Sky Pond Trail displays Colorado’s grandeur

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK — The beautiful thing about Sky Pond Trail is you can customize it to your liking.

It’s several hikes within one. So you can wait until you’re at Bear Lake Trailhead to decide where and how far you want to go. (More on the shorter hikes later, or see them here.)

This is good news for people hiking with Parkinson’s disease, especially on days when your energy barometer is saying a 6-mile trek ain’t happening.

The Unshakable Husband and I were visiting family in Colorado over a Labor Day weekend and also planned to hike in the park. 

Rocky Mountain is one of the national parks that’s bursting at the seams, and it has been experimenting with “timed entries.” The park is not alone in trying to manage crowds. Glacier, Zion, Yellowstone and others have also used reservation systems and free shuttles.

Sadly, we did not “win” a timed entry spot online at 9 a.m. the day before. But we still had an option, which I call the “2 shuttle solution.”

First order of business – check the bulletin board map to solidify our route. We were hoping to make it to Sky Pond, a mountain lake at the end of the trail. It would be a 10-mile trek.

Off we went. The trail had a slight incline at first, and just short of our first mile we came to Alberta Falls, where we stopped for a quick break. 

The signs made staying on the trail easy. The path became rocky and rooty at times. 

Parkinson’s tip

The portion of the trail that follows the creek is ideal for a good rest before ascending further.

Clouds overtook the sun, but there didn’t seem to be a threat of rain. After three switchbacks, we were rewarded with an expansive, wide-open view of a gorge.

There was a chute to climb next to the 30-foot falls. I have experience scrambling up rocks, but it had been a while. I watched others to see how best to do it.

Hikers that day were lucky that the falls were not fully gushing, so the rocks weren’t slippery. We took it very slowly.

On busy days there can be a bottleneck at the falls, but the wait wasn’t long.

Parkinson’s tip

This is a place many people turn around and go back, making the hike about 8 miles total. Never feel like you’ve failed if you don’t get to where you want on a hike. The fact that you’re listening to your body – and out there hiking at all – is admirable.

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At the top of the Timberland Falls was Glass Lake, where it was windy and chilly.

Then it was about a 15-minute walk over large rocks to Sky Pond. Shoes with ankle support were definitely helpful.

There was less wind at Sky Pond, making it a good place for a light lunch. We needed to stock up on energy for the way back. Time since we left Bear Lake Trailhead: three hours. 

On the return trip we inadvertently took a couple of detours (oops) that led us to seeing some scenic lakes (yay). Our trek took a little over five hours in total.

Parkinson’s tip

Here are ideas for some shorter hikes from the Bear Lake Trailhead. These are popular and can get crowded by late morning. Trails are well-marked with good signage.

1. Hike to Alberta Falls, a popular trail 1.5 miles out and back with some elevation. 

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Hike info

PD difficulty level (see chart): Very difficult
Distance: 10 miles roundtrip
Sky Pond elevation gain: 2,170 feet
Trailhead location: Bear Lake Trailhead along Bear Lake Road
Bathrooms: at the trailhead
Emergency medical support: in Estes Park, 11 miles from park’s Beaver Meadows entrance
Costs: one-day pass, $35 per vehicle