Hike to Big Meadows

Big Meadows

NPS Photo / N. Guarino

• Distance (via Green Mountain Trailhead): 3.6 miles round trip
• Elevation Gain (via Green Mountain Trailhead): 606 feet
• Distance (via Kawuneeche Visitor Center): 8.4 miles round trip
• Elevation Gain (via Kawuneeche Visitor Center): 680 feet
• Type of Trail: Loop

This loop trail can either be accessed from the Kawuneeche Visitor Center or Green Mountain Trailhead – start at Green Mountain Trailhead for a mostly downhill-to-flat finish. This trail passes along the lush, marshy Big Meadow, and through forests of lodgepole pine, quaking aspen, subalpine fir, and Engelmann spruce. Be on the lookout for wildlife! Moose sightings are common, as are glimpses of grazing elk especially in the morning and late afternoon. Explore the cabin ruins of early settlers along the meadow. This loop has beautiful, colorful foliage in the fall.

This area did burn in the East Troublesome Fire of 2020. Park visitors should be aware of additional hazards when recreating in burn areas including:

• Burned-out stump holes where the ground may be weak and unstable
• Unstable dead trees, especially in windy conditions
• Loose rocks, logs and rolling debris
• Flash flooding and significant debris flow possible in burn areas
• Dry, hot conditions with little forest canopy to provide shade

For current fire information, maps and details on areas closures within RMNP, visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/fire-information-and-regulations.ht

Be Aware:  The Upper Tonahutu Creek Trail from the junction of Onahu Trail at Tonahutu east to Flattop Mountain is closed.
 

Help keep wildlife wild. Never approach or feed wildlife. Animals that learn people are a source of food can become aggressive or stop hunting or foraging on their own. Keep your distance - it's the law! You could be hurt or issued a fine.

Details

Activity

Hiking

Pets Allowed

No

Activity Fee

No

Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information.

Location

Green Mountain Trailhead

Reservations

Yes

From May 27 to October 10, 2022, Timed Entry Permit Reservations are required to enter most areas of Rocky Mountain National Park between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. To access the Bear Lake Road Corridor, Timed Entry Permits are in effect from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Timed Entry Permit Reservations are only available to be booked through https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086910. One Timed Entry Permit Reservation is $2.00 and non-refundable. 

Timed Entry Permits are vehicle permits. One Timed Entry Permit will cover one vehicle and all passengers in the vehicle. Timed Entry Permit Holders must enter the park during their reseved 2-hour reservation window. 

To learn more, visit the park's Timed Entry Permit Reservation webpage at https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm

Accessibility Information

This is not a paved trail. The trail is rugged with an elevation gain of over 600 feet.