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Dream Lake Dawn Hike

Photo of Winslow Robbins
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Winslow R.
Dream Lake Dawn Hike

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Join us for a dawn photographic hike to one of the most beautiful, accessible alpine lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park. The morning sunrays, combined with a frozen lake often dusted with snow, and the mighty spires of Hallett Peak to the west create an incredible vista for viewing and landscape photography.

Bring your wide-angle and telephoto lenses with you. There are many different compositions and angles to shoot at the lake and many different spots around the shore that make for beautiful photographs. A tripod will be a necessary tool as well, as early morning light is beautiful, but often requires longer exposure times to capture adequately.

Dawn is at 7:25AM in the park, necessitating the 5:30AM start time. It's going to be quite chilly of course so winter clothing is a necessity. Gloves are especially helpful, as operating a camera in those temps can be difficult. Because we will be hiking in the dark at the beginning, a headlamp is also necessary. Hiking in the snow also means that microspikes are an important backup to have in the pack when the trail gets slick or snowy. An insulated water container is another key item, as you want to stay hydrated but don't want your water freezing.

Recommend Gear

  • Camera Body
  • Telephoto Lens
  • Wide Angle Lens
  • Tripod
  • Insulated Water Container
  • Microspikes
  • Headlamp
  • Winter Clothes, Hat and Gloves
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Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Park · Denver, CO