Category: Trip Reports
South Colony Lakes (12,000′), Sangre de Cristo Range
South Colony Lakes Basin lies in the heart of southern Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Range. Surrounded by Crestone Needle (14,197′), Humboldt Peak (14,064′) and Broken Hand Peak (13,573′), the basin is one of the most beautiful alpine settings in the Read More …
Almagre Mountain (12,360′), Front Range
Almagre Mountain is the second highest peak, after Pikes Peak, when viewed from Colorado Springs. Located in the Pike National Forest just south of Pikes Peak, this hike is rated easy, but getting there can be a challenge. In order Read More …
Mt Rosa (11,500′), Front Range
Mt Rosa is located in the Pike National Forest just south of Pikes Peak and is the only cone shaped summit in the area. This provides rare unobstructed 360 degree views from it’s small but lofty summit one mile above Read More …
Blue Lake (11,360′), Indian Peaks Wilderness
Blue Lake is accessed from the Mitchell Lake trailhead in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area. Brainard Lake itself is a small lake at the junction of two major valleys in the east central Indian Peaks Wilderness. The northern of the Read More …
Cheyenne Mountain (9,565′), Front Range
Cheyenne Mountain’s geological summit lies on the southwestern portion of the mountain. The mountain always intrigued me because the front range seems to fall away after Cheyenne Mountain.There are no trails leading to the summit, so it is necessary to Read More …
Lake Haiyaha (10,244′), Rocky Mountain National Park
Located in lower Chaos Canyon, Lake Haiyaha is unlike other lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park because it is surrounded by enormous boulders on all sides, left behind by a retreating glacier. Since my trip was in winter, with substantial Read More …
Mt Herman (9,104′), Palmer Divide
Mt Herman is the highest point on the Palmer Divide, west of Monument, Colorado. It lies along the Rampart Range of the Front Range, between Denver and Colorado Springs. GPX Download GPX File – Mt Herman My trek is a little Read More …
Longs Peak (14,255′), Rocky Mountain National Park
Iconic Longs Peak (14,259′) is the highest mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park, and the northern most 14,000′ peak in the Rocky Mountains. The peak is guarded by granite cliffs and does require Class 3 climbing, although the first 6.5 Read More …
Mt Evans (14,264′), Front Range
Mt Evans can be accessed via the highest paved road in North America, reaching an elevation of 14,130′. The Mount Evans Scenic Byway offers easy access to Colorado’s inspiring high mountain environment, which is why it is included on this Read More …
Mt Sneffels (14,150′), San Juan Mountain Range
Mt Sneffels is located in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness of Uncompahgre National Forest in the San Juan mountains. Views from the mountain are some of the best in Colorado. GPX Download GPX File – Mt Sneffels The GPX track is Read More …
Huron Peak (14,003′), Sawatch Mountain Range
Huron Peak is known as one of the most beautiful hikes in the Sawatch Mountain Range of Colorado. It is the most remote peak in the range, and offers views of wilderness in every direction from it’s small peak.The views Read More …
St Vrain Mountain Trail (12,162′), Indian Peaks Wilderness
The St Vrain Mountain trail straddles the border between the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area (south) and Rocky Mountain National Park (north). It stands just east of the Continental Divide with views across the Middle St Vrain Creek drainage and Wild Read More …
Flattop Mountain (12,332′), Rocky Mountain National Park
Flattop Mountain is accessed from Bear Lake Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. Built in 1925, and rehabilitated in 1940 with Civilian Conservation Corps labor, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. GPX Download GPX File – Read More …
La Plata Peak (14,336′), Sawatch Mountain Range
La Plata is located in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. It is considered one of the more challenging hikes in the Sawatch range due to the steep trail. GPX Download GPX File – La Plata Peak Know when Read More …
Nymph (9,705′), Dream (9,905′), and Emerald(10,110′) Lake
Starting at the Bear Lake Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park, the trail passes Nymph and Dream Lakes on the way to Emerald Lake, with prominent views of Longs Peak, Glacier Gorge, Flattop Mountain, and Hallett Peak. If you have limited Read More …
Quandary Peak (14,265′), Ten Mile Mountain Range
Quandary Peak is the highest peak in the Ten Mile Range. It is a popular destination, just 8 miles outside the town of Breckenridge, Colorado. GPX Download GPX File – Quandary Peak Track along the east ridge Pictures Follow Read More …
Great Sand Dunes National Park (8,700′), Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve contains the tallest sand dunes in North America, rising about 750 feet (230 m) from the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Range, Read More …
Zapata Falls (9,250′), Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range
The Zapata Falls Recreational Area is approximately three miles south of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve entrance. The falls have a 25 foot drop that freezes in the winter months, but water can still be heard flowing Read More …
American Basin to Sloan Lake (12,920′), San Juan Mountain Range
The Handies Peak trail to Sloan Lake offers views of American Basin, one of the most scenic basins in the San Juan Mountains. Sloan Lake is home to the threatened Colorado cutthroat trout. Hiking can continue up to Handies Peak, Read More …
Carpenter Peak (7,166′), Roxborough State Park
Carpenter Peak is located in Roxborough State Park, which is a Colorado Natural Area and a National Natural Landmark. The parks 4000-acres is filled with dramatic red-rock formations, distinct plant communities, and a host of wildlife ranging from black bears Read More …
Estes Cone (11,007′), Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Cone is located about 3 miles from the Longs Peak trail-head on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Hiking from Longs Peak trail-head takes you through the abandoned Eugene Mine area (although the ruins are hard to Read More …
Devils Head Fire Lookout (9,748′), Front Range
Devils Head Lookout, the last of the seven original Front Range Lookout towers still in continuous use, is over 100 years old and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Bill Ellis and his wife have been operating Read More …
Paint Mines Park (6,791′), Front Range
Paint Mines Park is located in the high plains near Calhan, Colorado. The 750 acre park features geological formations including spires, chasms, overhangs, and carved walls that were formed through erosion that created gullies and exposed layers of clay and Read More …
Spruce Mountain (7,635′), Palmer Divide
Spruce Mountain is located on the Palmer Divide near Palmer Lake, Colorado. It offers great views of the Palmer Divide with interesting sandstone formations on the mesa. A nearly flat trail, the Eagle Pass Trail, takes you along the edges of Read More …
Sky Pond (10,900′), Rocky Mountain National Park
Begin at the Glacier Gorge trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park and follow a well maintained trail to Timberline Falls. The trail ends there and you must scramble up the side of the falls to continue past The Lake of Read More …
Missouri Mountain (14,067′), Sawatch Mountain Range
The 14,074-foot (4,290 m) fourteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest. Missouri Mountain is separated from its eastern neighbor Mount Belford by Elkhead Pass (13,220 feet). GPX Download GPX File – Missouri Mountain Trek Read More …
Mt Elbert (14,433′), Sawatch Mountain Range
Mt Elbert is the highest peak in the 3,000 mile long Rocky Mountains, a mountain chain which stretches from Canada to Mexico. Mount Elbert is also the second highest peak in the contiguous lower 48 states after 14,505-foot Mount Whitney Read More …
Mt Sherman (14,036′), Mosquito Mountain Range
Mount Sherman, Colorado’s 46th highest peak, is a great first 14er. It is possible to park as high as 12,000 feet, leaving only a couple thousand feet of elevation gain to the summit and a round-trip hike of under five Read More …
Mt Democrat (14,148′) , Mt Cameron (14,238′), Mt Lincoln (14,148′), and Mt Bross (14,172)
DeCaliBron” (Mt Democrat, Mt Cameron, Mt Lincoln, Mt Bross) provides an opportunity to do four Fourteeners in one day. The linkup involves a fairly steep hike up Mt. Democrat, followed by a prolonged walk along several ridges. GPX Download GPX Read More …
Twin Sisters (11,428′), Rocky Mountain National Park
The Twin Sisters ridge runs nearly two miles along the east central boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park. From the summit there are panoramic views of the eastern plains, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Longs Peak. The trail travels through heavily Read More …
Alberta Falls (9,400′), Rocky Mountain National Park
Alberta Falls, located in Glacier Gorge, is one of the more popular hiking destinations in Rocky Mountain National Park. The scenic 30-foot waterfall thunders down a small gorge along Glacier Creek, and offers excellent views. The falls are fed by Read More …
Mt Morrison (7,881′), Front Range
Mt Morrison stands above Red Rocks park, home of the famous Red Rocks amphitheater. The mountain can easily be identified for the large outcropping rock that forms the summit called The Dome, and the adjacent antennas to the north of Read More …
Grays(14,270) and Torreys(14,267) Peaks, Front Range
Grays and Torreys are the only two 14er’s situated on the Continental Divide and provide great views of the area. Grays is considered the highest point on the Continental Divide. The peaks are in close proximity to each other so Read More …
Mt Bierstadt (14,160′), Front Range
Mt Bierstadt is generally considered a beginner 14er and, along with its accessibility from nearby Denver, makes it one of the most popular mountains to climb in Colorado. As with most peaks in Colorado, July and August are the busiest Read More …