Only three cars at the Fern Lake trailhead.  Looks like I'll have most of the trail to myself.  It was very warm when I started the hike, needing no more than a T-shirt.

Be sure to click on these thumbnail photos for larger versions.

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1. The trail starts out as an easy stroll near the Big Thompson River.

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2. Large rocks scattered along the trail.

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3. Hmmm...  Someone didn't pack out the leftovers from their lunch.

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4. Arch Rocks.

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5. Just after passing through Arch Rocks.

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6. Is it just me or does that boulder look like a huge frog?

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7. The Pool.

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8. The trail.

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9. Fern Falls was really flowing.  Much more than I remember from the last time I was here.

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10. A small part of Fern Falls.

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11. The trail.

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12. I wonder if that guy has anything better to eat than pine seeds?

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13. A boardwalk passing through a small marshy area.

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14. The trail.

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15. The stream meanders through the trees.

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16. Spruce Lake.  To the left is Gabletop Mountain and to the right is Castle Rock.

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17. A small waterfall above Spruce Lake.

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18. Paintbrush.

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19. Beyond Spruce Lake, the trail gets quite steep and faint.

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20. Cairns help you stay on path.

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21. A small pond along the way.  This isn't Loomis yet, keep going.

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22. Blue Columbine.

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23. This is Loomis Lake below Gabletop Mountain.

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24. Another photo of Loomis Lake.  Shortly after I started down, I started hearing thunder in the distance.  It started to sprinkle as I passed Fern Falls, then gradually built into a light shower that continued until I got to Arch Rocks.