Sprague Lake Loop Trail is an easy, scenic, and accessible hiking trail in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Sprague Lake Loop Trail Basics
Under 1 Hour
0.8 Miles Round Trip
Loop
34 Feet
Duration: Under 1 Hour
As a short, accessible trail, Sprague Lake Loop Trail will take most hikers under one hour to complete.
Distance: 0.8 Miles Roundtrip
The trail around Sprague Lake, including the short spur to get to it from the parking lot, is under one mile.
Type: Loop Trail
Sprague Lake Loop Trail is a loop trail that goes around the entirety of Sprague Lake.
Elevation Change: 34 Feet
This trial is wheelchair and stroller-friendly, with only 34 feet elevation change throughout the whole trail. It is a relatively flat trail with a few small inclines and declines along the way.
Season: Summer, Fall
While the park is open year-round, the best time of year to visit the Rocky Mountains and go on this trail is in the summer and fall months. During the winter months and in spring the roads will oftentimes be covered in snow and ice.
Time of Day: Any
Since the parts of the park off Bear Lake Road are a popular destination for most visitors, try to get there in the early morning hours. This is a great place to watch the sunrise over the 13-acre lake and the peaks of Emerald Mountain, Estes Cone, and Lily Mountain.
Amount of Shade: Minimal
There are some spots along the trail where you will be walking through the lodgepole pine trees and others where you will be on a boardwalk over the marshland. Depending on the season and how full the trees are, there may be some shade, but it isn’t much.
Difficulty: Easy
Sprague Lake Loop Trail is an easy hike. With under one mile of boardwalk and packed gravel, the trail can be traversed by almost any hiker.
What Makes Sprague Lake Loop Trail a Great Hike?
Sprague Lake Loop Trail goes all the way around the 13-acre Sprague Lake. The lake was built by Abner Sprague to support the lodge he owned and operated there until 1940. It’s a very shallow lake, only a few feet deep at most, so you can sometimes spot elk or moose walking in the middle of the lake.
The trial starts near the Sprague Lake Picnic Area, which is a great place to have a picnic lunch before or after taking this short hike around the lake. This hike reminded me of the Bear Lake Nature Trail. Although these trails are a shorter distance than most of the others in the park, their views are worth every minute spent there.
Scenery on the Sprague Lake Loop Trail
Start of the Trail
The trail starts in the Sprague Lake Picnic Area which has a large parking lot, two sets of restrooms, and a few picnic tables. The trail starts across a wooden bridge that takes hikers over Boulder Brook. Be on the lookout for rainbow trout in the brook. This will take you to a fork in the trail, I suggest walking the trail counter-clockwise, so going to your right, but it can be done either way since this is a loop trail. Walk about 0.2 miles through the pine forest before making it to the boardwalk that takes hikers through the marshland.
On the Trail
When you are about two-thirds of the way around the lake, going counter-clockwise, you’ll come to a short side trail that leads to a small fishing dock. This is a popular spot to take family photos; we even saw a couple getting married while we were at Rocky Mountain National Park. From this viewpoint, you can look across the far end of the lake to see views such as Hallett Peak, Otis Peak, the Continental Divide, Taylor Peak, Longs Peak, Half Mountain, Thatchtop Mountain, and sometimes views of Flattop Mountain.
End of the Trail
This short walk finishes back near Boulder Brook before arriving at the same intersection you started at. Take the trail to the right to go back to the parking area.
Notable Places on the Hike
The beautiful lake has many wooden bridges, park benches, and wildlife viewing spots on the entire trail. Make sure to spend extra time on the park trails to enjoy the beauty of the area.
Sprague Lake Loop Trailhead Information
Park Name: Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is in the northern central region of Colorado, just 55 miles north of Denver. The park is over 400 acres of mountains, alpine ridges, meadows, streams, and large and small lakes. To get to Rocky Mountain National Park, fly into Denver International Airport (DEN) and rent a car to drive about 2 hours to the park, going through the Estes Park area.
During peak season, from the end of May through mid-October, the park uses a timed entry permit reservations system. Every vehicle entering the park has to have a permit in addition to paying their entrance fee. It's a good idea to get a permit as soon as they open for the season. To go to Sprague Lake Loop Trail and the Bear Lake Road Corridor, you'll need the regular entry permit + Bear Lake Road. Otherwise, you can enter the park before 5 AM or after 6 PM.
Finding the Trailhead
When you enter the parking area, it makes a big loop. The trailhead is just to the left of Sprague Lake Road as you drive in, or to the right of it once you park and walk in that direction. It is in the southeast corner of the parking area.
Markers Along the Trail
Along the way, you'll find two types of markers. There are interpretive signs that explain the history of the lake and its original settlers. You'll also find signs placed by the National Park Service for the other trails that spur from the Sprague Lake Loop Trail. Make sure to stay on the correct path so you don't get lost.
Nearest Restrooms
Sprague Lake Loop Trail has two sets of restrooms near the trailhead. The vault toilets are open year-round and the flush toilets are open in the summer months.
Parking Area
You'll find the Sprague Lake Trailhead in the Sprague Lake Picnic Area parking lot. This is accessed via Sprague Lake Road off of Bear Lake Road. When you turn onto Sprague Lake Road and get to the end of the road, you'll turn right for the trailhead and picnic area. The Glacier Creek Riding Stable is on the path to the left. No matter which park entrance you come in from, you'll want to head south on Bear Lake Road towards the Moraine Park Discovery Center. Sprague Lake Road will be on your left just past Glacier Basin on the south side of Glacier Creek.
Other Trails at this Trailhead
- Sprague Lake Connector Trails
- Sprague Lake Stables Trail
- Glacier Basin Campground Sprague Lake Trail
- Sprague Lake Access Campsite Trail
- Glacier Creek Trail
Tips for Sprague Lake Loop Trail
- Even though this is a short hike, make sure to bring water with you. The breathtaking scenery shouldn't literally take your breath from dehydration.
- The estimated time and short distances of the hike are for those who walk straight through. Plan to spend extra time here to sit on the benches and take in the mountain views reflected in the lake.
Accessibility Information for Sprague Lake Loop Trail
Boardwalk & Packed Gravel
Paved
Trail Type: Boardwalk & Packed Gravel
Just like the nearby trail, Bear Lake, the Sprague Lake Loop Trail is packed gravel and a boardwalk. Both trails are considered accessible for those with strollers or wheelchairs.
Parking: Paved
The parking lot is a large paved lot with multiple handicap-accessible parking spaces near the restroom facilities and near the trailhead.