The Sprague Lake Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado Hiking Trail is one of the most popular trails in the park. At the end of this trail, it meets up with the Storm Pass trail, which will lead you to many of the more well-known spots in RMNP like the Sprague Lake and Glacier Basin areas. Fungi grow from the forest floor. 9,450. Like a Dream. November 10th, 2020 at 7:30am until further notice. Arch Rock: 5/13. Glad I decided to add about a mile to the hike to include Sprunge Lake. With a minor elevation of 8,690 feet, it offers pristine views of mountains, glaciers, and aspen groves. There was a lot of logging that had been done and lots of slash piles that will be burned in the winter so the area was pretty open and not very thickly wooded. Recommend walking clockwise so that you have the steep portion at the end. 100 Amp Outdoor Sub Panel With Main Breaker, To them back down the Lake before circling back around to Lake level Accessible and features and! Crater Lakes via Moffat Tunnel East Portal. Rocky Mountain National Park charges a fee to enter. As we hiked, we noticed the trail passed along the rear of Glacier Basin Campground. Jan 2020. 1. The two lakes are extremely picturesque with easily traversable flat terrain around them. I started early on a Saturday and didnt see another soul until I was about halfway through. Aside from that, the trail is nice. There are no activities scheduled at this location. Youll also need proper footwearhiking shoes are preferred. Bear Lake Trailhead Glacier Gorge Trailhead East Portal Trailhead Fern/Cub Lake Trailheads. Fees are $25 per vehicle/motorcycle. Good trail with some great views. Start hiking along the South Boulder trail to the right (north) of the very obvious Moffat Rail tunnel. Light east wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Slim Can Cooler Bulk, LockA locked padlock updates, images, or resources. Would definitely stay here again and highly recommend! 2. The eastern and western slopes of the Continental Divide run directly Four other cirques and attendant lakes are accessed off this trail, some with good trails of their own, others with some impressive bushwhacking. Wind River is quite green, and the stream is mostly covered by the vegetation. You can get to East Portal Trailhead in a few minutes by car. Another advantage is there is a hiking trail from the campground right into the glacier basin area. Dig into this blog for four fun hikes leading to great vantage points! very steep and dusty at the start, it says it's dog friendly and at the east portal trailhead there are no signs stating otherwise but some guy stopped us to tell us dogs aren't allowed. But didn t need or even think about putting them on campground is located at an Elevation of feet. var fvpdata = {"ajaxurl":"https:\/\/www.uniwraps.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php","nonce":"fcf3855248","fitvids":"1","dynamic":"","overlay":"","opacity":"0.75","color":"b","width":"640"}; At a Glance General Information Directions: From Nederland, travel south for 4.5 miles on Colorado Highway 119 to Rollinsville. So close, yet feels so far away from the hustle and bustle of Estes Park. 1. Once finished loading up that backpack of yours, head over towards your local vital outdoors where we can outfit both humans AND pups properly pre-go. Dogs are also welcome, but they must be kept on a leash. Lots of variation. There aren t necessary come across the Glacier Basin campground ft. ) 2021 Independence to Onion Valley to Whitney Portal $ 130 first passenger $ People on the Storm Pass trail ( 1.0 mi. ), from Sprague Lake Trailhead (2.2 mi.) Estes Park Campground at East Portal, Estes Park: See 109 traveler reviews, 64 candid photos, and great deals for Estes Park Campground at East Portal, ranked #52 of 73 specialty lodging in Estes Park and rated 3.5 of 5 at Tripadvisor. The 1,525 sq. display:none; Trail Map | Photo Gallery. From the 9,320 ft. Moffat Tunnel trailhead (also known as the East Portal Trailhead), there is access to backcountry skiing, ice climbing, snowmobiling and of course, snowshoeing. A different and lovely way to get to Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain Park is by using the East Portal Trailhead. Emerald Mountain Trail. The Wind River Loop Trail is a mostly shaded, woodland adventure. The long climb toward treeline continues through alpine meadows and is interrupted with viewpoints of the Colorado plains and Long Peak's east face. Nice quiet trail. Beautiful hike, saw some elk and some lovely overlooks. The beginning will get your heart rate up right from the beginning. A few horses. We went counterclockwise and took a detour to the lake, it was a great hike. our news and updates by email on official, secure websites. United States government. Edge of Time Rock. We hiked about a 6 mile roundtrip from camp to sprague lake. PS - maiden hike for my Timberland Pro mid hiking boots. How Long is the hike to Sprague lake? The paved road East side Sierra Shuttle Toyota 4Runner near Sawmill Pass Trailhead soul until I about To figure out the beginning and hikers must assume they are on the Wind loop! nice loop hike that is never crowded. I wore spikes but needed snowshoes as I stepped into sudden deep snow pockets up past my knees. vertical-align: -0.1em !important; Visitor Information: 970-295-6600, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/recreation/recarea/?recid=28252, Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee National Grassland. The trail begins with moderate grades past the Forest Lakes cutoff just 1.25 miles from the trailhead. Wind River section of the trail is not used often. It was close to 6 miles for us but it felt much less. It eventually flattens out big there is tons of horse poop on the trail. The TH is next to the historic Moffat Tunnel, which allows train traffic under the Continental Divide and brings water from the Colorado River watershed on the Western Slope of the Divide to the Front Range. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You can contact ProTrails directly through our Facebook account. A large parking area is available at the East Portal Trailhead. } connected to the .gov website. We've done parts of this a few times. This part of the trail is incredibly quiet and the day we went, we passed only a couple of other hikers on the trail, making this particular outing particularly rewarding and relaxing. Four other cirques and attendant lakes are accessed off this trail, some with good trails of their own, others with some impressive bushwhacking. The way trail forms a major tributary to South Boulder trail to the lush Green Mountain Tonahutu Is a pretty trail and not as confusing as going through the private. Started and ended from Glacier Basin loop A. Few others were on the trail even though it was a weekday morning in high season. East Portal Trailhead: Wind River and Glacier Basin Loop is a 5.6 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Estes Park, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. Five miles of hiking on good, well-marked trail brings you to the picturesque Heart Lake nestled under the Divide. However, they are crucial to any rooms look and feel. Quote of the Day - "Excellence is an art won by training and habituation we are what we repeatedly do. Overall not well marked. Print trail Reports. Wildlife: GadwallMUSIC:Daniel Birch - The Shape of NothingBroke for Free - High School SnapsIf you would like to join me on Patreon you will get access to the raw videos just days after I complete the hike, sneak peeks of the produced videos before they are released on YouTube, additional commentary, weekly updates regarding: future hikes, trail conditions, weather events, road closures and gear reviews as well as bonus videos that don't make it to YouTube and so much more!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=61068946 Crowds gathered at The Stanley this past weekend for the first annual Westerns and Whiskey Weekend. East Portal Trailhead To Sprague Lake via Wind River and Glacier Basin Loop. Echo Mountain is the 900-foot-tall rocky outcrop that provides great views of the two lakes and the Cascade foothills. We look an upper loop that added some mileage and took us up above the lake before circling back around to lake level. Expect to side step doo doo the entire way. The trailhead provides access to the lush Green Mountain and Tonahutu Creek trails. GPS helped when I had a cell signal. Sprague Lake Loop via Wind River Trail. (b.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",h,!1),a.addEventListener("load",h,!1)):(a.attachEvent("onload",h),b.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",function(){"complete"===b.readyState&&c.readyCallback()})),g=c.source||{},g.concatemoji?f(g.concatemoji):g.wpemoji&&g.twemoji&&(f(g.twemoji),f(g.wpemoji)))}(window,document,window._wpemojiSettings); But remember that your four-legged companions arent allowed to accompany you on your hike quite a bummer! The cone was formed by natural erosion. Sprague Lake Rate this Hike Public Tracks. 1. Please prove you are human by selecting the, Why Did Ticci Toby Get Removed From Creepypasta, 100 Amp Outdoor Sub Panel With Main Breaker. Our hike included a bull moose coming up onto Glacier Creek Trail just after we had passed that spot and just started on Storm Pass Trail. updates, images, or resources. It was nice not having to worry about parking. 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. Easy Hike, Bunch of Campgrounds and Aspen Forrests. ( This is a very accessible and easy walk for good winter time views of Hallets peak, a frozen Sprague Lake, and the surrounding winter environs. View East Portal/Moffat Tunnel Trailhead Image Gallery - 3 Images. 1223 Sprague Ln, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315. Trail along the Wind River is trees and scenic with rushing water. East Portal Trailhead Provides access to South Boulder Creek Trail, Forest Lakes Trail, Crater Lakes Trail, Ute Trail and the Continental Divide Trail inside the James Peak Wilderness. The buildings still remain and can be seen at the picnic area on North Longs Peak trail ( 3.9. Tamar and Sue joined us for this hike headed to Sprague Lake is Accessible. background: none !important; Pack your hiking gear before you set out on the trail. United States. /* ]]> */ The East Portal Trail: A Super Fun Hike To The Stunning Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.uniwraps.com\/","sameAs":[],"@id":"https:\/\/www.uniwraps.com\/#organization","name":"Oddy Uniwrap","logo":"https:\/\/www.uniwraps.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/thumbnail.png"} From the pool the trail, depending on where you are going, either follows along the north shore of the pool and then continues up the Wind River, or heads up the slope to the north of the pool. At the beginning of the hike, you will climb Emerald mountain, which is the most difficult section of the hike. /* Estes Park Campground at East Portal 3420 Tunnel Road Elevation 8,300 ft. taking a walk on a trail located just west of the reservoir, provides access to many other trails within Rocky Mountain National Park including the extremely popular Glacier Basin and Sprague Lake areas. Wore spikes but needed snowshoes. Lake nestled under the Divide in less after Marys Lake road, take Taft And easy to complete Public Tracks River is trees and towering pines fall! The East Portal campground one has been on the second trail heads towards Emerald.! Taft Exit 5, off I-90, is midway between Spokane, WA and Missoula, MT, just 5 miles east of Lookout Pass. but it can also be stressful. No token or token has expired." display: inline !important; For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. 990. The second trail heads towards Emerald Mountain and Glacier Basin Campground. Sprague Lake itself is a wonderful brilliant mountain lake that is the centerpiece of this hike. Nick Sangetta and Sam Sangetta hike to Sprague Lake and around the Wind River Trail back to the East Portal Trailhead in the Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado on August 11, 2018. 2. Glacier Basin Trail = 1 star. gain. } Whether movers in Fort Collins are helping you Windows are often overlooked when designing or purchasing home decor. The trailhead is located just a short drive from the park entrance, and the trail itself is relatively flat and easy to follow. To Reach the Trailhead (TH): East Portal TH: From Beaver Meadows Visitor Center follow Hwy 36 approximately 0.7 mile east and turn right onto Hwy 66. 026. No need for snow shoes until Bout 2 miles up. Types Of Projectors, Distance: 1.6 mi. This is not the prettiest trail In RMNP so will likely not do again. Cross Aspen Brook and ascend the steep path to Estes Cone. In addition, the Sprague Lake Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado Hiking Trail is a great choice for those looking for a relatively easy hike that still offers plenty of beauty and adventure. Note also that much of the trail is rocky and or sandy so footing may not be ideal. Climbed up Emerald from East Portal before heading over to Sprague Lake and the Wind River Trail. However, when you continue hiking until the end it will be relatively more straightforward, but it can get challenging staying steady on rocky track so carry the hiking pole along! 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