Rocky Mountain National Park & Northern Colorado - Colorado - page 285

Hiking & Backpacking
With over 300 miles of trail, traversing all aspects of its diverse terrain, the park is suited
to every hiking ability. Those with the kids in tow might consider the easy hikes in the
Wild Basin to Calypso Falls or to Gem Lake in the Lumpy Ridge area, while those with
unlimited ambition, strong legs and enough trail mix will be lured by the challenge of
summiting Longs Peak. Regardless, it's best to spend at least one night at 7000ft to 8000ft
prior to setting out to allow your body to adjust to the elevation. Before July, many trails
are snowbound and high water runoff makes passage difficult. In the winter, avalanches
are a hazard. Dogs and other pets are not allowed on the trails. All overnight stays in the
backcountry require permits.
You need not worry about getting lonesome on the 15-mile round-trip to the summit of
Longs Peak OFFLINE MAP (14,255ft). During the summer, you're likely to find a line of more
than 100 parked cars snaking down the road from the Longs Peak trailhead, reached from
Hwy 7, about 9 miles south of Estes Park.
After the initial 6 miles of moderate trail to the Boulder Field (12,760ft), the path steep-
ens at the start of the Keyhole Route to the summit, which is marked with yellow -and-red
bull's-eyes painted on the rock.
Even superhuman athletes who are used to the thin air will be slowed by the route's
ledge system, which resembles a narrow cliffside stairway without a handrail. After this,
hikers scramble the final homestretch to the summit boulders. The view from the top -
snow-kissed granite stretching out to the curved horizon - is incredible. The round-trip
hike takes anywhere from 10 to 15 hours.
This is a challenging climb with some scrambling on all fours. Bring more food, water
and warm clothes than you think you will need.
The golden rule in Colorado mountaineering: if you haven't made the summit by noon,
return (no matter how close you are). It's the best way to avoid getting hit by lightning.
Many climbers make the trail approach in early predawn hours after overnighting at
Longs Peak Campground. The Keyhole Route is generally free of snow mid-July to Octo-
ber - otherwise you will need technical climbing skills and equipment to reach the sum-
mit. When you dial park headquarters at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center ( Click here ),
the prerecorded message will have information about the conditions on this popular route.
Note that there are no park entrance fees for this hike, as the trailhead is outside park
boundaries.