Beyond the Overlook
Sky Pond was our family's favorite hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. It was also a hard day. The scenery keeps building, and the final section at Timberline Falls turns a beautiful alpine hike into a real adventure.
Sky Pond quick facts
The route
The hike travels through Glacier Gorge, passing Alberta Falls and The Loch before climbing toward Timberline Falls, Lake of Glass and Sky Pond. The park lists Sky Pond at 4.9 miles one way from Glacier Gorge Junction with about 1,710 feet of elevation gain.
The Timberline Falls climb
The route climbs beside the waterfall over steep, wet rock. A couple of the teens decided they did not want to climb it and waited below while the rest continued.
June snow made it more fun and more complicated
There was still snow and ice on sections of the trail. That required more care, but it also gave us one of the most fun parts of the day: glissading and sliding down snow on the descent.
Start early
Afternoon thunderstorms are common in Rocky's high country, and the upper route is not where you want to be when thunder develops.
Worth it? Absolutely, if your group is comfortable with a hard 9-ish mile day and the conditions at Timberline Falls. This was our family favorite in RMNP.
Trail snapshot
Distance: Roughly 9 to 10 miles round trip depending on start · Gain: About 1,700 feet · Difficulty: Hard · Start: Glacier Gorge area · Turnaround options: Alberta Falls or The Loch
Why Sky Pond is more than one destination
One reason this hike is so good is that the payoff is not saved for the end. Alberta Falls comes early, The Loch is a legitimate destination on its own, and then the route becomes increasingly alpine as it approaches Timberline Falls, Lake of Glass and Sky Pond.
If someone in the group is not up for the entire hike, The Loch is a very good natural turnaround. From Glacier Gorge Junction it is about 3 miles one way with roughly 990 feet of gain. That lets a mixed-ability group experience a substantial part of the same route without committing to the waterfall climb.
What the waterfall section is really like
The crux is not a traditional maintained staircase. Near Timberline Falls, hikers use hands and feet on steep rock beside the water. The rock can be wet, traffic can slow down, and snow or ice changes the difficulty considerably. This is the place to make a conditions-based decision rather than treating Sky Pond as a destination everyone has to reach.
Lake of Glass vs. Sky Pond
After the waterfall climb, Lake of Glass is the first major lake. Sky Pond is farther on beneath the dramatic spires above the basin. If weather is deteriorating, reaching Lake of Glass is still a substantial accomplishment and a reasonable place to reassess.
Parking and shuttle strategy
The Glacier Gorge trailhead parking area is small. Bear Lake Road is extremely popular, so the park shuttle can be much less stressful than planning the morning around getting one of a limited number of spaces. The Bear Lake Road Corridor has its own timed-entry requirements during the reservation season.
What we'd carry
For this one we want real food, plenty of water, layers, rain protection, a headlamp, downloaded navigation and trekking poles. In early season, traction may also be appropriate. The upper route is high enough that a warm morning at the trailhead tells you very little about conditions near Sky Pond.
Who should skip the final section?
Anyone uncomfortable with wet scrambling, exposure to a slip, lingering ice or the idea of downclimbing the same terrain should feel completely comfortable stopping below Timberline Falls. That is exactly what some of our group did, and it worked well.
Questions we had about Sky Pond
Is Sky Pond worth it?
For us, absolutely. This was our favorite hike in Rocky Mountain National Park because the route keeps changing: Alberta Falls, The Loch, Timberline Falls, Lake of Glass and finally Sky Pond.
How hard is the Timberline Falls section?
This was the part that made the hike feel different from a normal trail. We climbed beside the falls on wet rock. A couple of our teens were not comfortable with that section and waited below, which was the right decision for them.
Can kids or teens hike Sky Pond?
Strong hiking kids and teens can love this route, but the Timberline Falls climb is the deciding factor. We would not push anyone through that section if they are uncomfortable with wet rock, exposure or scrambling.
What was Sky Pond like in June?
We still encountered snow and ice at higher elevations in mid-June. Sliding down the snow on the descent was one of the fun memories of the day, but early-season conditions can also make the route more serious.