The Top 5 Colorado Mountains to Climb

The Grand Canyon is famous worldwide, but it was the rugged and spectacular scenery of the Colorado Rockies that captured the imagination of the world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and they are still stunning to see today. The area around Gunnison and Aspen is one of the greatest mountain playgrounds in the world, and so there are so many trails you can choose from in order to explore the scenery. The only problem is that everyone has their own definition of what constitutes a “mountain”, so where do you start? A two-mile scramble that begins at 11,859 feet isn’t quite as daunting as 14,341 feet, which is as far up as the trails can take you, but there are many trails between those extremes.

Grays Peak

Torreys Peak Mt. Evans Longs Peak Pikes Peak Where do you like to get your best mountain selfies and shots? is one of the fourteeners, it is part of the San Juans subrange of the Rocky Mountains. It is only one of two mountains in Colorado to be classified as a class 1 and a class 2.

The other Colorado 14er is Torreys Peak. Torreys is in the Sangre de Cristo Range near Farmington. This mountain is situated at the edge of the San Juan National Forest and part of the Red Mountain Wilderness. It is approximately 180 miles east of Denver.

Grays Peak was formed when water carved through limestone deposits at its base. The result was the formation of a south face. The north face of Grays Peak is one of the largest and steepest in the Rockies. Grays Peak’s north face is ranked number 10 on a list of top ten mountain faces by North America Rocker. Grays Peak is not so steep in the other direction,

Torreys Peak

Length: 3 miles (Easy) Elevation: 13,155 feet You can get there by renting a car in Denver and driving north to Pueblo. The drive time is about 3 hours and 15 minutes and once you arrive you will be in the small town of Chama, NM. From Chama take Highway 10 to Westover Hills, then on to Rio Grande and eventually into the resort town of Chama. Some of the trails within the resort include Black Canyon Trail, Trail Head and Big Trees Trail. Torreys Peak is often considered a masterpiece of engineering because of its exactitude in route and size. It was developed in the 1960’s with a realignment of the trail, which runs from Chama all the way to the summit. Torreys Peak towers over most other Colorado 14ers. This mountain stands about 2,000 feet above the next one.

Mt. Evans

Visiting Colorado is easy if you have the funds to fly into Denver. To travel to the best Rocky Mountain 14ers, we recommend the soon-to-be completed Pinewood Lake State Park. The park is a natural arch and foothills recreation area that will add another 4,200 acres to Colorado State Parks. From there, drive 3.5 hours north to Breckenridge and enjoy a day in the mountains. The 14er Express If you want a taste of what it’s like to be on the mountains, take an overnight, road-trip tour with the The 14er Express! Take a well-equipped, Airstream trailer and drive the entire Colorado 14er Highway. No matter where you go, it’s an amazing experience. No bathroom stops, no busing around for photos, no waiting for the next scenic drive to the next peak.

Longs Peak

Hiking Longs Peak Mountains of North America, Routes and the Mileage Calculator. The easiest access to Longs Peak is by hiking up the Highline Trail to Timberline Lodge. Once you are at Timberline Lodge, you can either take the Summit-to-Summit Trail or access the Horseshoe Basin via the Timberline Lodge Trail. Once you are in Horseshoe Basin, the trail from the head of Longs Peak should be visible. Just follow the trail for about 3 miles to a trail junction, take that trail right and head for the summit. Source: Colorado Connections One of the most popular 14ers, Mount Elbert is the highest peak in the continental United States outside Alaska. As such, it has relatively few trails to choose from.

Pikes Peak

At 14,410 feet, the 23,400-foot peak is the highest mountain in the state and the 14th highest in the nation.  in Colorado is probably the best known peak in the state, and known for being a challenge for even the most expert climbers. The peak is 22,440 feet above sea level, and is just over a mile tall. That’s a heck of a lot of elevation to climb on your feet and lungs before you even get to the top of the mountain.

The mountain is graded from class 1 to class 2; class 2 is the easiest, class 3 being the most difficult. The top of the mountain is 14,250 feet above sea level. There is a false summit at 14,318 feet, but it is usually considered incorrect as it is not actually on the mountain.

If you can do all that climbing and still want to get your summit shot, you can go even higher than 14,250 feet, and that requires the use of a glider. You can also summit the mountain using an abseiling

Mt. Bierstadt

Your 14er must have elevation of 14,110 feet or more. Each peak must have a main peak above 14,100 feet and an auxiliary peak above 12,000 feet. You must get at least four of the 14ers. (East Wall of Longs Peak) Mt. Bierstadt Mt. Bierstadt was named for Alois Bierstadt, who, as a post-graduate student, traveled to the Black Hills in the late 1800s to study the birds and animals that inhabited the area. He left his mark on the flora and fauna of the Black Hills with his renowned collection of 200,000 bird and animal specimens. After his death, his body was returned to the United States, buried in Golden, Colorado, and the mountain that he studied was named after him.

Denver Foothills Hiking Trails

Top 5 Most Popular Hikes in Denver – the Denver Foothills, within a 30-minute drive of Downtown Denver Nederland-Cottonwood Creek Nature Preserve- Nederland. 14 miles roundtrip This 3.5-mile, moderate trail loop heads up a creek bed, through pine forests, and above a bluffs before dropping back down to the trailhead. Be on the lookout for poison oak, black widow spiders, and wildflowers. Basalt Creek Trail- Basalt. 4 miles roundtrip This 5.1-mile hike heads through a beautiful canyon as it zigzags across the Roaring Fork River. You’ll come across an old mining settlement. Sunset Overlook- Breckenridge. 7.3 miles roundtrip Sunset is a popular hotspot for a gorgeous and expansive view. Strawberry Park Nature Preserve- Longmont.