Sky Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park
- Date hiked: Several
- Hiked from: Bear Lake Trailhead/Glacier Gorge Trailhead
- Distance hiked: 7.7-9.5 Miles RT
- Total elevation gain: 1,900 ft
- Maintained trail: Yes
- Overall Difficulty: 6/10 – The hike to Sky Pond can be tiring if you take the Alberta Falls route. There’s also a short Class 2 scramble up the side of a waterfall.
- Overall Views: 9/10 – Cathedral Spires, Taylor Peak, Glacier, pristine water. Looking from the south shore makes it look like the pond is in the sky. Amazing.
Sky Pond is one of the more rewarding hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. The views all around are amazing. Several photographic opportunities. Scramble up Taylor Peak a little bit for aerial views of Sky Pond and Lake of Glass.
Arriving at Sky Pond during the Winter
I’ve made the trip to Sky Pond in all seasons but summer. Don’t let the crowds and popularity of this lake fool you. The pond is HUGE. There’s always somewhere that you can get some seclusion. If it’s your first trip to Sky Pond and the weather looks good I highly recommend exploring the area around the pond. So many amazing views!
Arriving at Sky Pond during the Spring
Check out my full Sky Pond spring hike experience here.
Check out my full Sky Pond winter hike experience here.
Sky Pond is above treeline. During the summer of monsoon season thunderstorms can come out of nowhere whether they are predicted or not. If weather starts looking bad in the afternoon I would recommend getting down asap.