Hiking to Ice Lake Colorado: Is the Trail Worth It?
Colorado has some truly stunning alpine lakes. And Ice Lake is definitely one of them. But the Ice Lake Trail is extremely popular and busy, which begs the question…is it really worth it?
In short, yes this trail is absolutely worth it! It’s a tough one for sure, and the parking situation will have you getting up very early, but yes, it’s totally worth it.
Sometimes popular places are overhyped and not really worth it, but Ice Lake is totally worth it!
Important Links
AllTrails – Ice and Island Lake Trail
Hiking Journal – Never Forget the Details of Your Favorite Hikes Again!
Ridgway State Park – Nearby Camping
Location
Ice Lake is located between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado. You’ll have to take the Million Dollar Highway, turn onto a dirt road and park at the trailhead. Then a 7.2 mile out-and-back hike awaits you. So, is it possible to take a day trip here?
The trailhead is located about 3 hours south of Grand Junction, 1.5 hours north of Durango, and 1 hour south of Ridgway. You’ll probably want to stay somewhere in Silverton for the easiest access. Or if you’re on a budget, stay somewhere between Ridgway and Durango.
Fees
Hiking to Ice Lake is FREE! No permits, no reservations, just a free and beautiful (albeit popular) hike. The tricky part is getting one of those free and legal parking spots.
Parking
Hiking to Ice Lake is a challenge, but finding a parking spot can prove to be even more challenging. You have to arrive at the parking lot early…like 7:30am at the latest. This is one of the most popular trails in San Juan National Forest, so the small lot fills up quickly.
In short, you will want to park here. You can also type in Ice Lake Trailhead into Google and this will lead you to the correct parking area.
As a heads up, once you turn off Highway 550 (Million Dollar Highway), you will be driving on a dirt road for the last 4 miles. This dirt road was pretty flat and was easily navigated. This is not some crazy dirt road, but I would be cautious if there has been recently.
Hiking Stats
- About 7.2 miles out-and-back
- 2,400 feet of elevation gain
- Difficult
Hiking Time
You might be wondering about how long you’ll spend hiking to and from Ice Lake. The short answer is somewhere between 4 – 7 hours. Ice Lake is beautiful and you’ll probably want to spend some time admiring the blue water and eating a snack/lunch.
However, if you choose to continue onto Island Lake or Fuller Lake, you should add about an hour. We took about 8 hours because we hiked to Ice Lake, then Island Lake and we enjoyed about an hour at each lake.
+Our Itinerary
For a quick reference, this was our itinerary for the day. In total we were away from our car for about 8 hours, 6 of which were spent actively hiking.
- 6:20am Arrive at Parking Lot
- 6:40am Begin Hike
- 10:15am arrive at Ice Lake
- 10:30am eat lunch and take photos
- 11:40am arrive at Island Lake
- 12:30pm leave Island Lake and begin hike back to car
- 2:30pm arrive back at car
- 3:00pm have well-deserved pizza and beer at Golden Block Brewery
Alright, let’s get into the details of the hike to Ice Lake so you can be prepared!
Before the Hike
Just a couple quick reminders. You will be starting this hike at 9,800 feet and Ice Lake sits at 12,300. The air is thin, so make sure you pack plenty of snacks and water and if you start to feel dizzy or nauseous, turn around before you get sick.
Another thing, there is little shade on this trail. Be sure to wear sunscreen and pack all the sun protection that you prefer (hats, sunglasses, etc).
And finally, there is no phone service on this hike. Make sure to have a downloaded map or a physical map so you don’t get lost.
The Ascent
Getting to the Ice Lake Parking Lot is pretty easy, but getting a parking spot can be a little tricky. Like I said above, make sure you get to the parking lot by 7:30am at the latest. Once you have secured a parking spot, the trail is well-marked at the back of the parking lot.
Initially, the trail is pretty easy and makes for a pretty walk through lush green grass and summer wildflowers (seasonal, of course). You will then come to the Clear Creek Waterfall. You will have to cross the creek here, and depending on the snow melt, you might end up with wet shoes. We were able to balance on some logs and stay dry.
At this point, you’ll be right around Mile Marker 1 and you’ll notice an increase in the grade of the trail. From here on out, the trail will continue to get steeper and steeper until you reach Ice Lake.
Continuing Up
Not far after Clear Creek Falls, there is a stream that you will have to cross. We walked up and down the creek looking for a way to stay dry. However, we ended up just switching into our sandals and crossing the freezing water. After our feet dried out, we were able to continue on.
At this point the trail became much steeper and correspondingly more beautiful! The mountains rise around you and the mountain range goes on and on for as far as the eye can see.
There are 2 intersections that you will come to. The first one will appear as a split in the trail in the woods. You want to stay to the right to continue to Ice Lake. The second split will be more obvious and you will want to stay to the left. After this, it’s a straight shot to Ice Lake.
The final half mile before reaching Ice Lake is very steep. Once you’ve made that final push you will be greeted with some of the bluest water you’ll ever see!
Ice Lake
Ice Lake is truly stunning and if you arrive on a blue-sky day, the water is just as blue as the sky! In late June or early July, there will probably still be snow, but there is a good chance you will see some incredible wildflowers too.
We were lucky enough to see some snow and the green grass bursting from the earth. Wildflowers were just starting to bloom and we had some stunning views.
I highly recommend you sit and enjoy the incredible views while grabbing a bite to eat. We sat here for about an hour just enjoying the beauty and restoring our energy levels.
At this point, you have a decision to make! Will you continue onto Fuller Lake, or Island Lake, or return whence you came and head back to the car?
Decision Time – Island Lake, Fuller Lake, or Descend?
Once you have hiked to Ice Lake, there are a few options for side quests. You can continue to Fuller Lake, Island Lake or return to your car.
Fuller Lake is an additional 0.9 miles to the left of Ice Lake (an additional 1.8 miles round trip). There is also an additional 340 feet of elevation gain that comes with adding this lake. Fuller Lake is not the stunning blue, but still a pretty hike if you are looking to see all of the lakes in this area.
Island Lake is an additional 0.6 miles (and 200 feet of elevation gain) to the right of Ice Lake. Personally, I thought Island Lake was even MORE stunning than Ice Lake. I highly recommend that you add Island Lake to your trek if you physically can. And the great part about hiking to Island Lake, is there is a trail that loops you back to the same Ice Lake trail. See this link for the full loop breakdown.
The Descent
Your third option, once you have reached Ice Lake, is to go back the way you came. This will put your round trip right at 7.2ish miles and be your quickest route home. I still highly recommend that you loop over to Island Lake, but if you’re too tired or bad weather is approaching, descending is as simple as going back the way you came.
The descent from Ice Lake is just as steep as the ascent was. If you use hiking poles, this is definitely a descent worth using them!
After about 3.7 miles, you’ll re-enter the parking lot and be able to head home. However, I highly recommend that you add one stop on the way home.
After the Hike
After successfully hiking to Ice Lake, there is a great brewery about 20 minutes away from the trailhead. Golden Block Brewery has delicious pizza and great drinks for everyone (21+). We ate a well deserved pizza and each had a drink after our hike. This hike was tough and the pizza/beer was well earned.
Would We Hike It Again?
100% yes! This hike was tough, but wow! The blue water, the wildflowers, the scenery, I truly don’t know if this hike will ever be topped. The entire hike was beautiful from start to finish and I can’t recommend Ice Lake and Island Lake enough.
I will say that this trail isn’t to be taken lightly, with nearly 3,000 feet of elevation gain and hiking up to over 12,500 feet, it’s a tough one. So take it as slow as you need to and bring enough food and water to fuel your hike.
Affordable Camping Nearby
Camping is a great way to save some money while on a trip. If you’re looking for affordable camping, I highly recommend camping in Ridgway State Park which is about an hour from the trailhead. Ridgway State Park is an affordable homebase while hiking in San Juan National Forest.
It also is just 30 minutes from Ouray, the famous mountain town that begins the Million Dollar Highway. And for $28 – $41 (depending on your campsite) a night, you can’t beat this price in this area.
Things to do in the area
Within San Juan National Forest there are dozens (if not hundreds) of hiking trails. So once you have hiked to Ice Lake, there are other trails you can do as well.
If you’re looking for easier hiking with beautiful views, you can head over to Ridgway State Park. They have beautiful views of the San Juan mountains without the leg-destroying elevation gain.
You will also love driving the Million Dollar Highway (Route 550 between Ouray and Silverton). Both Ouray and Silverton have some great breweries and restaurants for you to try some local eats.
Conclusion
Hiking is a staple in Colorado, and while hiking to Ice Lake is very popular and a little busy, it’s totally worth it. Between the beautiful blue water, the wildflowers, and the stunning mountains all around you, you can’t go wrong with hiking to Ice Lake.
As always, feel free to reach out to me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com with any questions or for more information about this hike.
-Happy Hiking!
Megan C.
Avid hiker and traveler around the US. I've been hiking consistently since I was 18 and I can't wait to teach you my tips, tricks and hiking hacks! Travel and hike with me and my camera.
