Roundtrip Length: 6 mi Difficulty: Moderate

Lake Helene under the right conditions is a beautiful spot at any time of the year, but it is also a very sensitive paragon of an alpine lake. Tread lightly here where the beauty is balanced by the fragile landscape. Perhaps the most difficult part of this slightly strenuous hike may be finding parking at Bear Lake depending on your timing and the season. The trail leaves Bear Lake and after about a half mile of heading up the Flattop Mountain Trail, it takes a right leaving the aspen groves and ascending through conifers and boulders to a crescendo where the main trail sharply turns and descends to Odessa Lake and eventually Fern Lake (should you choose to go on later). It is just before this turn that a left turn off the main trail will take you to Two Rivers Lake and Lake Helene gracefully sitting in front of Notchtop Mountain. The terrain is marshy and the views are inspirational to say the least!