Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CLIMBING MT PRINCETON
Although experienced hikers will probably want to tackle Yale's east ridge, those looking for a more accessible
14er can opt for Mt Princeton, a terrific (if long) day trip from Buena Vista.
The road itself is often harder to find than the trail. From the center of town, drive west on County Rd 306 for
0.7 miles. Turn left on County Rd 321 and continue south for 7.2 miles. Turn right onto County Rd 322 at a large
sign. On County Rd 322, drive 0.8 miles to a fork in the road. Bear right and you'll be on Mt Princeton Rd.
If you have a two-wheel-drive vehicle, you'll be leaving it here at the large parking area (8900ft) and starting
your walk up the road. If you begin here the total distance will be 13 miles. If you have a high-clearance 4WD,
you can continue up the narrow road. Bear right at the fork, and drive 3 miles to the radio towers (10,800ft).
There is parking here for a couple of vehicles, or turn left and continue on 322A Rd for just over 3 miles to park
near small camping spots at about 11,000ft. If you start from here (and at this point everyone is on foot) the total
distance will be about 6.25 miles.
After hiking about a half-mile, the road curves up to the left and heads south to the Lucky Mine. The Mt Prin-
ceton Trail will be on the right; follow it all the way to the summit. Remember that storms in the Collegiates can
blow in fast, so don't hesitate to turn back if the weather gets dicey.
Sleeping
Apart from faceless motels, the sleeping options in Buena Vista are very limited, with the
most distinctive choices being the Liars' Lodge and Mt Princeton Hot Springs Resort .
There are a number of campgrounds, however, including Railroad Bridge and the
Collegiate
Peaks Campground
(
www.reserveamerica.com
; Hwy 306; tent & RV sites $17; May-early Sep; )
. The
road up to St Elmo has three additional campgrounds (
Click here
)
, though these can get
very busy.
Railroad Bridge
CAMPGROUND
$
( 800-678-2267;
www.coloradostateparks.reserveamerica.com
; County Rd 371; tent & RV sites $16; year-
round; )
Just after passing through the series of blasted tunnels that give this stretch of
graded earth its name - Tunnels Rd - you'll find Elephant Rock looming over the Arkan-
sas River with a wide, flat, sheltered patch that makes an exquisite campsite. There are no
bathroom facilities and you need to bring your own water, but dig those massive mountain
views.
It's a popular spot (there are bolted climbs across the road and you're on the banks of
the Arkansas), so you'll need to reserve online during the summer. To get here, turn north
on Colorado Ave off E Main St.
Liars' Lodge B&B
B&B
$$
