or so, but we didn't want to wander into Wild Basin without eating lunch first, nor did we want to go back to Estes Park right as the parade was beginning. Having no clue what was in Allenspark, we headed in that direction to find a place to eat. At first we saw no restaurants whatsoever, but on second glance, we found a place called Rock Creek Taphouse & Pizzeria. Apparently, a young woman and her mom had just opened up the business a few days prior. For an establishment with just a few days under their belt, the pizza was pretty darn good.

Worried about a potential parking place, we headed into the Wild Basin entrance to RMNP. Don't ask me how, but for some reason (despite having a Wild Basin map right in front of me), I had it in my head that we needed the Finch Lake Trailhead. So I was ecstatic when we pulled up and were the only car parked there! It seemed odd, but I just assumed the rain had kept people away. After hiking for half a mile, the trail led us to the Wild Basin trailhead, where we should have parked to begin with. Plenty of cars were parked there!

Cascade Falls is a short, easy hike near the beginning of Wild Basin. The water was raging from all the late spring snow, and the entire area was gorgeous. We continued on towards Calypso Cascades, our final destination for the day. At one point, we saw a sign at a trail junction denoting that the Cascades were getting very close (I don't recall the exact mileage). Shortly thereafter, we came upon a very nice bridge with rapids rushing underneath. We questioned whether this was Calypso Cascades or not, and continued on around the next bend. The trail gradually moved uphill, in a direction that appeared to move away from the water. We decided to go ahead and stop there, determining the bridge was as nice a place to turn around as any, and headed back. Later, we realized we had stopped short of the Cascades, but that's okay. Something to look forward to next time.

My wife and I absolutely loved the little portion of Wild Basin that we saw, and can't wait to go back there. Remote, scenic, and a total blast. Just watch for the bears if you decide to camp out there.