Pikes Peak (14,109′), Front Range

Pikes Peak (14,109′), Front Range

Pikes Peak (14,109′), Front Range

Pikes Peak is the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. The prominent 14,109-foot fourteener is located in Pike National Forest, 12 miles (19 km) west of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado.  The summit is higher than any point in the United States east of its longitude. The uppermost portion of Pikes Peak, above 14,000 feet (4,267 m) elevation, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961.

The mountain and it’s flanks offer great hiking, such as Pancake Rocks and the Crags. The other 14,000′ peak in Colorado with a paved road to nearly the summit is Mt Evans.

GPS Route with Elevation

Video Tour

Trail Directions

Take HWY 24 west from Colorado Springs for approximately 14 miles until you see the sign for the Pikes Peak Hwy. Turn left and follow the signs.

The road is paved but lacks guard rails so can be unsettling for first time mountain drivers.

This is a toll road with an entrance fee at the base of the mountain.

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Flat Tops Scenic Byway (10,343′), Flat Tops

Flat Tops Scenic Byway (10,343′), Flat Tops

Flat Tops Scenic Byway (10,343′), Flat Tops

Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway (County Road 8), runs through the northern portion of the Flat Tops Wilderness. The Flat Tops is Colorado’s second largest Wilderness, spanning a total of 235,214 acres.

Part of the White River Plateau, the wilderness has an average elevation of 10,000 feet. Approximately 110 lakes and ponds, often unnamed, dot the country above and below the numerous flat-topped cliffs. The valleys and relatively gentle land above the cliffs offers over 160 miles of trails to explore.

Trappers Lake is located at the halfway point, and is well worth a short detour.

GPS Route with Elevation

Video Tour

Trail Directions

 Starting from the east side in Yampa, take County Road 8 to the west.

The road soon begins to climb until you reach Dunkley Pass at 9,763′.

After descending the pass, the road begins to climb again very quickly until you reach the highest point on the byway, Ripple Creek Pass 10,343′.

Continuing west you soon reach the Trappers Lake turnoff. This marks the 1/2 point of the byway.

Soon after the Trappers Lake turnoff the road becomes paved the rest of the way to Meeker. Its a slow decent with large ranches in the lush valley.

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Garden of the Gods (6,400′)          Front Range

Garden of the Gods (6,400′) Front Range

Garden of the Gods (6,400′) Front Range

Garden of the Gods is a geologically unique 480 acre park, having one of the most complete and complex exposures of earth’s history anywhere in the country. On the outskirts of Colorado Springs, it is popular for hiking, technical rock climbing, biking, and horseback riding. There are more than 15 miles of trails, with a 1.1-mile trail running through the heart of the park, that is paved and wheelchair accessible. The park is a registered National Natural Landmark, with dramatic views of 300′ towering sandstone rock formations against a backdrop of snow-capped Pikes Peak.

Ro​xborough State Park to the north also has stunning red rock geological features within easy access of the parking lot.

The main trail in the park, Perkins Central Garden Trail, is a paved, wheelchair-accessible 1.1-mile trail. It travels through the heart of the park’s largest and most scenic red rocks! The trail begins at the North Parking lot.

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Mt Blue Sky (14,268′), Front Range

Mt Blue Sky (14,268′), Front Range

Mt Blue Sky (14,268′), Front Range

Mt Blue Sky can be accessed via the highest paved road in North America, reaching an elevation of 14,138′. The Mt Blue Sky Scenic Byway, maintained by the Forest Service, offers easy access to Colorado’s inspiring high mountain environment. A drive up, and short walk to the top will take your breath away in more ways than one. On the 15-mile one-way drive, there are stops at Mount Goliath Nature Center, Summit Lake Park, and the Summit Interpretive area of Mount Evans.

From the summit you will see another 14,000′ peak in close proximity, Mt Bierstadt (14,160′)

Mount Evans, along with Echo Lake, was designated as a historic site by the American Physical Society in 2017, commemorating the many cosmic-ray physics experiments conducted on the mountain between 1935 and 1960.

GPS Route with Elevation

Video Tour

Trail Directions

Follow the only paved road, Hwy 5,  14 miles to summit parking lot. Once there, take a short 1/4 mile hike and you will be standing on the summit!

Trailhead Directions

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