The blood pounds in your ears with each plodding step forward.
You gasp for breath in air that seems to have little to offer. You may be surrounded by some of the most stunning scenery on the planet, but you can only watch your feet, hoping they keep moving.
The mind pleads with the body.
Turn around. Why are you doing this to yourself on your weekend or vacation? Why are you dragging yourself up this mountain?
“Because it’s there.” To quote George Mallory, the first person to attempt Mt. Everest.
Colorado has 54 mountains that rise above 14,000 feet (a.k.a. 14’ers) and attempting to summit one of these majestic peaks is one of the most popular summer activities for locals and tourists alike.
Some are straightforward walks on well-marked trails through the tundra and talus. Others are perilous ascents on narrow exposed rock, where a single misstep can mean death.
To stand atop one, marveling at the sea of peaks that fills the horizon, knowing you achieved this feat under your own power, is an experience like no other.
But where do we begin with so many 14’ers to choose from, more than any other state? We’ve compiled a guide to help newcomers and visitors find a mountain that fits their abilities. Many 14’ers have numerous trails, so we have included only the standard routes.
See you above the clouds!
Pikes Peak 14,115’
Mount Blue Sky 14,625’
Not in optimum condition for a hike? No worries. These two Front Range peaks have paved roads. Starting just west of Colorado Springs, the drive up Pikes Peak is a breathtaking 19-mile route, that passes through the various ecosystems of the Rockies. Up top, there’s a visitors’ center with the best donuts you’ll ever have. The fee is $18 per person.
Or let someone else take the controls on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, a unique way to experience the peak. The train departs from Manitou Springs.
Mount Blue Sky (formerly known as “Mount Evans”) also has a road to the top, though it is currently closed until the spring of 2026.
Mt. Sherman 14,036’
This mountain is so unremarkable that it’s difficult to distinguish from a distance in the skyline above the town of Fairplay.
When the road is dry, any type of vehicle can take you to the 12,000-foot trailhead, making Mt. Sherman the quintessential “easy” 14’er. It’s a straightforward walk through a landscape dotted by old mine structures (do not approach), for a total of 5.2 miles round-trip and 2,100 feet of climbing. Sweeping vistas of the Arkansas River Valley and the mighty Sawatch Mountains are rewarded at the summit. There is ample camping in the area.
Mt. Bierstadt 14,065’
This is the most-hiked 14’er in Colorado for good reason.
Just an hour’s drive west of Denver, the Mt. Bierstadt trailhead begins on the Guanella Pass above the town of Georgetown. It’s drivable up to 11,669 feet. From there, it’s a well-traveled 3.5-mile hike through meadows and marshes, then up the side of the peak, for a total of 2,850 feet.
Consider attempting Bierstadt on a weekday, as traffic and parking issues can be seen on summer weekends. Camping is scarce in the area and mostly limited to the south side of Guanella Pass.
Handies Peak 14,058’
Handie’s Peak in the San Juan range near the town of Lake City, is a four-hour drive from the Front Range. Deep in the geographic heart of the San Juans, this remote and rugged mountain sees fewer crowds and offers majestic views of Colorado’s largest range.
Begin by taking the beautiful, yet hair-raising Alpine Loop from Lake City, then park at the American Basin trailhead (you may need higher vehicle clearance to reach the end of the road). From there it’s a simple, well-marked and gorgeous hike up the talus and scree; six-miles round-trip and 1,500 feet of climbing.
Camping is abundant along the Alpine Loop road.
Mount Massive 14,427’
Colorado’s second-highest peak is a sight to behold. It is so large– with seven different summits– that it dominates the view around the city of Leadville.
And climbing it is a massive undertaking, 15 miles round-trip with 4,500 feet of ascent. Once you’re up there, it’s a long way back down to the shelter of trees, so turn back when you’re in doubt about the weather. The mountain will still be there later.
You’ll find ample pull-off camping and several national forest campgrounds in the area.
Longs Peak 14,259’
This legendary beast of a mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most loved and reviled in Colorado. The annals of the internet are full of failed attempts.
That’s because you start at 9,400 feet, meaning it’s 5,100 feet of climbing and 15 miles round-trip. Starting before dawn isn’t enough; it should still be dark when you emerge above treeline and the lights of Boulder fill the horizon. There are perilous ledges, rock hops and long dropoffs. And being on the Front Range, it clouds up early and often, with apocalyptic thunderstorm likely each afternoon.
Climb it if you dare.
