Sky Pond Hike in Rocky Mountain National Park

Sky Pond is one of the best hikes in Colorado — and while it’s most popular in summer, it’s especially stunning in late winter and early spring when the lake is frozen but not buried under snow.

Sky Pond is a classic Rocky Mountain National Park hike that can be done year-round, but trail conditions, permits, and required gear vary dramatically by season. While most hikers experience Sky Pond as a summer alpine lake hike, this guide covers everything you need to know for hiking it any time of year, with extra detail on late winter and early spring conditions — when the park is quieter and permits are easier to avoid.

Summer and early fall are considered peak season in Rocky Mountain National Park and typically require a timed entry reservation (usually late May through October). This makes late winter and spring some of the best times to hike Sky Pond if you’re comfortable with snow and ice and want to skip the permit hassle. Just grab your annual National Parks Pass and go.

This hike has been on my Colorado bucket list for years, but I was waiting for very specific conditions. I wanted to see Sky Pond frozen — not hidden under snow — which meant going in late winter or early spring after melt had started. If those conditions sound like your dream scenario too, this guide will help you decide if it’s the right time to go.

Trail Stats: Glacier Gorge to Sky Pond

HIKE TO: Sky Pond
TRAIL: Glacier Gorge Trail > Sky Pond Trail
TRAILHEAD: Glacier Gorge Trailhead
MILES: 7.58 miles out and back
TIME: 5.5 hrs
DATE I FIRST WENT: 2/1/26
DIFFICULTY: moderate
ELEVATION: 10,869 ft
ELEVATION GAIN: 1,764 ft
HIKE PERMIT: no
PARK PERMIT: yes—National Parks Pass
PARK RESERVATIONS: required from May-Oct
LOCATION: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

When is the best time to hike Sky Pond

Sky Pond can be hiked year-round, but each season comes with very different conditions. Personally, I would go in Feb-April if you’re comfortable with snow hikes. You can check the NPS site for updates on trail conditions here.

• Winter (December–March): Frozen lakes, snow-covered trails, traction required. Avalanche conditions and winter weather are possible. No timed entry permits required.
• Spring (April–May): Mixed conditions with snow, ice, and melt. The steep section near Lake of Glass can be icy and sketchy. Some lakes may still be frozen.
• Summer (June–September): Peak season. Mostly dry trails, wildflowers, and afternoon thunderstorms. Timed entry reservations required.
• Fall (October–November): Shoulder season with fewer crowds. Snow is possible, and conditions can change quickly.

Sky Pond Trailhead

Glacier Gorge Trailhead

The most direct route to Sky Pond starts at Glacier Gorge Trailhead, which sits at 9,183 feet of elevation. Depending on the time of year, you may need a timed entry reservation for Bear Lake Road to access this trailhead.

The parking lot here is a decent size but still fills up quickly so go early. I’ve never had an issue arriving around sunrise, but I showed up at 9 a.m. on a winter weekend this time and had to wait a bit for a spot.

Bear Lake Trailhead

Alternatively, you can park at Bear Lake Trailhead, which is significantly larger (about 4x the size). From here, a short connector trail links up with the Glacier Gorge Trail. Starting from Bear Lake adds about 0.4 miles round trip total to your hike.

There’s also a ranger station here (even in winter), making it a good place to ask about current trail and snow conditions. In summer, the park shuttle stops here if you need to park farther down the road in the overflow lot.

This is a great option if you have extra time and want to visit the popular Bear Lake, Dream Lake, Emerald Lake, or Lake Haiyaha.

Hiking Sky Pond in Winter & Early Spring (Snow & Ice Conditions)

We hiked to Sky Pond from Glacier Gorge Trailhead on Sunday, February 1, 2026, starting at 9:46 a.m. This winter has been unusually dry, which created more late-winter / early-spring trail conditions than deep winter snow.

We checked in with a ranger beforehand and were told snowshoes weren’t necessary. We still packed crampons, though most hikers we saw were using microspikes.

Winter Route Note:
In winter, an established climber’s snow trail can shorten the route by roughly 0.6 miles. This “shortcut” is not recommended in summer due to navigation challenges, LNT, and should only be used when the snowpack clearly defines the route.

If you follow the full Glacier Gorge Trail, Sky Pond is about 4.9 miles one way. With the winter shortcut and walking directly across the frozen lakes, I measured the route at 3.7 miles one way on Gaia.

Hike from Glacier Gorge Trailhead to The Loch

The trail begins slightly downwards for the first few feet, then flattens until you reach the junction for the winter vs. summer trail by the bridge. The trail now starts with a gradual climb through the trees.

At 1.33 miles, you’ll reconnect with the standard summer trail — turn right. Just ahead is a signed junction for Lake Haiyaha, Loch Vale, Sky Pond, Mills Lake, and Black Lake. Follow signs for Sky Pond as the trail continues uphill through a series of switchbacks. Keep an eye out to your left — you may spot ice climbers on the surrounding cliffs.

About 2 miles in, layer up before you turn the corner toward The Loch. This section is consistently windy, especially in winter. I’ve been here multiple times for ice climbing, and it’s always blustery. A warm jacket is non-negotiable — I packed my parka and was very glad I did.

The Loch sits at 10,191 feet and took us just over an hour to reach on a well-packed snowy trail. This is the first of three lakes on the hike, and many hikers choose to turn around here.

The nice thing about winter hiking is you can walk directly across the lakes if they are frozen. Seeing the ice beneath your feet is surreal (I was fully obsessed — half my camera roll is ice bubbles). Microspikes or crampons are required to cross safely as you’ll slip without traction if the ice is glassy and slippery like our visit.

We put our crampons on here and left them on for the remainder of the hike for convenience.

Know the difference between crampons and microspikes and when to use them?
Learn more here.

Hiking The Loch to Lake of Glass

From The Loch, The Sky Pond Trail continues on the opposite side of the lake, on the right side of the Icy Brook Creek which flows downstream into The Loch.

Lake of Glass sits at 10,805 feet and about 3.36 miles from the trailhead. While the elevation gain between the lakes isn’t huge, this section contains the most dangerous part of the hike.

The first mile of this section continues through the trees, mostly flat with only 250 ft of elevation gain, and then you start to walk uphill through some boulders along an exposed hillside before reaching the crux.

A short but steep icy section climbs beside a frozen waterfall, with Lake of Glass sitting just above it. We stayed far right, climbing next to and partially on the lower–angled ice. As experienced ice climbers and mountaineers wearing crampons, this felt totally manageable. I used my friend’s ice axe (he didn’t need it, and I was nursing an injured foot).

If you’re not comfortable on steep ice, crampons and a lightweight ice axe can make a huge difference here. This section is not a normal hiking trail, and you should be honest with yourself about your skill level before committing. Here’s a look at the steep section from far away and up close.

We descended via a narrow gully just to the other side of this, which allowed for easier downclimbing and stemming. Go at your own risk — while many non-climbers do make it up this section, this section is more like a winter climb.

Hike Lake of Glass to Sky Pond

Once you reach the top of this ice/ snow section, you are at Lake of Glass. Sky Pond is only 0.2 miles further from the end of this lake.

With a few short breaks and at a comfortable pace, we arrived at Sky Pond at 12:30 pm.

At roughly 3.7 miles from Glacier Gorge Trailhead, Sky Pond sits at 10,869 feet. We continued about 0.1 mile farther uphill to a rocky perch with sweeping views of Petit Grepon, Shark’s Tooth, and the surrounding peaks I hope to climb one day.

If you’ve spent time hiking in California’s Eastern Sierra, this view will feel familiar — it reminded me a lot of Temple Crag and Big Pine Lakes. If you haven’t been, add that one to your California hiking bucket list. Download my full Big Pine Lakes hike guide here.

When you’re ready, hike out the same way you came — and take extra care descending the steep icy section.

FAQ: Sky Pond Colorado

How long is the hike to Sky Pond?

Sky Pond is often listed as an 8-9-mile round-trip hike, but distance varies depending on route, conditions, and tracker. In winter, crossing frozen lakes and using the snow trail shortened our hike to 3.7 miles one way (7.58 miles total on Gaia). NPS signage lists the route at 4.9 miles one way.

Is Sky Pond a hard hike?

In winter and early spring, this hike becomes significantly more technical due to ice and snow. The steep section near Lake of Glass can feel sketchy and challenging, but that depends on your fitness level and gear. It is a longer hike at high-altitude which can be harder for tourists from out of town who aren’t acclimated, but overall, you’re looking at roughly 3.7-4.9 miles one way with 1,764 ft of elevation gain.

How long does it take to do Sky Pond?

Plan for 4–8 hours round trip depending on conditions and pace. Our hike took 5.5 hours total, with about 4 hours of moving time. For reference, I’m not a slow hiker — but I’m also recovering from potential broken toes.

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