An Early Spring Hike at Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

Last night, I went out for a late evening walk in the near full moon near my house. The day had been warm and a lot of snow had melted off my small yard. But the day was on the verge of darkness when I walk past a cottonwood tree and heard robin singing, loud. She wanted to be heard! I stopped and listened. It’s spring! ​

It’s true, March and April, and even May sometimes, can bring us our heaviest snows of winter. But these are transitions months and the buds on the cottonwood branches where the robin was singing, were starting to swell. ​

This is the time of the year where the ecology on the east side of The Park really stands out, depending on what elevation and how far from the Continental Divide you are. Down low, the hiking trails are starting to melt during the day and freeze over night making the hiking both treacherous when icy or muddy. Meanwhile, a few short miles and a 1000’ feet up, there’s still plenty of snow covering the trails. ​

Last week, I took a short trek around Sprague Lake to see what things were like there. Though there were a few places where the trail was snow free, and the snow was packed but soft, I was glad I wore spikes. These are standard winter foot ware on most trails, especially as the trails start to melt out, there can be some dangerous ice sheets in shady spots.

While the entirety of the lake is still frozen solid, a few open spots are a reminder that the ice conditions are changing. The winter winds have blown most of the snow off of the ice covered lake and many people like to travel across the lake while it’s frozen over. This is not a good time of the year to attempt to 'walk on water'. ​

The morning I was out was sunny and warming quickly and this is a nice trail for a leisurely saunter. The willows along the edge of the lake at this elevation did not appear to be awake yet from winter hibernation, but I can imagine a few more of these warmer, longer days will stir some life inside the branches and roots. Sprague Lake is a good place to frequent and watch spring in the mountains emerge.