A Short Guide to the Sprague Lake Loop in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
After walking around Bear Lake and completing the Emerald Lake Trail in RMNP we still had some energy left to burn. Since Sprague Lake was only a short drive from the Bear Lake Car Park and en-route to Estes Park, we decided to stop there briefly on our way back. And we’re so glad we did! Before we knew it, we’d completed the entire Sprague Lake Loop because we just couldn’t get enough of the incredible views.
Luckily, it’s a short and flat trail, so with very minimal effort we were treated to possibly some of the best views in Rocky Mountain National Park. As we walked around the lake we could see Half Mountain, Thatchtop Mountain, Taylor Peak, Otis Peak, Hallett Peak, Flattop Mountain and Notchtop Mountain.
So in this short guide, we’ve put together everything you need to know before you visit Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. We’ve included information on necessary passes and permits, ways to get to the trailhead and which season is best to visit in.
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About Sprague Lake in RMNP, CO
Sprague Lake is located within the Bear Lake Road corridor of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. The trailhead is about 10 miles (16 km) from Estes Park.
It may come as a surprise but Sprague Lake is actually a man-made lake. It is named after Abner Sprague, who was one of the original settlers in this area. He initially built a homestead here that eventually became a tourist resort, first by offering passing tourists food and then by constructing rental cabins. In 1914 they built Sprague Lake as an additional attraction for visitors.
Despite the fact that Sprague Lake isn’t natural, it’s still one of the most beautiful lakes to visit in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Sprague Lake Loop Trail Length and Level of Difficulty
The Sprague Lake Loop is a 0.8 mile (1.3 km) long circular trail. You can go around either clockwise or anti-clockwise. We spent a good 45 minutes walking around the lake, taking our time to enjoy the different viewpoints.
It’s actually one of the most accessible lakes in RMNP, so the short hike is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. The only thing to remember is that Sprague Lake is located at 8,690 ft (2,650 m) above sea level. This means that you can get altitude sick if you haven’t acclimatised yet. Luckily, this loop is very easy thanks to its negligible elevation gain, which makes it a great acclimatisation hike.
The trail is also wheelchair and stroller accessible. However, if you visit during winter, the trail can be covered in snow and ice, which means that you may need microspikes to get around safely.
Map of the Sprague Lake Loop Trail, RMNP, CO
Sprague Lake Trail Quick Statistics:
- Trailhead: Sprague Lake Road Car Park (8,690 ft / 2,650 m)
- Trail Length: 0.8 miles / 1.3 km (loop hike)
- Elevation Gain: 36 ft / 11 m
- Level of Difficulty: Easy
Practical Information about the Sprague Lake Loop
Rocky Mountain National Park Entry Fee
You need to purchase an entry pass to Rocky Mountain National Park before visiting Sprague Lake. There’s an option to buy your entry ticket at the Beaver Meadows entrance station, although we suggest purchasing it online in advance, especially if you want to complete a few other hikes in this corridor.
Entry fee to Rocky Mountain National Park:
- 1-day private vehicle – $30
- 7-day private vehicle – $35
- 1-day per person – $15
- 7-day per person – $20
- Annual RMNP pass – $70
You only have to buy the ‘Per Person’ entry if you’re arriving on foot or by bicycle. If you arrive with a car, you just pay for the vehicle and not each passenger separately. We recommend buying the 7-day pass if you’re planning on spending more than one day in the national park.
If you’re visiting other national parks in the US during your trip, then the best value for money will be the America the Beautiful Pass. This is only $80 and lets you access all the national parks in the country for 12 months.
Get up-to-date information on prices and discounts on RMNP’s official website.
Rocky Mountain National Park Timed Entry Permit
Between May and October, in addition to the RMNP day/annual pass you’ll also need to buy a timed entry to access the park’s Bear Lake Road Corridor. On the website there will be a general “timed entry option” and a “timed entry + Bear Lake Road Access” option. You’ll need to buy the latter in order to park in the Sprague Lake Car Park right at the trailhead. This permit allows you to enter this corridor in 2-hour windows between 5 AM and 6 PM.
The permit is only an extra $2 on top of your RMNP entry pass. Permits are released on the 1st of the month at 8AM MST, one month prior to the dates of entry. They usually add additional permits each night at 7PM MST for the following day though. The early entries get booked up pretty fast, so keep that in mind when planning your road trip. It’s also important that you enter RMNP within the 2-hour window of your chosen time slot.
You can book and find more up-to-date information on the RMNP Timed Entry Permit page.
How to Get to the Sprague Lake Loop Trailhead
Hire Car
The easiest and most convenient way to get to Sprague Lake is with a car. Having a rental car allowed us to get to Bear Lake for sunrise, hike the Emerald Lake Trail and then stop at Sprague Lake in the early afternoon.
If you’re driving from Estes Park, then you’ll want to enter at the Beaver Meadows Entrance, one of four entrances to RMNP. From Beaver Meadows, it takes another 20 minutes to drive to Sprague Lake Car Park. It’s a decently sized parking lot, although it can get full in the peak season. However, unlike at Bear Lake Car Park, which is the access point to many popular day-hikes, cars will be coming and going more often.
Hire your car using Discover Cars where you can find the best rates as they compare local, national, and international companies.
The Hiker Shuttle
In case you don’t want to hire a car, you can still access Sprague Lake with the Hiker Shuttle. The shuttle provides a round trip service departing from the Estes Park Visitor Center. It’ll drop you off at the RMNP Park & Ride. From there, transfer onto the Moraine Park Route and get off at Sprague Lake Bus Stop. Do the same in reverse to get the bus back to Estes Park. Check out the different routes and times on this map.
Also, don’t forget to reserve your Hiker Shuttle ticket online. There’s a $2 reservation fee per transaction. The reservation system is the same as the timed entry permit system and opens on the 1st of the month, one month prior to the dates of entry. Of course, a valid entry pass to the national park will also be needed in addition to the shuttle ticket.
The downside of the Hiker Shuttle is that the first one leaves at 8:30AM from Estes Park. So, if you also want to see Bear Lake and hike the Emerald Lake Trail, then you won’t be able to get to Sprague Lake until later in the day. Plus, you’ll have to calculate in the transfer time from the Park & Ride station. Nevertheless, it’s a good way to access the Bear Lake Corridor of RMNP.
Best Time to Hike the Sprague Lake Loop Trail
You can visit Sprague Lake all year-round. However, every season has slightly different pros and cons. Summer is a great month, as the weather will most likely be nice and sunny. Of course, it’s also when the national park will be the most crowded, so be prepared to purchase your timed entry as soon as you know your travel dates and tickets become available.
In the fall months, you’ll get the chance to see the colourful foliage. We visited in mid-September and the leaves were just starting to change. It’s also less busy, although the weather can be cooler and a bit more unpredictable. Spring will be similar to autumn, but you’ll see everything starting to bloom. Then there’s winter, which is fantastic if you want to see the lake frozen with snow capped mountains as a backdrop. It’ll be much colder though and you’ll need to prepare for icy/snowy trail conditions.
Facilities Around Sprague Lake
There are toilets at the car park, as well as picnic tables and water fountains. However, there’s no place that sells food or drink at the trailhead, so we recommend bringing your own picnic with enough water for the day. There are also many benches around the lake to sit down on and enjoy the scenery from.
Whatever you bring with you, make sure you either take it home with you or dispose of it responsibly. Enjoy your time in nature but Leave No Trace
Best Places to Stay in Estes Park
If you want to get to the national park early, we highly recommend staying in Estes Park. The town itself is beautiful and has its very own resident elk, who roam the streets freely. There are also plenty of food and shopping options in Estes Park, so it’s a fantastic place to base yourself if you want to do multiple hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Hotels in Estes Park
Additional Things to Do in Rocky Mountain National Park
There’s definitely no shortage of things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s a hiker’s paradise. We could easily have spent a few months there and still found new hiking trails to complete. However, if you only have a couple of days, then below are a few things that you should consider adding to your itinerary.
Hiking Trails in RMNP
- Bear Lake Loop Trail (easy hike)
- Emerald Lake Trail (moderate hike)
- Sky Pond Trail (moderate to hard hike)
- Short and Easy Hikes in RMNP
Scenic Roads in RMNP
Final Thoughts on the Sprague Lake Trail in RMNP
We were so happy that we decided to stop at Sprague Lake on our way back to Estes Park. We didn’t think that anything could beat the views from Bear Lake and along the Emerald Lake Trail. Well, we were certainly proved wrong because Sprague Lake gave us fantastic views of some of the most iconic mountains in the park.
Plus, even though we were there in the middle of the day, there were hardly any people on the trail compared to other hiking routes. Of course, we’re not saying that you’ll be the only one admiring the views around the lake, but you may find it slightly less crowded than Bear Lake for example.
Overall, the Bear Lake Loop was the ideal warm up for the Emerald Lake Trail and Sprague Lake was the perfect way to cool-down afterwards.
Now, let your adventure begin,
Remember…It all starts with a Pin…
