Portered Odessa Gorge
Estes Park, CO
5.0 (3 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Amazing Odessa Gorge
- Alpine Lakes
- High Country Exploration
- Stunning Campsite
- Hike with Light Daypack
- Waterfalls, Rivers, Meadows & Lakes
- Abundant Wildlife Habitat
Description
Please Note: This trip was affected by the 2020 wildfires in Rocky Mountain National Park. The Park Service has not indicated yet whether this area will be open in 2021, or what condition it will be in. For the time being, we are not adding 2021 reservations for this trip. We heartily recommend our Rocky Mountain llama treks as excellent alternatives!
This great point-to-point hike takes us from Bear Lake into the lake-strewn canyon of Odessa Gorge and the Fern Lake drainage beyond. Camping two nights at Odessa Lake allows for an entire day of exploring. Porters transport the gear and food to our campsite and set everything up, allowing us to hike with lighter backpacking (than on backpacking trips) while enjoying a thoroughly authentic backcountry experience. On the final day, the porters will break down camp and the gear back out for us, completing the trip.
Starting at Bear Lake, we’ll ascend through a long canyon with views of high peaks above to our lake-side camp. Odessa Lake is nestled in a rich subalpine spruce/fir forest at 10,000 feet and is perfectly situated for amazing day hikes from camp. Above us to the west stand some of the most iconic landmarks of the Colorado Rockies including; the Flat Top Mountain, Little Matterhorn, Notchtop Peak, and Ptarmigan Point. The combination of rich forest, mountain lakes, and diverse hiking terrain make this a truly remarkable trip that is both awe-inspiring and suitable for families.
Please Note: Porters transport all camping gear (tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads…etc.) as well as food. They also set up and break down camp. Guests are responsible for carrying their clothing and personal items.
$1170 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 15-20 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 4-6 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 1870 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 1870 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Well maintained and some off trail
- Additional:
- This trip goes up over 11,000 feet in elevation. It’s best to arrive in Estes Park a day or two early to acclimatize. We may also be hiking off trail at times on variable terrain including meadows, forests and talus.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- exercise several times per week
- be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Colorado backpacking trip a solitude 3. You can expect hours of solitude at a time.
Learn More about our Rating SystemTravel to Estes Park
All Rocky Mountain National Park trips begin and end from Estes Park, Colorado. Estes Park does not have an airport. The most convenient airport is Denver International Airport (DIA), which is served by most major airlines and is an inexpensive airport to fly into. From DIA one can take a shuttle or rent a car to reach Estes Park. It is a 1.5-hour drive from DIA to Estes Park on good roads.
Denver to Estes Park Shuttles
Estes Park Shuttle: 970-586-5151
SuperShuttle: 970-482-0505
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.3
- 4 People: Rate x 1.1
- 5+ People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person
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