7 Colorado Mountain Hikes Better Than Pikes Peak

Abstract

• Colorado boasts 53 fourteeners, with Pikes Peak being probably the most touristy and well-known.
• Mount Bierstadt, Longs Peak, and Mount Huge provide much less crowded and extra pure Colorado 14er hikes.
• Every path gives beautiful views, however hikers ought to put together for altitude illness and technical challenges.

Few states have fairly the affiliation with “mountains” and “mountaineering” as Colorado. Because of its prime location within the coronary heart of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado options numerous wonderful mountains that draw hundreds of thousands of tourists annually.

Colorado specifically is known for its spectacular assortment of “fourteeners,” or mountains that attain an altitude of not less than 14,000 ft. In reality, Colorado’s 53 fourteener mountains are virtually twice as many as Alaska! Arguably probably the most well-known of Colorado’s many fourteeners is the distinguished Pikes Peaks.

Although it is not the very best fourteener in Colorado, Pikes Peak is undoubtedly probably the most touristy. Situated simply 12 miles from the town of Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak has a degree of vacationer infrastructure in place that’s fairly uncommon for a mountain of its measurement.

The mountain’s summit is accessible by car thanks to the Pikes Peak Highway, whereas the favored Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway carries guests as much as the summit on the very best cog railway route on the earth. There, guests can cease at one in all the mountain’s many visitor centers, and even take pleasure in some particular high-altitude donuts on the mountain’s well-known Summit Home!

Whereas that is all undoubtedly fairly enjoyable, many mountaineering followers shall be drawn to different Colorado mountain hikes that retain way more of their genuine pure traits. For these individuals, the a number of dozen extra fourteener peaks throughout Colorado present glorious climbing and climbing choices. These Colorado climbing trails to mountain peaks are glorious alternate options to the worthwhile however typically over-touristy Pikes Peak (they usually may be even higher!).

7

Mount Bierstadt Path

Mount Evans Wilderness

Mount Bierstadt takes its identify from the artist Albert Bierstadt, a Nineteenth-century German-American painter who made the primary official summit of the mountain in 1863. Bierstadt’s work is known for its epic, dramatic shows of the panorama of the American West.

At present, Mount Bierstadt retains its namesake’s legacy alive with a number of the most beautiful surroundings wherever within the Rocky Mountains.

The Mount Bierstadt Trail is the first path to the summit of this 14,065-foot behemoth within the Rocky Mountain Entrance Vary. This specific path is considered one of many extra accessible fourteener routes in Colorado, due to its (relative) lack of technical challenges and proximity to main cities like Denver, famed for its many iconic attractions.

Nonetheless, Mount Bierstadt is a 14,000-foot peak, so steep and arduous sections are current on the path, particularly close to the mountain’s summit. As with all fourteener, altitude illness is a gift hazard regardless of how simple the path is, so hikers ought to at all times guarantee they’re properly acclimated to the decrease atmospheric oxygen ranges at increased altitudes.

The path follows a well-marked 7.2-mile path by way of the encompassing Mount Evans Wilderness space, full with distinctive views of lots of the surrounding Rocky Mountain Peaks.

Regardless of the plain challenges of summiting a 14,000-foot mountain, the Mount Bierstadt Path is the proper vacation spot for offering accessibility whereas sustaining a level of unspoiled wild qualities that some hikers might discover missing on the extra touristy Pikes Peak.

6

The Keyhole & Longs Peak By way of Longs Peak Path

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park is the premier gateway to the Rocky Mountains for hundreds of thousands of vacationers, particularly these arriving from main cities like Denver or Boulder.

Situated in a very scenic stretch of the Entrance Vary of the Rocky Mountains, Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park comprises an impressive assortment of snow-capped peaks, alpine meadows, pristine mountain lakes, and climbing trails of all problem ranges for guests to discover at their very own tempo.

The 14,259-foot Longs Peak is the very best summit in Rocky Mountain Nationwide Park and among the finest locations for mountaineers who wish to expertise one in all Colorado’s famed fourteeners. Along with being a superb path to a fourteener summit, the Longs Peak Trail additionally gives a wide ranging tour of a number of the most memorable scenes in your entire nationwide park.

One of the crucial notable options alongside the Longs Peak Path is the distinctive “Keyhole,” a jagged sliver of rock jutting dramatically from the facet of the mountain. This specific characteristic is such a notable landmark for climbers that it serves because the namesake of the Longs Peak Path’s well-trodden “Keyhole Route.”

The Longs Peak Path is much less accessible in comparison with different fourteener hikes like Pikes Peak and Mount Bierstadt. Many sections of the path contain challenging climbs over vertical rock faces that require extra technical mountaineering expertise in comparison with different trails within the park. However for knowledgeable mountain climbers, this additional effort is value it as soon as they arrive on the summit and expertise some of the spectacular views in Colorado.

5

Mount Huge Path

Mount Massive Wilderness

It is laborious to discover a mountain with a extra correct identify than the 14,428-foot Mount Huge. Located within the coronary heart of the towering Sawatch subrange of the Rocky Mountains, Mount Huge is the second-highest mountain in each Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Vary as an entire, and the third-highest mountain in all of the decrease 48 states.

Regardless of its spectacular altitude, Mount Huge is taken into account one of many “simpler” fourteeners to climb, in comparison with way more technically challenging, expert-only Colorado fourteeners at decrease elevations.

The Mount Massive Trail is an extended however largely accessible 13-mile path to the mountain’s summit, and passes by way of actually beautiful sections of the Mount Huge Wilderness and the bigger San Isabel Nationwide Forest.

One advantage of the path is that a lot of its earlier sections journey by way of much less difficult terrain across the mountain’s base. These first few miles of the path provide glorious climbing alternatives for anybody who needs to discover the beautiful San Isabel Forest with out exerting the additional effort wanted to get to the summit.

Because the route rises to increased altitudes, the terrain will get way more difficult, although even this part lacks the extremely technical sections discovered on different fourteener routes. The excellent news is that Mount Huge’s summit is comparatively broader and flatter than different distinguished Colorado peaks.

Although some sections do require difficult scrambles, a lot of the path to the summit itself is much less steep. As soon as on the summit, the mountain’s notable elevation pays off with a number of the most stunning views wherever in Colorado.

4

Mount Sneffels By way of Blue Lake Path

Mount Sneffels Wilderness

Although magnificence is at all times subjective, the Blue Lakes Trail to the summit of Mount Sneffels is regarded by many as the only most stunning mountain hike in Colorado. The Sneffels Vary as an entire, in addition to the encompassing Uncompahgre Nationwide Forest, are the crown jewel of Southwestern Colorado, with notably distinguished peaks, picturesque alpine forests, and even distinctive mesas extra indicative of the panorama additional west.

All of this beautiful panorama is on show from the scenic summit of the 14,150-foot Mount Sneffels. By way of the Blue Lakes Path, climbers can expertise the area’s beautiful mountain lakes and alpine meadows earlier than they attain any extremely technical climbs to the highest.

Hikers will start their ascent from East Dallas Street and initially journey alongside the scenic East Dallas Creek. Three separate lakes sit alongside the path, every providing good views of the mountain panorama at completely different elevations. Because the altitude will get increased, hikers will discover increasingly more glorious views of the stark rocky peaks for which the Sneffels Vary is known.

Finally, the path hits tougher sections that require navigating a number of sharp switchbacks and technical scrambling areas. However upon arriving on the mountain’s summit, the majestic views on all sides will greater than make up for the strenuous components of the climb.

3

Grays & Torreys Peak Path

Arapaho National Forest

Whereas all of Colorado’s fourteener hikes present wonderful views, technical challenges, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the Grays and Torreys Peak Trail is exclusive in that it lets hikers summit not one however two fourteeners in a single hike!

Regardless of its comparatively quick 8.1-mile size, the path takes hikers to the summits of the 14,278-foot Grays Peaks and the 14,267-foot Torreys Peak. This one-of-a-kind expertise is feasible due to the path’s distinct “lollipop” form, which begins in a single line earlier than looping across the summits of each adjoining mountains.

Hikers will start the trek from the trailhead at Stevens Gulch Street. For the primary a number of miles of the path, hikers will progressively ascend by way of the attractive alpine wilderness of the Arapaho Nationwide Forest earlier than ultimately reaching the path’s distinctive fork.

The fork’s left route takes hikers to the summit of Grays Peak, and the suitable route as much as Torreys Peaks. No matter which route you select, the path loops round to each, so you will nonetheless hit each summits it doesn’t matter what!

2

Huron Peak By way of North Huron Path

Collegiate Peaks Wilderness

The Collegiate Peaks are a singular subsection of Colorado’s Sawatch Vary that features many scenic – and accessible – fourteener peaks.

As per the vary’s identify, lots of the mountains right here take their names from notable faculties and universities, similar to Mount Harvard, Mount Princeton, and Mount Yale. Nonetheless, probably the most scenic and hikable mountain within the Collegiate Peaks is the beautiful Huron Peak, named not after a college however as a substitute for the Huron Native People.

At “solely” 14,012 ft, Huron Peak is each one of many shortest and some of the accessible of Colorado’s fourteeners. The North Huron Trail to the summit is likely one of the much less technical of all of the fourteener hikes in Colorado, with just a few upper-elevation sections requiring class 2 scrambling.

Although the path lacks extremely technical mountaineering challenges, it definitely does not lack wonderful views. Hikers report distinctive surroundings of alpine meadows, pristine streams, and panoramic views of the attractive San Isabel Nationwide Forest unfold out on all sides.

1

North Mount Elbert Path

San Isabel National Forest

With an altitude of 14,440 ft, Mount Elbert is the highest mountain in both Colorado and the entire Rocky Mountain range. Given the mountain’s particular standing amongst Colorado’s Rockies, the North Mount Elbert Trail is a very in style and worthwhile climbing route.

Although it’s the highest of Colorado’s fourteeners, Mount Elbert is not probably the most difficult summit to achieve. The North Mount Elbert Path is definitely fairly troublesome in comparison with the common climbing path, however within the context of excessive mountain summits, this specific route options fewer challenges and technical necessities than different mountains.

Nonetheless, future guests ought to notice that Mount Elbert does have a number of false summits that hikers should move to achieve the highest. Many reviewers report that the “summit” that’s in view for a lot of the hike is definitely not the true summit of the mountain!

Unsurprisingly, given its altitude, Mount Elbert’s summit gives maybe the most effective views in all of Colorado. Because of its distinguished spot in Colorado’s scenic Sawatch Vary, the summit gives glorious panoramic views of many different fourteener mountains.

Plus, canine lovers will possible respect Mount Elbert for a completely completely different purpose: the mountain’s summit is the very best level in america where you can (legally) bring your dog!