St Mary's Glacier Trailhead

"Description: This incredible trail takes you up a short rocky incline, to a stunning alpine lake surrounded by ancient bristlecone pine trees. The view of St. Mary's Glacier welcomes you west of the lake. Continue veering right on the trail, and right as you emerge above treeline, you will arrive at the base of this oh-so-famous snowfield. Once at the foot of the glacier, turn around, and you will be rewarded with incredible views of the Front Range. You can continue to hike all the way up to the top of the glacier, or simply play around a bit and head back down. Puppers will love the chance to wade in the lake and romp on the snow! If you're looking for a truly iconic hike that has everything, this one's for you! Difficulty Rating: Moderate This trail is short, but steep. Take your time, listen to your body, drink plenty of water, and you'll do great. Popularity Rating: High You'll encounter lots of other people and puppers on this trail. I actually like the communal vibes on this trail, because everyone is so stoked to be there. There's plenty of space on the wide trail, and around the lake and the glacier, so it never feels crowded.  -Trailhead: St. Mary's Glacier -Stats: 1.6 mi roundtrip; 528 ft. elevation gain (more if you hike to the top of the glacier) -Getting there: You will drive on a dirt road to get here, but no high clearance or other off-road capabilities are needed. -Parking: This is the only bummer. You have to pay $20 to park in the privately owned trailhead lot. Bring cash, and don't try to cheat, as it's highly monitored. But the fee keeps the area maintained, and that's a plus. -Restrooms at the trailhead: Porta-potties -Puppers: On-leash on the trail, but tons of opportunities for play! Remember to pack out the poop. -Good to know: This is not actually a "real" glacier, it's a semi-permanent snowfield. But that doesn't stop backcountry skiers from carving turns all year round. 📍St. Mary's, Co, is located on the ancestral homelands of the Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), Hinono’eino’ Biito’owu’ (Arapaho), & Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) peoples "