The Spirit of the Rockies www.thespiritoftherockies.net

Hike Profiles for Rocky Mountain National Park and Surrounding Areas

The Loch

The Loch, located in Glacier Gorge, is a popular and often revisited lake. The lake sits between Thatchtop and Otis Peak in a glacial valley named Loch Vale. The Loch is also starting point for longer day hikes to Sky Pond and Andrews Tarn, as well as Taylor and Andrews Glaciers near Taylor Peak.

Distance: 2.7 miles one-way Lake elevation: 10,180 feet Trailhead elevation: 9,240 feet Net elevation gain: 940 feet Glacier Gorge Trailhead Rocky Mountain National Park

Fisherman at the east end of The Loch

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)

Principal Destinations Near The Loch Mills Lake (2.5 miles one-way from trailhead) - via Mills Lake Trail Timberline Falls (4.0 miles one-way from trailhead) Lake of Glass (4.2 miles one-way from trailhead) Sky Pond (4.6 miles one-way from trailhead) Andrews Tarn (4.7 miles one-way from trailhead) - via Loch Vale to Andrews Creek Trail

Backcountry Campsites Near The Loch 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 Lake of Glass 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, reaching the lake along its northeast shore.

Sample photographs of the hike to The Loch

The Loch in early autumn

The Loch

Skier and spring snow at The Loch

Continental Divide and The Loch

The Loch 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.