High above Timberline Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park, Sky Pond requires a strenuous hike to achieve. However, you’re rewarded richly along the way with at least three waterfalls and one of the prettiest alpine lakes in the region. Here’s how to complete the Sky Pond Hike in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Details
Distance: 9.5 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 1,640 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous
Time: 4-6 hours
When to go: June-September

How Do I Get to the Sky Pond Trailhead?
From Highway 36, turn onto Bear Lake Road. Drive almost 8 miles to the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. This is where the Sky Pond hike begins, too. This parking lot can fill up quickly due to the number of hikes starting here. During the summer tourist season, consider using the free park shuttle.

What Is the Sky Pond Trail Like?

Hike 0.25 mile from the parking area, cross Chaos Creek and converge with the Glacier Creek Trail. Follow this for a short bit, then turn left instead of right to Bear Lake. Less than a mile from here, you’ll reach Alberta Falls, a scenic 30-foot cascade named for the wife of Abner Sprague, one of the original settlers of the Estes Park area.

Hike from Alberta Falls to the North Longs Peak Trail junction. Turn right. When you reach Mills Junction, continue straight onto the Loch Vale Trail. (If you turn left, you’ll hike toward Mills Lake and Black Lake, as well as a side trail to Lake Haiyaha.)

Climb steeply through a gorge, with the Icy Brook cascades to your left. You’ll reaach Loch Vale, or The Loch, at 2.8 miles, a subalpine lake at 10,190 feet.

Across the lake, you can see 13,153-foot Taylor Peak and Taylor Glacier. Thatchtop Mountain is to the south and The Sharkstooth is to the southwest. Hike around the north shore of the lake and start to see 13,208-foot Powell Peak.

Clear the lake area and start to climb, reaching the Sky Pond/Andrews Glacier split at just over 3.6 miles. If you go right, you’ll reach Andrews Glacier. To reach Sky Pond, turn left. Timberline Falls will come into view about 0.3 mile above the junction. At just over 4 miles, you’ll reach the base of the falls. Follow the trail up a chute to the right of Timberline Falls, a challenging scramble that uses handholds and climbs about 100 feet.

At 4.1 miles from the trailhead, you’ll reach the Lake of Glass (or Glass Lake), from which you can see The Sharkstooth, Taylor Peak and Powell Peak. Hike along the est side of the lake. At 4.5 miles you’ll reach Sky Pond at 10,900 feet, a gorgeous alpine lake surrounded on three sides by cliff walls and beneath the spires of The Sharkstooth, the Petit Grepon and the Sabre.

What Is the Nearby Mills Lake Hike Like?

Return to the same parking area as for the Sky Pond hike and instead take this steady, uphill, 5.6-mile hike to pretty Mills Lake. Along the way, you’ll be trekking through the pretty Glacier Gorge trail system.

You’ll come first to Alberta Falls at 0.8 mile, then to a trail junction. Follow the Glacier Gorge/Loch Vale trail to the right. At the next junction, go left into Glacier Gorge and to Mills Lake.

If you’ve brought a fishing rod, you’ll want to cast a line at Mills Lake once you arrive there. It’s one of the park’s most fishable lakes, known to contain rainbow and brook trout and Greenback cutthroats.

What Are Some Other Hikes in This Area?

Bear Lake Area Loop and Alberta Falls
Make the most of your hiking time with the Bear Lake Area Loop. Have a snack at Dream Lake, in full view of Hallet Peak and Flattop Mountain, then cross the Chaos Creek before cutting off to Haiyaha Lake. Snap a few photos of picturesque Alberta Falls, then end with a picnic lunch on the shores of Bear Lake.

The Loch

If you have to choose just one day hike in Rocky Mountain National Park and you can’t make it to Sky Pond, The Loch is a great choice. This beautiful subalpine lake is framed by the Sharktooth and Mt. Taylor.

What Are Some Other Don’t-Miss Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes?

Fern Lake
On the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park, catch the Fern Lake Trailhead to this glistening lake. You’ll pass through Arch Rocks, go over a bridge at The Pool and see the spray of three cascading waterfalls. As you reach the lake, you’ll start to have great views of The Gable, Knobtop Mountain, Notchtop Mountain and Little Matterhorn.

Chasm Lake
During this 8.6-mile roundtrip hike, you’ll gain incredible views just below famous Long’s Peak, the highest peak in the park. Climb through subalpine forest to alpine tundra, keeping an eye out for marmots and pikas. Along the way, you can see into the deep gorge of Peacock Pool and Columbine Falls.

Emerald Lake
One of the most accessible lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park, Emerald Lake is accompanied by stops at Dream Lake and Nymph Lake. You’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of Hallet Peak.

Wild Basin Trail to Ouzel Falls
A great half-day option near Estes Park, Ouzel Falls is always popular. This easy hike follows the Wild Basin Trail to the stunning Ouzel Falls – take a detour to Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades if time permits.

Sprague Lake
For quick wheelchair- and stroller-accessible, try the Sprague Lake Loop. There are benches and lookouts all along the trail. The mountains along the Continental Divide can be seen clearly and there’s often a fair bit of wildlife to see.

Bluebird Lake
This 6-mile hike to an alpine lake brings you into the heart of the Wild Basin – a mountain paradise of wildflowers, waterfalls and lakes. If you’d like to fish, take the half-mile spur trail to Ouzel Lake.