High summer in Colorado is high time for hitting the peaks in Colorado. While we often think of mountain climbing as a technical endeavor requiring specialized gear, the truth is that most mountains have at least one hiker-friendly way up them. So here are 12 excellent Colorado summits you can get to without being an experienced mountaineer.
Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park
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Longs Peak is the northernmost of the state’s 53 official 14ers, peaks that exceed 14,000’ in elevation. Although the standard Keyhole Route is mostly a hike, there are a couple sections that require some scrambling. This 16-mile round-trip hike is not for beginners and requires a very early start to avoid exposure to afternoon thunderstorms.
Flattop Mountain, Rocky Mountain National Park
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The round-trip hiking distance for this peak on the Continental Divide is a little over half the length of the Longs Peak route, requires no scrambling, and gains a lot less elevation. That doesn’t make it an easy hike, but it’s much easier than Longs Peak is.
Mount Ida, Rocky Mountain National Park
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This 13er on the Continental Divide is a nice in-between objective if Longs seems like too much but Flattop seems too easy. There’s no official trail, but it isn’t difficult to find the way along ridges from Milner Pass along Trail Ridge Road. You’ll see few or no other people along this 4.5-mile (one-way) hike. Most of this hike is above treeline, so it’s very important to watch for signs of developing thunderstorms and retreat if you see them. My first attempt on Ida turned terrifying when I wrongly bet that I could reach the summit and get lower before approaching storms hit me. Soon, I was fleeing down the slopes as snow pellets fell all around me and lightning and thunder crashed everywhere.
Mount Audubon, Indian Peaks
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Directly south of Rocky Mountain National Park and sharing a border with it is the Indian Peaks Wilderness. A trail in the Brainerd Lake Recreation Area climbs to the summit of Audubon, a 13er, where there are excellent views of the Indian Peaks and a perspective of Longs Peak that most people never see.
Grays Peak, Front Range
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The trailhead for Grays Peak, a 14er on the Continental Divide, is at an exit right off I-70. Having four-wheel drive will shave some round-trip hiking distance and elevation gain. A lot of people pair Grays with its neighbor Torreys Peak, also a 14er and on the Divide.
Mount Sniktau, Front Range
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Because HAZMAT vehicles aren’t allowed in the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70, Loveland Pass on the Continental Divide stays open all year long as a bypass. At the pass itself, which is just under 12,000’, a trail heads up the tundra slopes and in under two miles reaches the summit of Sniktau, which is just under 13,000’. The hike will leave you sucking for air, but for an alpine summit, this is about as easy as it gets without being able to drive up.
Mount Elbert, Sawatch Range
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Mount Elbert is the highest peak in Colorado and in the U.S. Rockies; not until the Yukon will you find Rockies peaks that are higher. The trail up it isn’t that exciting, but the views from the top are. If you’re into 14ers, have fun seeing how many you can identify from Elbert’s summit.
Mount Belford, Sawatch Range
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An unpaved road passable for most passenger vehicles gets you to a trailhead for this peak. Close to this 14er are two others– Mount Oxford and Missouri Mountain– and a lot of “peakbaggers” add one or both of them to the day.
Quandary Peak, Ten Mile Range
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This 14er has a maintained trail all the way to the top, making it extremely popular in the summer. The views are awesome, but don’t expect to find solitude on this hike. Even if you start really early when you might actually be alone or one of just a few parties setting out, the return hike will have lots and lots of people. At least you’ll be on your way down.
Handies Peak, San Juan Mountains
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The start for this 14er is off the Alpine Loop near Lake City just before where that road steepens and becomes a high-clearance 4wd route. Handies is a nice looking peak with outstanding views. Because of that and its easy access, you can expect this hike to be crowded most of the time, too.
Uncompahgre Peak, San Juan Mountains
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Uncompahgre is another San Juan 14er and the highest peak in the range. The hike up it isn’t easy but also isn’t terribly hard, but its remote location and difficult approach (4wd or a steep, rocky road hike required) make it a lot less crowded than peaks like Handies are.
San Luis Peak, San Juan Mountains
Image Credit: Robert Sihler.
San Luis Peak near Creede is a pretty mountain that probably wouldn’t get much hiker attention if it weren’t a 14er. Even so, the relatively long hike to it and remote location mostly keep all but those checking off their 14er lists away. Final note: don’t let the remarks about crowds keep you away. If you start early enough (or late enough, if the weather cooperates), you can find solitude. Of the peaks on this list, I’ve had the summit to myself on all except for Belford, Quandary, and Handies, and for Quandary, I took a technical route up that I had all to myself, and Handies was my second peak of the day.
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