Ice Lakes Trail: Beautiful Lakes and Waterfalls

On our wild camping spot in Silverton we enjoyed the beautiful nature and the babbling river right next to our camper for no less than 5 days. We had good (internet) reach here, so we could also work nicely on our website. Having a coffee here every morning while the sun is rising was really no punishment! But because we sit still a lot during our writing work, we also thought it was time to stretch our legs. We saw on Google Maps and Alltrails that there was a beautiful hike nearby that we could do. The Ice Lake Trail!

Table of contents

The ultimate tour of North America

This article is part of a large one-year tour the United States en Canada in 2022, with a Dutch 4×4 camper that we shipped ourselves… It is a bucket list worthy and a once in a lifetime experience that will never be forgotten.

The ultimate roadtrip route through America and Canada | Wereldreizigers.nl

We wrote almost 100 articles about this ultimate tour. Below is a handy overview in 5 expandable categories.

1. Preparation

2. Highlights & Itineraries

3. Cities & places of interest (AZ)

4. National Parks & Monuments (AZ)

5. Plan your vacation to America here

Itineraries compare | TUI, Americaplus, sawadee en Djoser.
Motorhome rental companies compare | WorldWideCampers.com
Fly & drives compare | Americaplus.
Cruises and city trips compare | Travel deal.
Flight tickets compare | Skyscanner, TUI, KLM. as KAYAK.
Rental cars compare | Sunnycars, Alamo en rental cars.
Tours and Activities compare | GetYourGuide.
Camping sites reservation| RECREATION.gov
Hotels & Resorts reservation | Booking.com.
SIM cards order | USAsim en International sim.
Parking at airport | Parkos, Central parking of park care.
travel items (suitcases, world plugs, etc.) | Bol.com.

Find hikes in the region

AllTrails tells you which routes can be found in your area, how difficult a route is and how long it takes on average. Other people also share photos and reviews. Ice Lakes Trail is the most popular hike in the area and what a one!

The Ice Lakes Trailhead Information Board | Silverton Colorado

About Ice Lakes Trailhead

You will ascend 900 meters during the walk, almost twice the height of the Empire State Building. During the walk the climb becomes more and more challenging. You start at an altitude of almost 3 kilometers and at the most you reach almost 4 kilometers.

The burnt forest

During the walk, you will always pass through different areas. We started in the forest, which turned into burnt forest. In 2021 there were severe wildfires here and as far as the eye could see there were burnt mountain slopes. It was honestly a depressing sight.

Green meadows and flowers

We also passed rocks, waterfalls, streams and colorful flowers and plants. The green meadows and the many flowers were a nice change after all those banished trees a few hundred meters below.

The Marmots

The marmots were busy too. They were chasing each other to chase each other (or mating?), or stood up to make their familiar high-pitched call. A bizarre sound comes from these critters. It gave the long walk a nice perk to look at.

Waterfalls & Rivers

As far as you could see waterfalls could be admired, from large to small. Along the way we also had to cross a small river a few times. One of them was quite a big one and we couldn't avoid getting wet feet. We had to get through the icy melt water!

Crossing a river during the Ice Lakes Trail and waterfalls in the background | Silverton Colorado

So we had to walk the last part with wet feet. But now our feet were so hot that a little cooling was actually quite nice. The cooling was short-lived, because we had warm feet again in no time due to the brisk walking.

We spent a lot of time looking down at the uneven ground and the loose rocks along the way, but every time you turned your head up a little and looked around you, your jaw dropped in amazement. What a beautiful environment. And those waterfalls everywhere!

Beautiful view during the Ice Lakes Trail | Silverton Colorado

Large and Small Waterfalls on the Ice Lakes Trail | Silverton Colorado

Climb, climb, climb

After more than 4 hours of walking you arrive at the last part and this part is definitely tough! The slope is suddenly very steep and as you walk over loose sand and stones, you really start to notice the lack of oxygen at this altitude. Small bits up, take a short break and continue on.

That last part took us about an hour, which is perhaps only 500 meters in total… Fortunately, the end was in sight. The trail flattened out and we arrived at the plateau of the mountain. It's as if nature wanted to welcome us, because suddenly the sun came out again!

The plateau on the mountains during the Ice Lakes Trail | Silverton Colorado

Ice Lakes finally in sight

After a few hundred meters it was finally time. As icing on the cake, we of course arrived at the clear blue ice lake! The lake was such a bizarre color, as if someone had thrown a truckload of food coloring into it.

A man braved the icy water and took a dip in the lake. Malou and I just kept our feet up, because after 10 seconds your feet started to sting. This water is so very cold! That is not surprising, because a week or two ago this lake was still completely frozen. It's not called 'Ice Lakes' for nothing.

After chatting with other hikers, it was time for the last photo before heading back down.

More unique hikes and trails

Our experience

Although we knew we were going to climb, we had misjudged the difficulty and effort. We read 4,3 miles, didn't really bother to calculate correctly and thought LET´S GO. We had just finished our lunch and we thought we could manage with just some water.

5,5 hours (!) later we were at the ice-lake and we drank our last drops of water. So we still had to start on the way back…

Misjudged

If we had taken the trouble to calculate correctly, we would certainly have brought more water and food! 4,3 miles was only the way there. So total it would be 4,3 x2 = 8,6 miles. If we convert this to kilometres, that is 14 kilometres!

A walk of 14 km on a flat road would be quite a walk, let alone into the height. We went from 3000 meters to 4000 meters and it was definitely noticeable.

Altitude sickness

During the way back Malou was not able to enjoy the area anymore. She was hungry, had a headache and was nauseous. It was probably a combination of dehydration, altitude sickness and of course not eating enough. On the way down we luckily met some hikers who wanted to share some water with us.

We then continued on and after 2,5 hours, when we were back at our camper, we could finally eat and drink. By that time, Malou was really exhausted. So much so that even eating was no longer possible. She spit up, then ate some carrots, drank some water and went to bed. Her body clearly needed rest.

Tips

So now that we have experienced how it is cannot If I have to, I give you the following tips for a hike like this:

Wear good and sturdy walking shoes. Sneakers are okay, but they won't always provide you with enough grip and you're more likely to sprain your ankle. Then you are supposedly even further from home…
take enough water en food along. You really need two liters to continue to replenish your fluid deficit. Although you don't notice it, you consume a lot of moisture in the altitude. Consider getting a lifestraw so that you can filter river water on site for drinking.
Trek layers of clothing at. It may be sunny and warm at the time of departure, but the weather can change quickly in the mountains. You need to be able to defend against wind and rain to keep yourself warm so that your energy is not wasted suffering from the cold.
Take it easy. You start at three kilometers altitude, which is high enough to experience altitude sickness. Effort at this height will therefore really make you feel double. Altitude sickness is therefore really something that you have to take into account.

Also read: Pacific Crest Trail | Preparation, tips and packing list for long treks

Conclusion

Despite the fact that Malou had a very unpleasant experience at the end, this trail was really fantastic to walk. Normally we would have been better prepared and able to cover a distance like this without any problems. It just goes to show that you should never underestimate nature. We just felt like going for a walk, so we didn't pay much attention. We therefore misjudged the trail.

Chris on the Ice Lakes Trail | Silverton Colorado

However, don't let that stop you from putting this trail on your map. The starting point is here , so save it on your Google Maps. It is a trail with so much natural beauty! The entire trail is a Walhalla for nature lovers. It is therefore really a must-do if you are ever in Colorado.

Plan your vacation to America here