The Colorado Trail, stretching 486 miles from Denver to Durango, offers hikers an unparalleled opportunity to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Rocky Mountains. For many outdoor enthusiasts, combining this epic thru-hike with the challenge of summiting some of Colorado’s famous “14ers” – peaks that rise above 14,000 feet – is the ultimate adventure. This guide will take you through the most accessible 14ers along the Colorado Trail, providing essential information to help you plan your next high-altitude expedition.
Whether you’re an experienced mountaineer or a novice hiker looking to push your limits, this comprehensive overview will equip you with the knowledge needed to safely and responsibly tackle these majestic peaks. From the towering Mount Elbert, the highest point in Colorado, to the lesser-known but equally stunning San Luis Peak, we’ll explore the routes, difficulties, and unique characteristics of each summit.
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
Table of Contents
First: East vs West Collegiates Route?
The East Collegiate Peaks route provides more convenient access to a greater number of 14ers than its western counterpart. For hikers aiming to climb multiple 14,000-foot peaks during their Colorado Trail journey, the East route is the optimal choice.
This path not only offers proximity to more summits but also generally features better-established trails and more manageable approaches to these majestic mountains.
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
15 Fourteeners Along the Colorado Trail
Here’s a comprehensive list of the most accessible 14ers you can summit while hiking the Colorado Trail. Their summits are all less than 16 miles from the trail – and many are much closer than that!
1. Mount Massive
The second-highest peak in Colorado, Mount Massive lives up to its name with its broad, massive summit overlooking Leadville. The east slopes route leaves the Colorado Trail around Willow Creek, providing direct access to the summit ridge (with its multiple named summits). It’s a long route but you benefit from the trail link-up compared to those hiking up from the trailhead parking lot further below.
- Elevation: 14,428 feet
- Distance from CT: Summit is 6 miles off Segment 10
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
2. Mount Elbert
As the highest peak in Colorado, Mount Elbert offers a challenging but rewarding climb. The Northeast Ridge route is the most popular for Colorado Trail hikers. Both the northeast ridge and the east ridge routes link up with Segment 11 of the Trail, with around 7 miles round-trip to get up and down again. It’s the only class one option in the Sawatch Range, meaning there’s a hiking trail the entire way from the bottom to the summit.
- Elevation: 14,440 feet
- Distance from CT: Summit is 3 miles off Segment 11
- Difficulty: Class 1/2
- Route Guide: Click here
3. Mount Belford & Mount Oxford
Mount Belford and Mount Oxford share the same route and are accessed from the Missouri Gulch Trailhead. You have to go over Belford to reach Oxford unless you intend to do a lot of off-trail bushwhacking (not recommended). The trailhead itself is 2 miles from the Colorado Trail, but it gets lots of traffic and you can easily find a ride between them during summer months.
- Elevation:
- Mt Belford is 14,203 feet
- Mt Oxford is 14,160 feet
- Distance from CT:
- Mt Belford’s summit is 5.5 miles from the trail
- Mt Oxford’s summit is 6.5 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
4. Missouri Mountain
A third 14er accessed from the Missouri Gulch Trailhead, Missouri Mountain is a class 2+ route with a bit more exposure than Belford and Oxford. It’s great if you are interested in a bit more challenge and scrambling – but you might want to skip it if you have a fear or aversion to heights and cliffs. You can do all three of the 14ers if you link them together via Elkhead Pass – a long day but definitely possible if you are in shape and acclimated.
- Elevation: 14,067 feet
- Distance from CT: Summit is 6 miles from Sheep Gulch
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
5. La Plata Peak
The southwest ridge route to the summit of La Plata Peak is near the Colorado Trail but does not connect with it directly. Still, it is close enough to do within one day and many choose to do so. It’s 10-miles round-trip but not challenging beyond a lot of uphill hiking. There are usually a good number of people out climbing the peak during summer weekends. Go on a weekday if you want a better chance of summit solitude.
- Elevation: 14,361 feet
- Distance from CT: Summit is 5.2 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
6. Huron Peak
Many people say that Huron Peak has the best views of any of Colorado’s 14ers – especially the sight of the three apostles across the valley as you hike the standard route. It connects directly with the Colorado Trail, and is a popular route with plenty of people around. If you are nervous about tackling a 14er, Huron Peak might be your best option.
- Elevation: 14,012 feet
- Distance from CT: Summit is 2.8 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
7. Mount Harvard & Columbia
If you are new to peakbagging and alpine hiking, I don’t recommend these peaks. They’re reached via the French Creek Trail, which requires a lot of off-trail bushwhacking and the route-finding abilities necessary to re-connect with the standard routes. Doing them both is even more difficult, with lots of down and up-climbing over boulders and talus. That said, if you can manage it, it is quite an adventure!
- Elevation: 14,421 feet
- Distance from CT:
- Mt Harvard: Summit is 4.9 miles from the trail
- Mt Columbia: Summit is 4.2 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
8. Mount Yale
The east ridge route on Mount Yale is less than 2 miles long from a juncture with the Colorado Trail. If you want to climb at least one 14er and don’t care which it is, this might be one of the best options: a fun, challenging, but not too dangerous option with few people and plenty of great scrambling, less than 4 miles round-trip. What else could you ask for? Check the route in advance as there is no trail to follow along most of this climb.
- Elevation: 14,200 feet
- Distance from CT: Summit is 1.85 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
9. Mount Princeton
The Colorado Trail hits a juncture with the Mount Princeton access road. It’s an inglorious hike up switchbacks just to reach the trailhead, followed by a soul-sucking hike/scramble across boulder fields up to the summit. Unless you are trying to climb all 58 fourteeners, I honestly recommend skipping Mt. Princeton and spending your time climbing one of the other 14ers on this list.
- Elevation: 14,204 feet
- Distance from CT: Summit is 5.6 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
10. Mount Antero
The standard route up Mt Antero is long and difficult to reach from the Colorado Trail. However the Little Browns Creek non-standard route from the east connects directly with the trail. It also lacks the crowds and 4WD vehicles common on the standard route and I always recommend it to my family and friends who plan to climb the peak.
- Elevation: 14,271 feet
- Distance from CT: Summit is 6.2 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
11. Mount Shavano & Tabeguache Peak
The southern anchor of the Sawatch Range, Mount Shavano and Tabeguache Peak are easily accessed from the east and are almost always climbed together as a pair. The peak is a bit notorious for bad weather and hikers losing the route – be extra careful and study the route well in advance so you do not become a statistic. This is particularly beautiful during the fall when the aspen change colors.
- Elevation:
- Shavano is 14,231 feet
- Tabeguache is 14,162 feet
- Distance from CT:
- Shavano summit is 4.3 miles from the trail.
- Tabeguache is 5.3 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
12. San Luis Peak
San Luis Peak provides two options: If you want to do the full CT, you can take the south ridge route and come back the same way – just 3 miles total. Otherwise, you can take the northeast ridge route on way, which is 7 miles but rejoins the trail to save you a considerable distance. It’s a beautiful peak and you are unlikely to run into more than a handful of people in this area.
- Elevation: 14,022 feet
- Distance from CT: 1.5 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 1
- Route Guide: Click here
13. Redcloud Peak & Sunshine Peak
These 14ers are not included in most lists focused on the Colorado Trail. However, it is possible to climb them from the trail if you’re willing to set aside 1-2 days. You can reach the trailhead 8 miles or so from the main trail – and if you’re lucky, you may be able to hitchhike some of that distance. From there, both peaks can be climbed in another 7 miles, for a 30-mile round-trip adventure.
- Elevation:
- Redcloud Peak is 14,041 feet
- Sunshine Peak is 14,007 feet
- Distance from CT:
- Redcloud Peak is 13.3 miles from the trail
- Sunshine Peak is 14.8 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
14. Handies Peak
Handies Peak is also a bit of a hike from the Colorado Trail. The trailhead is in nearly the same spot as Redcloud and Sunshine Peak – just 100 or so feet further down the road. You can camp along the road here too and do all three peaks over two days before returning to the rest of the Colorado Trail.
- Elevation: 14,058 feet
- Distance from CT: 12.8 miles from the trail
- Difficulty: Class 2
- Route Guide: Click here
Map of 14ers Near the Colorado Trail
This map from Justin Simoni shows all of the 14ers and their location compared to the Colorado Trail. It’s a great resources to plan your trek and summits.
Preparing for Your 14er Climb
Before attempting any 14er, it’s crucial to be well-prepared. Here are some essential tips:
- Acclimatize: Spend a few days at higher elevations before attempting a 14er to reduce the risk of altitude sickness. Don’t attempt these right as you start the Colorado Trail.
- Start Early: Begin your hike before dawn to avoid afternoon thunderstorms, which are common in Colorado’s mountains.
- Pack Essentials: Bring plenty of water, high-energy snacks, warm layers, rain gear, and sun protection.
- Cache Non-essentials: Save weight by leaving backpacking gear and non-essentials like your tent and sleeping bag near the trailhead with a GPS tag to save the location for later.
- Know Your Route: Study the trail map and bring a physical copy with you.
- Be Prepared to Turn Back: If weather conditions worsen or you’re not feeling well, don’t hesitate to descend.
Read my full mountain safety guide for more information, tips and advice on how to stay safe while exploring the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
Leave No Trace
As you explore these majestic peaks, remember to practice Leave No Trace principles:
- Plan ahead and prepare: Check weather forecasts and pack appropriate gear.
- Travel and camp on durable surfaces: Stick to established trails and campsites.
- Dispose of waste properly: Pack out all trash, including biodegradable items.
- Leave what you find: Take photos, not souvenirs; preserve nature’s beauty.
- Minimize campfire impacts: Use a camp stove instead of building fires.
- Respect wildlife: Observe from a distance; never feed animals.
- Be considerate of other visitors: Keep noise levels down and yield to others on trails.
By adhering to these guidelines, you’ll help preserve the natural beauty of these mountains for future adventurers. Your responsible actions ensure that generations to come can enjoy the same awe-inspiring landscapes you’re experiencing today.
Conclusion: 14ers Along the Colorado Trail
Summiting a 14er along the Colorado Trail is an unforgettable experience that combines the challenge of high-altitude hiking with the reward of breathtaking views. With proper preparation and respect for the environment, you can safely add these impressive peaks to your Colorado Trail adventure. Remember to always prioritize safety, stay informed about weather conditions, and enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Happy hiking and safe travels on the trails!
Free: Complete Colorado 14ers Planner
Every peak. Every trailhead. Every detail: in one spreadsheet.
- All 58 peaks ranked beginner to expert
- Safety notes and seasonal windows for each
- Route difficulty, mileage, and prep tips
