Everything You Need to Know About the Ice Lake Hike in Colorado

Are you considering embarking on the Ice Lake hike in southwest Colorado? Here on this page we will go through everything there is to know about the hike so you can have the most enjoyable experience possible. 

Colorado is more than just the Rockies. So much more. The San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado are often overlooked compared to the mighty Rockies. But they have some of the most breathtaking scenery in North America. 

A day hike or an overnight hike to Ice Lake outside of the historic mining town of Silverton will make that clear very quickly. So read on to learn about the Ice Lake hike!

Note: this article contains affiliate links, which means that should you purchase something or get a quote through them I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps keep the site running with up to date information. I do not represent Booking.com or Rentalcars.com. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy the product mentioned in this article.

The Ice Lake Hike – What You Need to Know

Where does the Ice Lake trail start and how do I get there?

Ice Lake is in Southwest Colorado, a few miles west of Silverton in San Juan National Forest. You’ll need a car to get to the start of the Ice Lake hike. The dirt road is pretty rough but a 2-wheel drive car is fine. 

It’s pretty isolated and not really a quick weekend trip from any major population area. For renting cars we use Discovercars.com. You can find a great rate on a rental car by using the link above. 

The closest major city you can fly into is Albuquerque, about four hours away. You’ll probably do the hike as part of a longer road trip. We drove from Denver and spent a night at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on the way.

Is there a fee for the hike?

There is no fee to enter the national forest or to camp along the trail.

How long is the Ice Lake Trail?

In terms of total miles, it’s not that much. Including Ice Lake, Island Lake and some other little lakes, we only covered about 9 miles (14.4 km) over the course of the hike. But don’t be fooled by the modest length. This trail is a beast.

What kind of elevation are we talking about?

Elevation gain is what makes the trail difficult. It starts out at about 9,800 ft and climbs to 12,300 at Ice Lake in barely 3.5 miles (to get to Fuller Lake it’s another 300 ft up). It is recommended to properly acclimatize before attempting the hike. Spending the night before above 9000 feet would help.

Is Ice Lake a difficult hike?

This is a very steep hike and is not for everyone, but it is not inheritably difficult. It’s all on a well marked trail with no rock scrambling. A moderate level of fitness will be needed to make the experience enjoyable. And if you’ve ever struggled with altitude before do NOT attempt this hike.

What’s the weather like?

The mountains are unpredictable but southwest Colorado does get a lot of sunshine in the summer. Come prepared for all types of weather though. Could be cold, could be hot as hell. You won’t know till the forecast comes out.

Even if the day is hot, if you’re spending the night camping at the top, it will get cold. And remember that wildfires are becoming more and more common every year. Have a contingency plan for if the whole area is closed or if the sky is full of smoke due to fires.

When should I do the Ice Lake hike?

The trail is only open in the summer. Most of the year it is covered in snow. It’s usually accessible from mid June until the end of October or early November, depending on snow.

Weekends will obviously be more crowded than weekdays, so if you can do it on a weekday you’ll have a more enjoyable experience (depending on the weather of course).

Camping at Ice Lake

Camping is allowed wherever you can pitch a tent and there is no charge or permit required. The best spot to camp is at Ice Lake itself. We spent a weekday night up at the lake and only saw three other tents (assume it will be more busy on a Friday or Saturday).

If you plan to backcountry camp make sure you are adequately prepared with sufficient gear. You don’t want to spend a cold night high in the mountains unprepared.

If you do spend a night there remember that you are very high in the mountains and if you’re not used to high altitude hiking you may suffer some effects of altitude sickness if not properly acclimated. Plan to spend at least one night in Silverton or somewhere nearby above 9000ft.

We made a mistake not doing that and suffered greatly. I’ve hiked to the base of Mount Everest and to over 18,000 ft, but never had a headache like the one I had that night. It was rough, but I would totally do it again! Sunrise at the lake made it all worth it.

Popularity

This is a popular trail, and for good reason. If you come on a weekend morning, chances are you will not find a parking spot. You can avoid the crowds by starting the hike late in the afternoon and camping overnight at Ice Lake, which I highly recommend.

According to members on AllTrails, local authorities are considering a reservation system due to overcrowding on the trail, but as of 2023 that is not in place.

Can I drink the water?

If you’re doing a day hike you can probably carry all the water you need. If you’re camping overnight you should invest in some iodine tablets. You shouldn’t drink the lake water, but fill your bottle with it and drop a few tablets in to purify. The water is as cold as ice and very refreshing once purified.

Where to stay in Silverton

I recommend you spend a night in Silverton or camping somewhere near the start of the hike to acclimatize. Silverton is a historic mining town that is now mainly just for tourists and adventure seekers. For a tiny town, there are quite a few accommodation options. 

Love hiking but also want to go to Italy? Then an extended Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike in the Italian Dolomites might be for you!

The Ice Lake Hike

As previously mentioned, I highly recommend starting the hike in the afternoon and camping overnight at Ice Lake. We started at about 4:00 PM and arrived at the lake just as the sun was setting around 7:30. No matter when you start you’ll have to secure a parking spot at the trailhead (unless you’re camping at South Mineral Campground).

If you’re starting in the late afternoon, most of the day hikers will be gone already. If you’re doing it as a day hike, just get there as early as you possibly can, or you might not get a parking spot.

The way up to the lake

The start of the hike puts you straight into a forest of pine trees, walking back and forth up switchbacks as you climb high into the mountains. It’s a while on the trail before you get any sort of views. Occasionally there will be a clearing in the trees and you can look up to the granite peaks above you and wonder how the hell you’re gonna make it up there.

But you just keep going, switchback after switchback, the hours passing by, and eventually you reach a clearing. The trees have thinned out and there is a peaceful meadow. You’ve reached the tree line now. If you’re exhausted you can camp here as there are plenty of flat spots to pitch a tent. But to get to Ice lake you’ve still got a ways to go.

After catching your breath on the calm walk through the meadow it’s one more final push up a rocky slope to Ice Lake, where a splendid view awaits you. The water of the lake is crystal clear, giving it a bright blue color that glows with the green shrubs and grey rocky peaks in the background. There isn’t a tree in sight. This is alpine wilderness, and it’s beautiful. 

You might think after such a tough hike that you’d be at the top of a mountain, but you’re not even close to the peaks here. You will look up at them from the lake, as there is no trail to the peaks. If you’re an experienced rock climber you can get up there, but if you’re not then just enjoy the views from the lakes. 

Camping at Ice Lake

After arriving at the lake we set up camp on a nice flat spot of grass not far from the lake. We only had about 45 minutes before it got dark so we didn’t have too much time to enjoy the views that night. It had been a long day so we were happy to get to bed early.

Unfortunately my head was already starting to hurt, and as the night went on the headache got worse and worse. Ibuprofen didn’t seem to do much, nor did chugging purified lake water. I’ll reiterate here again: acclimate properly before attempting this hike unless you hike in the high mountains often. 

Sunrise at Ice Lake

I finally fell asleep around four in the morning and woke up a few hours later with my headache gone and the dawn twilight glaring into the tent. As much as I would have loved more sleep, you don’t wake up at a breathtaking alpine lake every day.

The best part about that morning was the solitude in such an amazing location. The people in the other tents were not early risers apparently. We had the lake to ourselves for sunrise. If you take my advice and do the overnight camping option, you’ll get this special place without the crowds. You might even struggle to find someone to take your picture! 

Explore the Ice Lake basin

After enjoying the views as the morning sun gave the mountain peaks a sharp glow, we set out to hike a little further up to a few unnamed lakes to the west of Ice Lake. The official Ice Lake Basin hike takes you another way – to Fuller lake – but we decided against making that part of the hike and just wandered the little lakes above Ice Lake.

We wandered around for a few hours and eventually we started to see hikers arriving at Ice Lake. These guys must have left the parking lot early, around 6 or so. If you are doing a day hike, start early. The morning sun is beautiful on Ice Lake. 

We bummed around taking photos for a few more hours and packed up the tent around 11 in the morning. By this time a lot of day hikers had arrived. It was hard to say goodbye, but we knew we couldn’t stay at the lake forever and it was time to head back. It wasn’t just straight down the same trail though, as the hike takes you to another beautiful alpine lake.

Island Lake

Island Lake, cleverly named after the small island right in the middle of the lake, is a little less than a mile to get to from Ice Lake and the climb can be harrowing at times. The trail is a bit loose here so watch your footing. Island Lake is not as clear as Ice Lake, but still a spectacular sight.

We even saw someone on the island, meaning they had swam there. If you don’t mind ice cold water, then by all means take a dip.

The hike down takes you a slightly different route down the mountain. As you reach the tree line again you meet up with the path you started on, and before you know it you’re back at the parking lot, an epic and rewarding hike behind you.

For reviews of the hike and a detailed trail map you can check out the trail on the AllTrails app. I suggest you have it open and the trail map downloaded during the hike. You likely will not have service out there in the mountains.

Final Word

If you’re a fan of alpine hiking and beautiful mountain views then you are going to love the Ice Lake hike. Just make sure you are prepared, especially if you’re doing overnight at the lake. It’s a ridiculously steep trail high in the mountains and if you are not mentally and physically prepared it will get the best of you. If you are prepared it will be awesome and you will be rewarded with views of some of the most beautiful alpine lakes you’ll ever see.

Once you’re done with the hike, consider heading west into Utah and starting an epic southern Utah road trip, hitting Monument Valley and the 5 Utah national parks. These are some of the most spectacular places on the planet and a good contrast from the alpine wilderness of Ice Lake.