Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, is an area I have passed many time but never stopped at. I was always looking for higher elevation areas to hike. At the end of May, 2021, I went to the park ready to hike a longer higher elevation trail, but I could not find parking. The Park and Ride wasn’t operating yet so I finally decided I would hike where I could find a close parking spot. Sprague Lake was the place and I am glad that I checked it out!
Location
Sprague Lake is located in Rocky Mountain National Park 6.3 miles from the Beaver Meadows Entrance. It is located off of Bear Lake Road. Just follow US 36 W from Estes Park, enter the visitor center and then follow Bear Lake Road.
Hiking Around the Lake
Sprague Lake is an easy loop trail hike regardless, it is still a beautiful hike. Once finding a place to park, the hike mapped out at just over 1 mile on my Fitbit. The trail is well packed and is also rated as wheel chair accessible . It is a flat trail so there isn’t really any elevation to worry about. The lake itself is beautiful and people not only were enjoying hiking around it, but there were some people fishing there as well. I also spotted a lot of ducks, including the family of ducks in the photo below.
Conclusion
All in all I enjoyed Sprague Lake in and the short but scenic hike is perfect for enjoying Colorado. It was a great day and also a beautiful hike. The weather was perfect and even though the parking lot was full, the trail did not seem crowded. All in all, this is a great hike for all levels and there were many families with small children enjoying this trail.
Follow These Links for More Colorado Fun:
Hiking
Royal Arch Trail, Boulder, Colorado September 2020
Flatirons Loop Trail, Boulder, Colorado September 2020
Grottos Trail, Aspen, Colorado October 2020
Silver Lake, Telluride, Colorado October 2020
Odessa and Fern Lakes Aug 2020
St Mary’s Glacier Hike Aug 2017
Road Trips
Our Rocky Mountain National Park Trip Aug 2018
My Favorite Colorado Road Trip Aug 2016
Excellent photos!
Thank you! It is nice to get out and travel again!!
I really like the photo with the mountain reflections on the water.
Thanks! I love those reflections also!
You certainly found a beautiful area to hike, Lori & thank you for sharing your wonderful landscape photographs 🙂
Thank you, Phil!
Beautiful!!
It was!!
Great photos, sounds like a beautiful hike. That’s a family with young Canada geese!
Thanks!!
You went on such a beautiful day! I went to Sprague Lake in August 2018, and likewise had a beautiful, blue sky kind of afternoon over there. Definitely a highlight of RMNP, and I appreciate you sharing your adventure there; it brought back memories for me!
Glad it brought back pleasant memories! Such a beautiful area of this country!
Beautiful lake and lovely captures! Thanks for bringing back the memories!!
Thanks! It is such a lovely place!
Looks beautiful.
It was!!
For such an easy hike, Sprague Lake really packs in some great scenery! Love it.
I agree! I have passed it so many times and didn’t realize how pretty it is!
How nice that a random choice worked out so well. Looks beautiful…
It was nice that I found such a pretty spot!
👍
So beautiful!
It was breathtaking!
Wow it’s just stunning! 🙂
I thought so too!!
We hiked the Western portions of Rocky Mountain NP last fall but found some access roads were closed. Was that the case with you?
I didn’t notice any roads closed other than part Trail Ridge Road but there was some major road construction I had to wait for.
I don’t live all that far from Rocky Mountain park, but haven’t been there in a long time – kept away by the parking and crowds these days. That area around Bear Lake was one we hiked a lot back in the day – loved seeing your photos of the Sprague Lake hike on a beautiful Colorado blue sky day. And what a treat to see the baby geese!
Thank you! I agree with the crowds and parking! I am from Iowa and have been going out there for years to hike and each year the parking and crowds are worse. I was thrilled to see the geese!!
Not sure how I missed this one Lori. The late start to vegetation sure speaks to the elevation at this location. Good views of the snowy mountain peaks. Hope all is well Lori. Allan
Hi Allan. All is well here. Actually I’m back in Colorado until tomorrow. Hoping to get back in the swing of things with blogging soon! Hope all is well with you!