Roar Of Alberta Falls Shows Power Of Rapidly Melting Snowpack

DENVER (CBS4) - You can hear the roar of Glacier Creek from hundreds of feet away as it thunders down Alberta Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Once you are close enough you can feel the power of the water with a gentle spray and a rush of wind.

Rivers, creeks and streams are running high and fast in Colorado's Rocky Mountains this week due to the rapid melting of an above-average snowpack.

Area waterways will be running high and fast for several days to come as summer heat moves in and the snow continues to melt around the clock.

Alberta Falls is ranked as one of the more popular hiking destinations in Rocky Mountain National Park and its just a short hike from the Glacier Gorge trailhead.

The sign to Alberta Falls at the Glacier Gorge Trail Head in Rocky Mountain National Park. (credit: CBS4 Meteorologist Chris Spears)

If you're feeling like an adventure after seeing the falls then consider continuing on to Mills Lake which is about two miles ahead.

It's a fairly easy trail with a few sections of moderate hiking and features a total elevation gain of 700 feet.

The entire trail is above 9,000 feet and there are still some sections with fairly deep snow that has been packed down by hikers so it can be a bit slick.

The trail to Mills Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. (credit: CBS4 Meteorologist Chris Spears)

The reward at the end is a beautiful alpine lake sitting near 10,000 feet above sea level with a view of Longs Peak and the Keyboard of the Winds that is said to be one of the finest in the park.

The view from Mills Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. (credit: CBS4 Meteorologist Chris Spears)