First part a bit rocky. Actual product and specifications may vary in dimension or detail. We began in the early morning hours and were treated to sights of deer, chipmunks and squirrels all along the trek. The beginning, like other reviews read, was the hardest part. Not much elevation change. Great hike once you get past the up hill! We wore micro spikes and that helped because there is some ice. Sprague also undoubtedly appreciated the breathtaking views of the Continental Divide, which are best seen from this trail at the far end of the lake. The hike around Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park begins from the Sprague Lake Trailhead, located off Bear Lake Road roughly 5.5 miles from the turn-off at Highway 36. This mountain is not the result of an ancient volcano. destination. This is a nice, groomed, flat 3/4-mile trail around Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Rocky Mountain National Park charges a fee to enter. It is crowded around the lake as I found out you can drive up to it instead of hiking but that takes all the fun out of it Ha! Head out on this 8.9-km out-and-back trail near Estes Park, Colorado. Traditionally Indigenous Territory Arapaho Cheyenne Nu-agha-tv-p (Ute) Entrance fees may apply, see Fees & Passes information. Copyright Trail had 3 to 5 inches of new snow with barely a tack to follow, but the orange trail markers helped. Snowy now definitely glad I brought my ice shoes, the views are beautiful and there is many tracks of various animals. Great sunny day, but very windy. The day started off though with a group of deer keeping me company while I smoke my morning cigarette. Keep your distance - it's the law! Today was the first of two days off and I went for two hikes today. Camp Teetonkah Had poles and spikes for this trail to aid in some slippery surfaces along the paved walk way. Backcountry Office 970-586-1242 East Portal Trailhead: Wind River and Glacier Basin Loop, Sprague Lake, Glacier Creek and Storm Pass Loop, Wind River, Storm Pass, Sprague Lake, and Glacier Creek Loop, Glacier Creek, Bear Lake, Bierstadt, Switchbacks Loop, Boulder Brook, North Longs Peak Trail, and Glacier Creek Loop, Granite Pass and Chasm Lake via North Longs Peak and Storm Pass Loop. Started at the YMCA and hiked to Shuttle stop at Tuxedo Park. It also happens to be one of the most scenic hikes in Colorado. A nice walk. Jan 2020. Have to pay a fee to get into the park. Id say better than Bear Lake. This eBook was produced by: Mardi Desjardins, Jen Haines & the online Distributed Proofreaders Canada team at https://www.pgdpcanada.net Arrived around 9:00am on a weekday and there was still some parking available. Super simple, highly groomed well maintained dirt / hard packed trail around Sprague Lake. For more information, please see, Rocky Mountain National Park Sprague began building a homestead in Moraine Park in 1874. She was explaining to me that she had to really learn the trail from the YMCA of the Rockies to Sprague Lake, since she would be leading natue walks there. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Rocky Mountain National Park Trails by Location Below is a directory of Rocky Mountain National Park trails that have been grouped by general location within the park, such as trails near Estes Park, Bear Lake, Glacier Gorge, Trail Ridge Road, Grand Lake, Longs Peak or Wild Basin. Nice easy hike! Mostly flat excepting the part near the East Portal and YMCA. This is a very popular area for fishing, hiking, and snowshoeing, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Estes Park, CO, USA Eaglecliff Cir Dr, Estes Park, CO, USA St Moritz Trail, Estes . Not as clear of a view due to snow showers in the higher elevations. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Wish I would have brought poles for descent. Tucked in the folds of the Rocky Mountains and anchored by the stunning Grand Lake, this town is lined with locally owned shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts and hotels. We were out looking for moose but found rainbow trout instead! Stay on Glacier Creek trail past the lily pond, then east of the Sprague Lake area, past Glacier Park camping area, past Bible Point, and down the livery area. At this fork in the road, take a left and head toward Sprague Lake. You can also purchase a park-specific annual pass. Register and log your hikes at the Boone Family Mountain Center after each Y-hike you complete. Campground Reservations 877-444-6777 Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 14 min to complete. Did not have crampons/trax or poles. Patent trader. See rushing mountain streams & glacier carved country. We made it to Sprague Lake and decided to make it a proper adventure and continue on to Bierstadt Lake. Sadly, I forgot to take pictures for most of the hike because I was so exhilerated by the opportunity to trek through snow. Hiking. Definitely windy make sure to layer up and some areas of deep snow, trekking poles help with not losing balance but a lot of people hiked around without the use of poles. Not all features are available in every apartment. Geography. In peak months, rangers will block the road if the lot is . Nice easy hike! Want to report conditions for this trail? It's about 3.4-miles going downhill for a short time, then it pretty much levels off as you reach Glacier Creek. The Beaver Meadows Visitor Center is the best place to get information, books, maps and backcountry permits, as well as catch the park bus. Copyright Policy (LogOut/ Half way through the hike we ran into Rachel and Ian from Sweet Memorial. The trail is essentially level and it has several viewing locations with benches. The first section of this route has some steep uphill hiking, but once it. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. it would be possible without spikes, but I found spikes very helpful. But the hiking was good and the trail was dry. At the beginning for this hike, you walk along Wind River which makes incredible sounds as the water tumbles down. Bear Lake to Sky Pond via Glacier Gorge Trail, Mills Lake, Black Lake, Frozen Lake Trail, Shelf Lake and Solitude Lake via Glacier Gorge Trail. The lake is disappointing only because of the number of people (since you can also drive there), but the views at the lake are still worth it! Trail Ridge Road (highway 34), crosses the park and rises to 12,183 feet, with ten miles of road above tree . Sprague Lake Took the shuttle bus to Bear Lake. That road ends at the East Portal. Lake is great to walk on though! Hikers will enjoy panoramic views of the Continental Divide, including Half Mountain, Thatchtop Mountain, Taylor Peak, Otis Peak, Hallett Peak, Flattop Mountain and Notchtop Mountain. The last mile before reaching the top, hikers will climb . Travis, her, and a few other guests were watching downhill skiing on the side of the bowl of the lake. Lots of picnic areas before the trailhead too. Super simple, highly groomed well maintained dirt / hard packed trail around Sprague Lake. Nice views throughout. Explore YMCA to Sprague Lake | AllTrails Members Glenn Crocker Activities YMCA to Sprague Lake More activities June 5, 2017 Hiking YMCA to Sprague Lake Length 3.14 mi Elev. any weapon foil epee saber. Easy for all abilities. There is a parking area, picnic tables, restrooms, and a beautiful view of a mountain lake. While many are prepared to go that distance to climb Longs Peak, very few venture that far for Sprague Mountain. heading back tomorrow to do 4 lakes and the falls. Great workout, beautiful trees. Address 12928 E Mansfield Ave Suite 3, Spokane Valley 99216. Want to report conditions for this trail? Parked at Storm Pass lot and headed to Sprague Lake. Great way to see Alberta Falls without a park reservation. Lovely trail, ended up scrambling up to Emerald Mountain for the view, totally worth it! Windy here and there. With dark approaching we made for the Y, with darkness falling about us as we arrived on site. Call for more information, 970-586-3341 ext. Im not sure if this is because we are two of the youngest hikemasters, or that we worked on several projects last year with one another. I can now fully imagine how hikers on the Appalachian Trail feel when they hike up and over mountains which is a good thing because I want to hike the Appalachian Trail in the spring of 2024that is my new date for a thruhike. Due to the extreme popularity of the Bear Lake Road area, you may want to consider using the free park shuttle to reach the trailhead during peak tourist season. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 16 min to complete. Bing Maps has a collection of great trails with directions to trail heads as well as photos. Route: Out and back. Some areas are covered in snow but you can follow along with other peoples footsteps. This 5.3 mile loop begins at the Moraine Park Discovery Center and follows a clockwise route around the outer rim of Moraine Park. When they joined us we made our way quickly to Sprague. No moose unfortunately! The side trip up Emerald Mountain made the trip hard, but the spectacular view made it absolutely worthwhile! Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 56 min to complete. It was a little over 4 miles and fairly flat. Boardwalks and bridges have been built over the marshy western side of the lake to take you . USA YMCA of the Rockies, Tunnel Rd, Estes Park, CO, USA Bear Lake . is: contains: Last Name. We look an upper loop that added some mileage and took us up above the lake before circling back around to lake level. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Packed snow and clear trails in some spots. Experience this 1.3-km loop trail near Estes Park, Colorado. This is a pleasant half-mile walk around Sprague Lake (elevation 8,700 feet). Plenty of parking in the lot, even when we returned at 1pm. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. MLS# 20-4365. Barely any snow or ice. Estes Park, CO 80517-8397 Located on Bear Lake Road, one mile west of the Park and Ride shuttle bus parking lot (bathrooms available). Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 14 min to complete. gain 689 ft Moving time 1:13:31 Avg pace 23:26 Calories 638 Total time 1:44:22 Splits MilesPace Elev. Skip to content. This is a pleasant half-mile walk around Sprague Lake (elevation 8,700 feet). The Moving can be an exciting experience. You can get to the Fall River Entrance by driving 5-10 minutes on US 34 west from Estes Park. Light snow. The lake is popular for Brook trout fishing. Hike Hiking 2515 Tunnel Rd Estes Park, CO 80511 Organized by YMCA of the Rockies Save up to $10 on this event with ACTIVE Advantage! The hike was energetic and lively, yet small. It is a very active horse trail so be respectful of that. Perfect short trail that is handicapped accessible with gorgeous views all around. You'll need to leave pups at home dogs aren't allowed on this trail. From Bear Lake to Sprague Lake is longer. Definitely windy make sure to layer up and some areas of deep snow, trekking poles help with not losing balance but a lot of people hiked around without the use of poles. Steep up hill that is rocky when starting from the East Portal. All rights reserved. Short but very sweet. But dont bring your RV there. Follow Highway 66 past the YMCA by about a mile. Hike - Estes Park, CO 2023 | ACTIVE February 16, 2023 Sprague Lake via Mountainside Dr. (LogOut/ Because the Wild Basin Entrance is about a 30-minute drive south of Estes Park on the parks east side, most of the parks visitors never even see the Wild Basin area. You can also purchase a park-specific annual pass. Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Windows are often overlooked when designing or purchasing home decor. Lost & Found (Backcountry Office) 970-586-1242 Sold: Vacant land located at Lot 23 Fieldstone Pl, Augusta, ME 04330 sold for $68,500 on Jul 9, 2021. The first mile is where almost all of your elevation gain is. Sprague Lake is a 13-acre lake named after Abner Sprague, an early resident of the Estes Park area who ran a game lodge on the this property which is now part of Rocky Mountain National Park. "We came here for small ranch operations, but guests and visitors became so numerous, at first wanting eggs, milk, and other provisions, then wanting lodging, and finally demanding full accommodations, that we had to go into the hotel business or go bankrupt from keeping free company!". 100%. Beautiful day! Snow is packed and easy to walk with only boots or light traction devices. morning journal obituaries past 3 days; when will allegiant release december 2022 flights The first hike I went on. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. But after that a nice hike in the woods. The 0.5-mile trail is a loop trail that circles the lake. from Bear Lake. Parking (limited) & restrooms at the trailhead. For Sale: 219900 - Residential, 3 bed, 1 bath, 1,402 sqft at 1021 Washburn Way in Klamath Falls. All rights reserved. purely an exploratory hike today. Register now About this event Event Reminder Description Aspens were turning. About 9 miles from Beaver Meadows, 3.5 mi. Better panoramic views than the more popular Bear Lake walk. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators. This 6.3-mile moderate hike takes you up a series of switchbacks on a rocky and sandy trail on the side of Emerald Mountain. East Portal to Sprague Lake. Abner Sprague would go down in Rocky Mountain National Park history once more when he became the first visitor to pay an entrance fee in 1939. Enjoy this 4.4-mile out-and-back trail near Estes Park, Colorado. YMCA of the Rockies is a campsite inside of Rocky Mountain National Park. The trail around Sprague Lake is a 0.5 mile (0.8 km) loop that goes around Sprague Lake. Very rocky be careful of twisting youre ankle or cutting yourself. The route is virtually flat, travels over a hard packed gravel surface, and is considered to be wheelchair accessible and suitable for the entire family. I highly recommend hiking this trail in the morning, especially if you wish to go home with some great photos of the mountains reflecting off the 13-acre lake. We setup a hammock and chilled for lunch. Sprague Lake Trailhead is a 459 ft green singletrack connector trail located near Estes Park Colorado. Not super. All dimensions are approximate. Snowshoed it on January 2, 2023. Trail Ridge Road Information Recorded Message 970-586-1222 (available 24 hours a day, updated when conditions and/or road status change) Last 2 Miles in spikes. Great sunny day, but very windy. Lily Mountain Trail. They did a great job of playing catch up, as Susan and I took our time figuring out how a senior crowd would negiotiate the trail, in concert with other groups that would be on horseback. Classic westside charmer located on a quaint cul de sac. You can also purchase a park-specific annual pass. getting to know the system and park. Entrance Sign to Rocky Mountain National Park Photo: Depositphotos. Floor plans are artist's rendering.