High Altitude Hiking
If you enjoy hiking and crave altitude, the town of Leadville, Colorado, based at 10,000 feet above sea level, is a great starting point for many legendary hiking trails that explore vast expanses of the Continental Divide.
Hike nearby 14,000 foot peaks of the northern Sawatch Range such as Mount Elbert, Mount Massive and Holy Cross. Plus there are great local hikes on the Colorado Trail, Native Lake Trail, Windsor Lake Trail and so on….. The hiking list is endless.
Be sure to be prepared for hiking at altitude. The Mountain peaks near Leadville are amongst Colorado’s tallest peaks, so you need to be ready for weather and cold. Check current weather conditions and always hike with a friend.
Hiking Further Down the Valley
Continuing further South of Leadville, follow the Sawatch Range south on Hwy 24 to discover the Colorado mountain town of Buena Vista. This charming town is in an expansive valley at roughly 8,000 feet, making the 14,000 foot Collegiate Peaks of the Sawatch Range appear even larger in scale.
Hiking in Buena Vista is close to Mt Harvard, Mt Yale, Mt Princeton and Mt Columbia. With a lot of dedication and hard work, you can summit one of these peaks in a day, sometimes two nearby peaks at once. Take a week of hiking and tick them off your ‘To Do’ list with ease.
Being Prepared for Colorado Hiking at Altitude
Weather in Colorado tends to come in fast, so it’s best to be prepared to hike early in the morning, allowing opportunity to experience the best part of the day before afternoon clouds and storms can roll in. Plus, by getting out on the trail early, you are more likely to take advantage of the amazing vast views of the valleys below.
The snow on these mountain peaks can stay well into the summer months, so it is best hiking July thru September if you want to avoid hiking through snow patches.
Mt Elbert 14,333′ Mt Harvard 14,420′
Mt Massive 14,421′ Mt Antero 14,269′
Mt Shavano 14,229′ Mt Belford 14,197′
Mt Princeton 14,197′ Mt Yale 14,196′
Mt Columbia 14,073′ Mt Oxford 14,153′
When your feet need a rest from hiking
Leadville and Buena Vista summer visitors enjoy a variety of activities once off the hiking trail. In Chaffee County, enjoy relaxing in natural geothermic Cottonwood Hot Springs and Mt Princeton Hot Springs Resorts. Both resorts are open to the public and offer lodging and dining amenities.
If you’re off the hiking trail, but still crave excitement, whitewater rafting the Arkansas River is a great way to cool off this summer and take a load off your feet. Colorado whitewater rafting is best represented on the Arkansas River because of the variety of rapid sections and rapid difficulties. The Arkansas River starts at the headwaters in Leadville and flows south towards Buena Vista, Colorado and further downstream to Canon City through the Royal Gorge.