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August 2023 by David M.
This was a great hike and such beautiful views. It is very Rocky getting up to the lake and glacier but so we'll worth it. I highly recommend taking the "road less travelled" to see the waterfall that's coming off the lake. When you get to a Y in the trail - go right and you'll hear the water rushing down the mountain. You can then connect back up to the trail when you get up towards the top of the waterfall/stream. Something to note - there is a $20 parking fee. Not a big deal and they have a way to pay on your phone if you have service (we did). I never have cash so that was great to have that option.
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June 2023 by Stefanie C.
My partner totally suckered me into hiking St Mary's Glacier with photos of this breathtaking sight. Looks exactly the way it does on Instagram! We drove over and found a parking spot, paying the $20 fee by putting cash into an envelope into and dropping it into the collection box. I think it was more recently increased, so we thankfully scraped together enough money.I understand why people bring hiking poles, because of all the ice. My shoes didn't have enough traction, so I slipped a few times. That's the beauty (and danger) of St Mary's Glacier. There's a few directions to travel, depending on how high up you want to go. And you can slide down if you dare. Dog friendly. Family friendly. Overall one of my favorite hikes in Colorado!
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April 2023 by MY V.
Self parking is $20 cash where you get an envelope and drop the money in the designated collection box. They do have someone watching and will leave you a note on your vehicle to pay the $20. This is my first snow hike and it was beautiful. Pretty nice lake that was frozen solid and was able to walk on it. Very nice scenery and relaxing. I did hike up the mountain and it was a tough hike for me, but I did make it! Enjoyed my time here.
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October 2022 by Christina M.
Our friend who lives in Denver recommended we check this place out due to the short hike and beautiful views. Glad we did, we chilled out for a couple hours there. There's a beautiful drive up to see the colors change of the trees as well. Parking is $5 cash. You'll fill out a form, attach part of it to the windshield, and place cash into envelope. There are port-a-potties in the parking area. It's a dog friendly place and we saw many cuties on the hike. Our dog would have loved it but he's back in AZ. Too bad pup lol. The hike is not long. However it's pretty much just upward, not steep but the trail is rocky and not enjoyable IMO. Super rocky trails are a pain since you have to watch your footing the entire time. And man, coming from AZ to this hike we really felt the elevation change. I think I heard someone saying it's 10 or 11k up there. I forgot my watch so I didn't log mileage or elevation gain but I didn't need my Apple Watch to tell me, my breath and racing heart let me know we were up there. So, it's an easy hike (kids all over the place doing it) but there were moments we stopped to catch our breath. Anyway, I didn't go there for the hiking, I went to hang out and take in the beautiful view. That we did! Once the active part was done we chilled out near the waterfall, glacier lake, and watched some crazy teens jump in the freezing water. It was really relaxing and enjoyable.
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September 2022 by Dan H.
This is an absolute must for anyone who loves spending time outdoors and staying near Idaho Springs. The guys I went with and I are not near experienced, but we're able to complete the trip up to the peak and back in a little over an hour and twenty minutes. The views of the alpine lake, once we got to it, were just stunning, and they got better the higher up we went. I will say it's a very rocky trail to get to the lake, and we did check our gps a few times to make sure we were headed the right way, as it's not a very well marked trail in spots. That being said, the pictures we were able to get, and the experience of getting to climb up with my friends made this an absolutely wonderful memory, and if I ever come through the area again, it will definitely be on the top of my list of things to do!
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September 2022 by Victoria W.
Absolutely stunning!! A short hike that is completely satisfying. The hike is very rocky and uphill. But the view is spectacular. I would hike up there every day if I could. The pictures I took don't even do it justice. If you're in the Idaho springs area, add this to the top of your list!!
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July 2022 by Chun P.
I had no idea this existed, until a local mentioned it, thank you sir! Not far from Mount Evans is this adorable little Glacier that sticks around apparently all year long. It's a little glacier, but its a lovely spot on a gorgeous small lake. Words can't describe, pictures don't tell the entire story, you just have to do it! It does require a rather steep and rocky 3/4 mile hike to get to, be sure to bring water, wear sturdy shoes or boots, and proper clothing. This hike is not for the weak! I'm also a Californian living at sea level, and I'm in fairly good shape, but hiking at 10,000+ feet was exhausting! But it was all so worth it for the gorgeous views, especially the little native squirrels running around.
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July 2022 by Flip F.
Nice little 1.5-2 mile hike to the glacier/lake area. If you're up to it, you may hike to the tops for better views and beauty all around. Best part of the hike was all the lush trees so plenty of shade during your journey up/down.
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June 2022 by Erika R.
Hiked up to St Mary's Glacier in June 2022!The drive up has lots of twists and turns, and you may lose service like I did! I didn't do much research about where to go, but we kept driving after seeing a "St Mary's Glacier" wooden sign on the right and found the very full parking lot. You pay $5 cash in an envelope, place it in a box, keep your receipt on your dashboard. Port o potties are available in the lot.Walk up the hill to find the entrance of the trail. The majority of the trail is going uphill walking on rocks so be aware and plan accordingly! Since it was June, the sun was out but there was some snow leftover on the sides of the path. The weather was nice and I was fine in my thin long sleeve and workout pants. The trail was way shorter than I thought before reaching the beautiful glacier and little lake. It took about 30 minutes to walk uphill with some small breaks because I was not prepared for this elevation! The trail is more on the challenging side, but I did notice kids, dogs, people in jeans, people who are clearly experienced and holding a whole bunch of equipment on this trail! You can definitely spend a few hours here or just soak up the gorgeous views for a little. Some people went skiing, jumped in the water, brought inflatable stand up paddle boards, went fishing, and relaxed in hammocks. We spent a little over an hour here from when we started the hike to when we got back in the car since we didn't explore more around the lake.
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May 2022 by Alisa J.
Awesome time snowshoeing up St. Mary's Glacier. It's challenging though so be prepared. Views are amazing and lots of pretty sites along the trail. Not too crowded when we were there.
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January 2021 by Catherine A.
I love this hike. It's a great way to show off Colorado views with visitors who may not be acclimatized to the elevation change. If you're coming from Denver, it's an easy 45 min drive on the highway. While the walk to the glacier is a steady incline that wears on you slowly over time, the distance is about one mile to the lake. From there, you can continue to follow some very faint trails up to the glacier. Lots of people bring skis and will trek up the glacier to ski down - it's fun to watch! In the summer it is fairly crowded and there will be lots of dogs and children running loose on the trail. There are two parking lots for this trail - one before the trail head and one just beyond. They are both small and no more than a side of the road pull off so I would definitely aim to get there early or wait until afternoon as you won't find a spot to park.
