The Loch- Rocky Mountain National Park
Directions: Located in Rocky Mountain National Park the trailhead access is via Bear Lake or Glacier Gorge. Follow Glacier Creek Trail until you reach the junction for Loch Vale Trail. Loch Vale Trail will take you directly to the lake. Daily park fees do apply. The shuttle located below Bear Lake Trailhead is a must on busy weekends and during the summer season.
Description: 5.4 miles out and back in Rocky Mountain National Park. Strenuous trail but magnificent views including a glimpse of Andrew’s Glacier.
Use: Hiking and Fishing
Rocky Mountain National Park dominates our landscape as the weary attendant checks our park pass and waves us through with a heavy hand. An elk herd trifles through the brush to our left as we meander down Highway 36 and hang a left onto Bear Lake Road. Just the inkling of being present in our Colorado mountains, has me grinning from ear to ear. That feeling of awe has not changed since I was a child. The mountains always give so much more than asked, their magnificent peaks ever stark against the clear blue skies. Arriving at the trailhead, we realize with a frown that the parking lot is full, not a shock but disappointing when all you want to do is hit the trail. The saying, it’s about the journey not the destination flitters through my mind….
A quick trip back to the parking lot where a free shuttle sits, and within moments we are back headed back up the mountain to Glacier Gorge Trailhead. Our destination is The Loch, in Scottish Gaelic, it translates to the lake or a sea inlet. It is the perfect name for the pristine lake that we have deemed our journey's end. The air holds a chill which is brushed aside as our muscles warm, and our feet carry us up the mountainside, the incline has us catching our breath more than once. The trail is busy, a favorite spot for tourists and locals alike, as we head further into the mountains, the traffic slows, and soon it is just us and our Colorado mountains. More than one fellow explorer stops to ask us what is in the circular cases we carry at our sides. We are fly fishing; we explain in earnest as our feet continue to climb the well-traveled path; not a minute to lose!
As the miles lengthen, the sky and the mountains unfold about us. The crisp scent of pine trees and fallen leaves tickle our nostrils. The chill is long forgotten as our eyes fixate on the trail ahead. Steep in many areas, we are grateful for the few instances the path takes a swift decline. The unknown surrounds us, welcoming us into its homely grasp. Space not belonging to the human hand, maintaining its wild status in a world consumed with concrete and order. Out of nowhere cloudy skies begin to hover overhead, the vivid reminder that the mountains answer to no one. Cameron who is walking in front audibly gasps as we crest the final null and drop into The Loch. The lake, mountain peaks, and massive boulders surrounding it all rush to greet us at once.
Packs tossed aside; we race to rig up our rods and throw in a line. Known to be a fruitful spot to land both Brook Trout and Greenback Cutthroat, we have high hopes. The lake itself has many wadable locations which increase your chances to land one of our slippery friends. The waders allow you to get far enough into the water that your flies will more readily reach past where the shelf drops off and the fish are feeding. A considerable part of what makes this lake such a fishing success is the constant drainage from the Icy Brook as well as the surrounding land. We slowly make our way around the lake and head towards the southwest corner; Icy Brook awaits.
The brook is small, not surprising given the late fall era. In the deeper seams, we catch sight of fish and work our way towards them. Given the size of the stream, quiet stealth is a must and smaller midges are on the menu. Switching over to a weighted Zebra Midge, one silent, gentle cast and my line goes taut. A beautiful cutthroat is on the line, the animated giggle that escapes surprises even me.
Just as the thunder clouds make their presence known and the sprinkle of rain lands on our shoulders, we settle in for a hot lunch. Our Jetboil takes less than a minute to heat, and soon we are gratefully chowing down under the cover of a spruce tree. Rods disassembled and flies safely packed away; we are back on the trail in no time at all. It never feels like enough when you're in the mountains, the instant you leave; you want more — the peace, quiet, and mind-blowing beauty drawing you back before your even gone.
“When you travel, you experience, in a very practical way, the act of rebirth.”
The several miles back to the shuttle offer a variety of Colorado weather. Rain followed by sunshine followed by rain; finally, we are welcomed back to our car with the sun. Now that is the Colorado we know and love! We are thankful for our rain jackets almost as much as the t-shirts underneath them. Back in the car, we are still smirking from an epic day surrounded by the glamour and solidarity of Rocky Mountain National Park, the fish making the day even more special.
The Loch is a stunning spectacle surrounded by imposing mountain peaks; their presence needs no announcement. The lake provides the perfect day for not only hiking but also fishing. A win-win for everyone with those sparkling views and overwhelming landscape welcoming visitors from all over the world.
A destination from which you leave with a gift in hand; a gift you carry for a lifetime. Travel on- life is too short!
-Kathryn
