Stephen Meyers

stephenmeyers@coloradoan.com

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK — There is a place in this pristine park, best known for its mountains and alpine tundra, where you can bring a swimsuit and walk barefoot across a beach.

Yeah, I didn't believe it either until I arrived to Sandbeach Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park last week.

Hikers laid out on the beach, shirts off, sitting on towels and getting tan. Young kids on a day trip with YMCA of the Rockies took turns running across the sand and plunging into the chilly alpine lake. It looked like a scene from a lazy summer day at Horsetooth Reservoir.

Only, this was at 10,283 feet elevation. And only 200 yards away from the forested trail where patches of snow still hadn't melted.

Rocky Mountain National Park, you're full of surprises.

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A few fellow Fort Collins hikers recently recommended the trail, so last week I escaped the 90-degree heat and took a day trip to the mountains in search of the true sandy beach and alpine lake.

Located in the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park, Sandbeach Lake Trail is a moderate 4.5-mile hike that'll get the lungs pumping as soon as you set off from the parking lot at 8,302 feet.

In years past, Wild Basin — accessed from Colorado Highway 7 — was a bit of a hidden gem in Rocky Mountain. But, within a park that is again on pace to set a new visitation record after more than 4 million visitors last year, it's now hard to describe many trails or areas of the park as "hidden."

Alas, the parking lot for about a dozen vehicles was packed on a Tuesday, but I did enjoy relative solitude on the hike to the lake, seeing only seven other people.

The at-times steep trail switchbacks through aspens and ponderosa and lodgepole pine providing welcome shade. Wildflowers such as white bristly pricklypoppy and golden banner grow along the trail.

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The trail on the way to the lake features four backcountry campsites: Hole in the Wall, Campers Creek, Beaver Mill Creek and Hunters Creek. Two more are at the lake.

The Wild Basin area features 18 backcountry campsites, with access to not only Sandbeach Lake, but also Ouzel Lake, Bluebird Lake, Finch Lake and Copeland Mountain. I recommend the area for first-time backpackers, as many sites can be reached with hikes as short as two miles.

Day hikers searching for Rocky Mountain's famous vistas won't find many on the Sandbeach Trail, which mostly ducks in and out of the forest, following Hunter's Creek.

But if you're lacking in motivation with so few mountain views, think of the refreshing dip into the crisp mountain water that awaits at Sandbeach Lake — especially when temperatures in Fort Collins threaten triple digits.

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I arrived to the lake (after walking through snow) and quickly tossed off my shoes to wiggle my toes in the sand. Sure, there's a rock or two hidden in there — it's not fine sand like Miami Beach — but laying on the sand surrounding the alpine lake reminds me of a vacation day at the shore.

The dip into the lake isn't polar-plunge cold, but this isn't like jumping into the 70-degree neighborhood pool. The water will take your breath away.

But there's no better way to escape the heat than by swimming in an alpine lake.

Who said Colorado doesn't have beaches?

Sandbeach Lake

Distance: 4.5 miles one way

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation range: 8,302 to 10,283 feet

Trailhead: From Estes Park, go south on Colorado Highway 7 about 14 miles to the Wild Basin Entrance Station of Rocky Mountain National Park. The parking lot and trailhead are just to the right of the entrance station. Water and bathrooms are available

Fees: $20 for one-day pass; $30 for weekly pass; $80 for annual national parks pass

Pets: Not allowed

Boats: Canoes, kayaks and paddleboards are allowed on Rocky Mountain National Park's lakes, except for Bear Lake.

Camping: There are six designated campsites along the trail and at the lake, including Hole in the Wall, Campers Creek, Beaver Mill Creek, Hunters Creek, Sandbeach Lake and Group Site. A $26 wilderness permit is required. To reserve a camping spot, visit www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/wild_guide.htm or call 970-586-1242.

Xplore reporter Stephen Meyers covers the outdoors and recreation for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter: @stemeyer or @XploreNoCo.