The Spirit of the Rockies www.thespiritoftherockies.net

Hike Profiles for Rocky Mountain National Park and Surrounding Areas

Sky Pond

The hike to Sky Pond passes several lakes and waterfalls as it leads through Loch Vale to a shelf below Taylor Glacier and Taylor Peak. The outstanding scenery and varied environments along this trail make it a very popular trail for day hikers.

Distance: 4.6 miles one-way Lake elevation: 10,900 feet Trailhead elevation: 9,240 feet Net elevation gain: 1,660 feet Glacier Gorge Trailhead Rocky Mountain National Park

Spires above Sky Pond

Major Trail Landmarks Alberta Falls (0.6 miles one-way from trailhead) Junction of Loch Vale and North Longs Peak Trails (1.3 miles one-way from trailhead) Junction of Loch Vale and Mills Lake Trails (1.9 miles one-way from trailhead) The Loch (2.7 miles one-way from trailhead) Junction of Loch Vale and Andrews Creek Trails (3.6 miles one-way from trailhead) Timberline Falls (4.0 miles one-way from trailhead) Lake of Glass (4.2 miles one-way from trailhead)

Principal Destinations Near Sky Pond Mills Lake (2.5 miles one-way from trailhead) - via Mills Lake Trail Andrews Tarn (4.7 miles one-way from trailhead) - via Loch Vale to Andrews Creek Trail

Backcountry Campsites Near Sky Pond Andrews Creek (3.3 miles one-way from trailhead) - 1 individual site

The Glacier Gorge Trailhead is on the east side of the Continental Divide near Bear Lake. From the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station on U.S. Highway 36, head west less than a quarter mile and turn south on Bear Lake Road (toward Moraine Park). Follow Bear Lake Road approximately 9 miles to the small parking area at Glacier Gorge. This lot often fills up early in the morning when Bear Lake Road is open to vehicle traffic. The trailhead begins across the road to the south. The trail to Sky Pond begins by hiking past Alberta Falls from Glacier Gorge Trailhead. Past the falls, there are two trail junctions. At the first junction, take the right-hand trail (the left-hand trail is the North Longs Peak Trail). At the second junction, the right-hand trail leads toward The Loch and Sky Pond (the left-hand trail leads to Mills Lake, and an unimproved trail also leads north to Lake Haiyaha). The trail then climbs a steeper grade to The Loch, passes along the north shore of this lake, and leads to a junction with the Andrews Creek Trail. The left-hand trail here leads toward Timberline Falls and Sky Pond. At Timberline Falls, the trail climbs briefly beside the falls before leveling on to a shelf at Lake of Glass. The trail narrows in this area, but is visible as it winds along the north side of Lake of Glass to Sky Pond.

Sample photographs of the hike to Sky Pond

Timberline Falls

Powell Peak from near Sky Pond

Sky Pond

Taylor Peak and Sky Pond

Sky Pond topographic map

Principal summer trail marked by solid red line; unmaintained trail or route marked by dashed red line. Map is oriented with north to the top of the map

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All photographs are property of Mike Amfahr and are protected by copyright laws. Topographic map is property of and copyrighted by Maps a la carte, Inc., and is used on this site with permission.