The Loch sits in beautiful Loch Vale, reached via a hike from Glacier Gorge of only 2.7 miles. It sits at an altitude of 10,180', about 940' above the Glacier Gorge Junction trailhead. The lake is almost 15 acres in size and has a supply of hybrid Trout living in it. It is situated in a deep valley surrounded by the cliffs of Thatchtop looming over 220 feet above, the ridge of Otis Peak, the reverent guards of Cathedral Spires, and the not so distant glare of Otis and Taylor Peaks along the Continental Divide.
The rugged shoreline of the Lake is dotted with windswept Limber pines. The trail continues from here when the Avalanche dangers are minimal to Lake of Glass and Sky Pond, sitting beneath the Taylor Glacier.
This beautiful lake and the valley it lies in were named after a guest of Abner Sprague, by Sprague, as a remembrance of the trip they took to the area and got lost. This was a rarity for Sprague, probably the most knowledgeable person about the Park then and ever since. His guest was named Locke, from Kansas City. Abner decided to take advantage of the coincidence in the Scottish spelling of Loch (for Lake) and Mr. Locke's name.#
