A Guide to One of My Favorite Colorado Photo Spots

Bear Lake, Longs Peak and the Keyboard of the Winds.

Bear Lake, Longs Peak and the Keyboard of the Winds.

This is one of my favorite photo spots in Rocky Mountain National Park. Longs Peak and the Keyboard of the Winds are in the background, Bear Lake in the mid-ground, and aspen leaves and boulders in the foreground. Here’s how to get to that spot.

Initially posted September 23, 2023.

Bob, Aspen and Bear Lake.

You can sort of see the spot from the east end of Bear Lake. On the right is Bob, my brother-in-law and photo buddy. On the left side of the image you can see a bold patch of aspen. If you look closely you can see a bunch of boulders that slid down the mountain side and into the lake. The boulder field extends most of the way up through the aspen.

To get to this favorite spot, when you arrive at the lake, turn right and go around the lake to the north, Go past the boulders. Once you are past the boulder field you can start up the steep but fairly even ground on the west side of the boulder field.

Aspen above Bear Lake. The red Xs mark two of the boulders where I like to set up my tripod and camera.

When you are fairly far up, you will start to see some places you can safely (if you a careful) climb out on the boulder field where there are some really large boulders 10-20 feet in diameter. You can set up your gear on top of these boulders and have a great view through the aspen. In this photo which is cropped from the photo of Bob, I put a red X right above two of my favorite boulders.

Sarah with a roll film camera on a boulder above Bear Lake.

You should have plenty of room to work. You won’t see many other photographers up in these boulders. I don’t see very many and when I do I usually take a picture of them. Some of them take my picture too!

I have been here at almost every time of day from morning to sunset, but my favorite time is in the early to mid-morning hours.