Overland’s Best Day Hikes: Shadow Mountain Lookout Hike in Rocky Mountain National Park (updated 4.5.24)

If you’re looking for a great day hike in Rocky Mountain National Park read on to learn more about the Shadow Mountain Lookout Hike.

• Part One: Shadow Mountain Lookout Hike, Information at a Glance 
• Part Two: Shadow Mountain Lookout Hike, Overview 
• Part Three: Report from Overland Leader, Abby Griffith
• Part Four: Area Map (courtesy of Gaia GPS) 
• Part Five: Topo Map and Elevation Profile  (courtesy of Gaia GPS) 
• Part Six: Shadow Mountain Lookout Hike Trailhead Information
• Part Seven: Additional Resources

Part One: Shadow Mountain Lookout Hike, Information at a Glance 

• Name of Hike: Shadow Mountain Lookout
• Location of Hike: Rocky Mountain National Park
• Location of Trailhead: We left directly from our campsite in Greenridge Campground (which was one of my favorite campgrounds all summer!). 
• Trail Notes: Begin at Greenridge Campground, change onto East Shore Trail, then pivot to Shadow Mountain Lookout Trail. 
• Difficulty Level: Moderate
• Roundtrip Miles: Approximately 9.5 miles
• Elevation Gain: About 1,800
• Route highlights: The route is highlighted by two components: hiking along Shadow Mountain Lake (which feeds Grand Lake) and the summit of the mountain, which features an abandoned fire lookout. Fire lookouts were a prominent feature in the 20th century within national parks, as over 3,000 were obstructed across the United States; however, only few are still operational today. Hikers will see a relic of the past when they come upon this abandoned lookout and glimpse into the solitary life of a fire lookout—a once a coveted position in the National Park Service. 
• Typical duration: ~ 4-5 hours

Part Two: Shadow Mountain Lookout Hike, Overview 

Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado has some beautiful day hikes. If you’re headed to RMNP, and want to get out on a great day hike, then read on!

The Shadow Mountain Lookout hike is always one of Overland’s favorite hikes in the Rockies. This hike starts right from Greenridge campground (where we stayed the night before). It begins following the shoreline of Shadow Mountain lake where the trail is flat and easy and has views of the lake and the mountains beyond it. The trail then begins winding its way up the side of Shadow Mountain. Here it gets steep and filled with switchbacks. You are in pretty dense trees and the view is blocked for some time but it is all worth it when you get out of the trees and find yourself on an open ridge that allows you to see miles in every direction, overlooking the valley below and the peaks to your other side. From here there is another steep ascent through the trees that brings you to the Shadow Mountain Fire Lookout overlooking the valley and lake below. There is a nice clear area at the top with rocks and logs to sit on and enjoy a snack.

Part Three: Report from Overland Leader, Abby Griffith

Shadow mountain was the perfect day hike for our second day together with our students! The proximity to our campground made it possible to get an early morning start. The beginning of the trail is briefly on a service road allowing us to hike side by side with students and get to know them a little better, also giving them the opportunity to bond with one another. The access to streams on this hike allowed us to carry less water than usual as we could purify water on the trail. The hike was difficult at times and required us to push our students some, but the reward of the view at the top and the sneak peeks at the view throughout were worth the push. This hike was a perfect pick for our second day because it showed our students that while hiking can often be difficult, it is also fun and has big payoffs (often in the form of a beautiful view)! Setting the scene for the rest of our trip with this hike helped get our group ready for the next two weeks of hiking!

Overland Leader Abby Griffith At-A-Glance

• Hometown: McCall, Idaho
• College, Major, Year of Graduation: Kenyon College, Gender Studies and English, 2023
• Trips led: Rocky Mountain Expedition ’23, Norway Expedition ’24

A quote from a co-leader

“Abby was a great co-leader. Abby has a ton of leading and backcountry experience and is well organized. We are very similar in terms of being enthusiastic, having a lot of backcountry experience, and being detail oriented which meant that we got along well.” – Maggie McDow

Part Four: Area Map (courtesy of Gaia GPS)

Part Five: Topo Map and Elevation Profile  (courtesy of Gaia GPS) 

Part Six: Shadow Mountain Lookout Hike Trailhead Information

Location of Trailhead: We left directly from our campsite in Greenridge Campground.

Part Seven: Additional Resources

The National Park Service offers this storm warning: Weather in Colorado can turn in an instant. Be prepared for changing weather conditions. Check the forecast before heading out. Lightning can strike anywhere in RMNP. Watch for building storm clouds and return to the trailhead immediately if you hear thunder. As a general rule, try to be back at the trailhead by noon.

• Rocky Mountain National Park
• RMNP: Shadow Mountain Lookout Hike
• AllTrails: Shadow Mountain Lookout Trail