Ask someone from Colorado what the must-do hike is in Rocky Mountain and many will probably say Sky Pond. The jagged mountain ridge lines above this high mountain lake are pretty iconic. And it’s just a neat hike.

Plus, you pass by two waterfalls and two lakes along the way. It’s a lot of bang for your buck and, in my opinion, worth braving the crowds.

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Table of Contents

• Alberta Falls
• Loch Vale
• Timberline Falls and Lake of Glass
• Sky Pond
• Visiting in winter

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Alberta Falls

The Sky Pond hike begins at the Glacier Gorge trailhead, whose small parking lot fills notoriously early, especially on summer weekends. However, the free park shuttle stops here, and I highly recommend taking advantage of this. Unless you feel like arriving at 5:00 am, you won’t find a parking spot at the trailhead.

We arrived fairly early – though not at 5:00am – via the shuttle and set off, following signs toward Alberta Falls. The falls is about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) and 200 vertical feet (61 m) from the trailhead, and tumbles 25 feet (7.6 m) down Glacier Gorge. As with most waterfalls, Alberta Falls is at its peak in early summer when the snow is melting.

Not too far past Alberta Falls is a second, smaller, unnamed waterfall. There are no trail signs pointing you to it, but there’s a rocky outcrop on the left leading out to it.

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Loch Vale

Beyond the falls, the trail continues its upward climb to a junction; keep right toward Loch Vale, also sometimes called Loch Lake or The Loch. At a second junction 2 miles (3.2 km) from the trailhead, take the middle fork, continuing toward Loch Vale. All of these junctions are well-signed.

From the second junction, the trail zigzags up a hillside above Icy Brook before curving around to Loch Vale at about 2.8 miles (4.5 km) from the trailhead. The photos below are from three different hikes, and really show how the wind and the sky can impact the appearance of the lake.

Many people turn around at this point, and Loch Vale is well worth the hike on its own. It’s lovely and it’s not too steep or challenging. We hiked it a few summers back with my cousins and their kids, and they did great! We also took my sea level dwelling in-laws here and, despite not being acclimated to the altitude, they didn’t have any issues.

But for those looking for a longer, more challenging hike, you can press on to Timberline Falls, Lake of Glass, and Sky Pond.

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Timberline Falls and Lake of Glass

From Loch Vale, the trail traverses the northern shore, maintaining a fairly steady elevation until reaching the far side of the lake. Not far beyond this point, you’ll once again begin to ascend alongside Icy Brook toward Timberline Falls.

The falls itself can be seen from the trail, and as you stand at the base of the falls and gaze upward, you’ll be staring at your route as well. This is the most difficult section of the hike, as you’ll essentially be climbing up the right side of Timberline Falls. Climbing gear isn’t required, but you will sometimes need to use your hands and you’ll likely be navigating wet rocks.

Due to the popularity of this hike, there was a bit of a bottleneck here. The trail is narrow and people were waiting to go up and come down, so we did have to hang out for a few minutes at the base. But this was the only section of the trail where crowding was really a major factor.

Once you reach the top of Timberline Falls, you’ll be in the hanging valley containing the small, clear Lake of Glass. It’s worth stopping here and glancing back over your shoulder at the expansive view below, including Loch Vale.

Many people mistakenly stop here, thinking this is Sky Pond. It’s not. Sky Pond is about 10-15 minutes ahead, just over the hill at the far end of Lake of Glass.

The trail hugs the right shore of the lake, navigating through the subalpine landscape. Plants are small and fragile at this altitude; to avoid crushing them, please be especially careful to stay on the trail.

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Sky Pond

From the far end of Lake of Glass, it’s just a short walk up and over to reach Sky Pond. As soon as you crest the ridge, it will become obvious why this is such an iconic hike. Photos from every angle are amazing, but for a shot of the most recognizable and jagged ridge line – called The Sharkstooth – turn left when you reach the lake and walk about ¼ of the way around the shore.

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Winter in Glacier Gorge

Alberta Falls, Loch Vale, and even Sky Pond can be reached in the winter, though the terrain beyond Loch Vale can be avalanche prone and difficult to navigate. If you do plan to hike to Sky Pond in the winter, you’ll need the appropriate gear – meaning warm clothes, microspikes, and snowshoes – and training to make it there and back safely.

We’ve hiked in Glacier Gorge in winter multiple times the past few years and, truth be told, Sky Pond is one of my favorite winter hikes! For photos and more information on these winter hiking routes, winter navigation, and safety, check out the following:

• Winter hiking in Glacier Gorge
• Winter at Sky Pond
• Guide to winter hiking
• Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park

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The Important Stuff:

• Getting there: this hike departs from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead on Bear Lake Road; consider leaving your car at the park-n-ride in the summer and taking the free shuttle to the trailhead. From the trailhead, follow signs toward Alberta Falls, Loch Vale, and Sky Pond.

• Fees and passes: there is a $30/car daily or $35/car weekly entrance fee to RMNP; interagency annual passes are accepted. From May-Oct, if you arrive after 5:00am you will also need a timed entry permit to access this trailhead.

• Hiking: Round-trip distances and elevation gains along the Glacier Gorge to Sky Pond trail are as follows: Alberta Falls 1.6 miles (2.6 km) and 200 feet (61 m), Loch Vale 5.6 miles (9 km) and 1040 feet (317 m), Sky Pond 9 miles (14.5 km) and 1780 feet (543 m).

• Other: We encountered an extremely friendly marmot at Lake of Glass, who was clearly accustomed to humans feeding him. He even attempted to get into someone’s backpack. We always see signs about how feeding wildlife can be harmful, but I learned something recently about why this is and I feel it’s worth sharing: when animals that hibernate – such as marmots or squirrels – receive food that isn’t part of their normal diet, their bodies don’t process it in the same way and it doesn’t end up getting stored as fat. Then when winter comes along, they don’t have enough fat stored up and they die during hibernation.