Sprague Lake trail & parking lot to be temporarily closed on May 18

NPS Photo; Sprague Lake Boardwalk Replacement Project, May 18, 2023

he Sprague Lake Trail, Picnic and Parking Area will be closed to all users on Thursday, May 18. This closure will be in place for the safe staging of building materials and equipment that will be used to replace and repair a 210-foot-long section of the Sprague Lake Boardwalk.
 
Located along Bear Lake Road, Sprague Lake is a popular destination for many park visitors. There is a 0.7-mile loop trail around the lake, as well as an accessible backcountry campsite, picnic area, and vault toilets near the parking area. Sprague Lake offers spectacular scenic views of the lake itself and the Continental Divide. The Sprague Lake Boardwalk was first constructed in 2000 and is due for repairs.
 
During the Sprague Lake Boardwalk Replacement Project, the park’s trail crew, assisted by a Rocky Mountain Conservancy Conservation Corps trail crew, will replace failing wooden boards, as well as widen a section of the boardwalk. Crews will also repair the substructure by replacing with steel beams to extend the total life of the bridge. These improvements will improve accessibility for visitors who use wheelchairs and strollers. The project will also improve two scenic overlooks. Once complete, the new Sprague Lake Boardwalk will look very similar to the Lily Lake Boardwalk.

While the staging of equipment and building materials will happen on May 18, the majority of the boardwalk replacement work will take place beginning in August 2023. This will help minimize impacts to wetlands areas, as the water in the impacted area will be lower and the ground in the wetlands dryer. Once project work begins, there will be a full closure in place for a small portion of the Sprague Lake Trail. The majority of the Sprague Lake Trail will remain open to park visitors. This trail project is scheduled to be completed in late fall 2023.
 
For more information on Rocky Mountain National Park, please call the park’s Information Office at (970) 586-1206 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/romo