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The second I heard about these Ice Caves in Colorado I knew we just HAD to see them for ourselves. After first going to the wrong park and wandering aimlessly (whoops), we finally found ourselves at Rifle Mountain Park and inside the most incredible ice caves. The experience was pretty indescribable – shimmying our way through a small crack to get inside, 20 foot icicles hanging from cave walls, turquoise waterfalls frozen in time… it was magical! I truly felt like I was living all of my Elsa ice-princess dreams.
While Rifle Mountain Park is most known for rock climbing in the summers, these Ice Caves make the trek to Rifle in the winter more than worth it. If you want to see them for yourself, keep reading – we’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to find them, hike them and even climb them (if that’s your thing)!
Leave No Trace
We love sharing our adventures in hopes of helping others find the same passion and love we have for the outdoors. We share our locations and resources with the hope that everyone who follows in our footsteps will protect the environment they’re entering into. Please make sure you’ve educated yourself on the Leave No Trace principles before heading out on your next adventure. There is no Planet B.
Overview of the Ice Caves in Colorado
| Distance | .75 – 4 miles |
| Elevation gain | 100-500 feet |
| Time | 45 min to 2 hours |
| Difficulty | Easy to Moderate |
| Trailhead | 39.69510, -107.70121 |
| Trail name | Kopers Trail |
| Entrance fee | $5 per vehicle |
| Park | Rifle Mountain Park |
| Best time to visit | December – February |
| Camping allowed | Yes in designated areas |
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Good for kids | Yes, with caution |
Where are the Ice Caves in Colorado?
These Ice Caves in Colorado are inside Rifle Mountain Park, about 30 minutes outside the town of Rifle. They’re about 1 hour west of Glenwood Springs and 1.5 hours northeast of Grand Junction. From Denver the drive is around 3.5 hours to get to the Ice Caves in Rifle Mountain Park.
How to get to the Ice Caves in Colorado
Getting to the ice caves is pretty easy if you just follow your GPS to Rifle Mountain Park. Make sure to download Google Maps for the area before you go though, as service is limited once you get off the main highway. You’ll know you’re there when you see a sign and a kiosk at the entrance. After you stop and pay it’s just a short drive to the designated parking area near the trailhead.
Hiking the Ice Caves in Colorado’s Rifle Mountain Park
Once you’ve entered Rifle Mountain Park keep an eye out on your left for Kopers Trail. This is the trailhead where you can start your adventure through the caves. There are 4 caves in total but what’s great about this hike is you can choose to trek to as many or as few as you please! If you do the whole hike All Trails quotes it at 3.7 mi with 561 feet of elevation gain, however we only hiked to the first two and probably went no more than 1-1.5 mi RT.
Pro tip: make sure you wear hiking boots and traction devices! The ice can be extremely slippery and it’s near impossible to get across without spikes of sorts. We use these and they’re great!
The first Ice Cave: Ice Palace
After you park and start your trek along Kopers Trail, you’ll come across the first cave, the “Ice Palace,” pretty quickly. You can’t miss the entrance to this one as you can just walk on in. I’m going to tell you now: don’t blow this one off and keep trekking thinking they’ll get better.
Take your time here and revel in the contrast of the massive turquoise sheets of ice and glistening icicles against the limestone walls. Pay attention to the texture and the details, too. It’s absolutely incredible to think that these massive ice sculptures form and disappear each and every year.
Note: be extremely cautious while exploring under the icicles as they can fall and seriously injure you.
From here you can walk across the blanket of ice lining the cave and head out the other side. As you go through to the other side, the ceiling will get lower and lower so make sure to duck your head! After you leave the Ice Palace, continue along the trail. Be warned that there is one moderately steep, very short, section here and there may be a decent amount of snow pack along the trail. That said, it’s a very doable, half-mile trek to the second cave, “The Final Curtain.”
Second Ice Cave: Final Curtain
Unlike the entrance to the Ice Palace, the entrance to the Final Curtain cave is quite hidden. We initially saw the large curtain of ice and assumed we’d made it to the second cave, but we had no idea how to go in! All we saw was a small horizontal opening between the ice and the limestone to the left of the waterfall. Luckily another hiker confirmed it was the right way because climbing into an unknown hole under a massive sheet of ice is a bit terrifying!
Once we knew it was the right way, sliding through this gap on our bellies like penguins on ice was probably my favorite part of this hike. It felt like such an adventure and was so notably different than anything we’ve ever done.
Once you slide into this cave the ceiling is still pretty short, so stay crouched down until your a ways into the cave. Inside the cave there is a blanket of ice that’s even thicker than in the Ice Palace and the ice sheet basically forms the entire wall of the cave. This cave is darker and much different than the first, but incredible to see.
After you exit through the other side (which is much easier than the entrance), make sure to look back at the frozen flow of water from the outside. This was one of my favorite views in the park!
Finish
Once you’re done with this you can either keep going to the 3rd and 4th caves (which are apparently pretty difficult but we can’t say from experience) or head back. You can head back the way you came or just take the road which is parallel to the trail. We chose to take the road back and then we drove to take a look at the 3rd cave from afar. Here we got to witness some ice climbers repelling down which was awesome!
Overall, the first cave was my favorite for photos, colors and varying water features, but the second cave was my favorite experience and the coolest from the outside.
Ice climbing at Rifle Mountain Park
If you’re looking for a great place to Ice Climb, the four ice curtains in Rifle Mountain Park are the perfect place to go! We saw a few people climbing up the outside of the third cave while we were there and it looked like a total rush. Since I can’t even pretend that embarking on that is on my radar, check out this article for all the technical details you’ll want to know to climb here.
Camping at Rifle Mountain Park
Camping is allowed in designated areas within Rifle Mountain Park and costs $15. Reservations aren’t available for campsites so they operate on a first come, first serve basis. Make sure you follow the rules of the park, and always follow the leave no trace principles. Also, if you’re planning to camp in the winter please call (970) 665-6400 to make sure the camp grounds are accessible and pack warm!
Planning to car camp? Check out our essential car-camping packing list before you go!
Best time to go to the Ice Caves in Colorado
The best time to go to the Rifle Mountain Park Ice Caves is between December and February. This is your best bet for seeing the Ice Caves frozen in all their glory. We went during the 3rd week of February and the conditions were incredible!
How much do the Ice Caves in Colorado cost?
It costs $5 per vehicle for a day pass to the Ice Caves and $15 for a combo camping plus day pass. At the entrance you just grab an envelope, fill out the form on the outside, put your cash inside and drop it in the box. Make sure to have cash on you since all payments are cash-only and have a pen available in your car to fill out the envelope.
Where to stay near the Ice Caves in Colorado
The best area to stay in is the town of Rifle, Colorado. There are a handful of accommodations in Rifle and it’s also a great place to stop if you need any food or supplies before going on your adventure. We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Rifle and, I kid you not, it was the best hotel breakfast we’ve ever had outside of a resort. So do with that information what you will.
What to bring with you
- Hiking boots – you definitely need hiking boots with good traction to safely do this hike.
- Traction devices – a MUST for this adventure. We use these micro spikes and they’re a Godsend! They make us feel so much more comfortable on icy terrain.
- Ample layers of winter clothing
- Gloves
- Water
- Camera – check out the camera gear we bring here
- Mask & Hand Sanitizer
Video of the Ice Caves in Colorado
Coming soon
Things to do nearby
While you’re in the area make sure to also check out Rifle Falls State Park (pictured above). The state park is home to an 80-foot triple waterfall! Even in the winter the falls here are still flowing amidst all the ice and it is incredible to witness.
You can even climb behind the falls for a super unique adventure! There is a beautiful 1.5 mile trek around the falls, too, called the Coyote Trail which also has some cool limestone caves. A trip to Rifle would also be a great place to combo with a trip Glenwood Springs or Grand Junction.
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Enjoy your trip to the Ice Caves!
Kylie & Scott
(If you liked this article or have any questions, please comment below! And make sure to follow along on Instagram @LoveHardTravelOften)
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