We saw zero other people, which was nice. I was able to complete this hike after returning early on Monday due to rainstorms. Coming in at about 11 miles round trip, Red Peak is not an easy mileage day but the peak itself is a Class 2 walk-up with a trail access for most of the distance. Anyway, it was doable but out of our comfort zone. After the treeline, you can see where to go pretty easily. As everyone mentioned, there is no trail, but it's pretty easy to just make your way up past the treeline, even without alltrail's map guidance. Turn left onto Blue River Road, then right on Royal Drive, right on Regal Circle, and left on Coronet Drive. Red Peak is one of the few exceptions. The elevation of Red Mountain includes an adjustment of +1.728 m (+5.67 ft) from, List of Colorado 4000 meter prominent summits, List of the most prominent summits of Colorado, Iron Mountain (Costilla/Huerfano Counties), Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Red_Mountain_(Costilla_County,_Colorado)&oldid=790021386, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 11 July 2017, at 02:54. I was grateful that I recorded this one, as it is simple, yet off trail none-the-less. Did this Saturday September 12. The mountains get their name … Take Highway 9 south from Breckenridge. Absolutely no trail, but view at the top is gorgeous. I've hiked this trail three or four times. Our feet got a bit damp from the snow because we wore hiking shoes that were not waterproof. Didn't see a single hiker the whole hike up and down. But if you like that, it is great. The first portion of the hike is the hardest, steepest part. A half mile up Coronet Drive, the paved road will end. The initial climb is a workout, but overall worth it. 1.1 miles from where the paved road ends, you will find a low-lying, open area on the right side of the road through which a small stream, Pennsylvania Creek, is flowing during the summer months. The views are some of the best of any hike in this area and a few nice birds as mentioned before. Alltrails may make it easier by saving time so you don't too much left and right if anything. Would recommend, as would the dog. Beyond that just start early and bring a lot of water. On a Sunday in July we did not see any other people, but did see a mama moose and her calf. It definitely checks the less populated and wildlife boxes. Red Mountain is a 7.7 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Breckenridge, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. Make sure to have a lot of energy, and pack some gloves as it gets cold near the peak. Once you get off the fire-road, cut across the brush by the ponds, go through the trees, the way is fairly open, not a lot of bushwhacking. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and backpacking and is best used from June until August. Highly recommend poles. We're not experienced with the Jeep, and it had road tires on, not off-road. Decided to go up the dirt road a little with our Jeep Wrangler rental (dirt road past the first parking area for 2wds and the like). We did not make the summit, but came close. Cross Pennsylvania Creek -- keeping your boots as dry as possible -- and ascend the slope that lies before you. This makes an excellent introduction to the Gore Range and is easily accessed by Front Range hikers. This is a beautiful hike. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and backpacking and is best used from June until August. Gunshots had stopped halfway back down to the car anyway. Red Mountain, elevation 13,914 ft (4,241 m), is a summit in the Culebra Range of south central Colorado. whew! Red Mountain is a 12.4 kilometer lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Breckenridge, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. If you look carefully across the creek you’ll see a trail marker “113A”. There is no defined trail, this is a cross country style hike; we did find several game paths however. Steep middle section of hike and the gentle ridge to the summit was lovely as were the views. This is a lot of uphill and not to be taken lightly. Red Mountain is a great alternative to Quandary Peak (which lies just on the other side of Highway 9) for those who prefer a less populated experience with greater opportunities for encountering wildlife. Several other peaks in the San Juan Mountains likewise have prominent reddish coloration from iron ore and are also called "Red Mountain". Elk and bighorn sheep are common here. If you prefer avoiding throngs of other hikers, this is a fantastic option. Red Mountain Number 3 with the ghost town of Red Mountain. Did not see any large wildlife in the meadow today. We didn't expect hunters so we didn't. Saw ptarmigans, yellow warbler, and of course pika. It was a little scary since it was super bumpy and basically one lane only. Red Mountain, elevation 13,914 ft (4,241 m), is a summit in the Culebra Range of south central Colorado. The peak is slightly to the right. The peak is on private land 15 mi (24 km) southeast of San Luis. The hunters stayed in the forest area near creek by the looks of the footprints when we came down, and also I believe on the other side of the dirt road. That’s where we crossed. There was no clear path though. Spent some time looking for the best way to cross and this was right on the all trails route as above. You won't have to scramble or make your way over loose rocks. First, only the most hard core cars are going to make it up that road, but if yours does then do it. Those who have a good off-road vehicle can save some time and strength by driving up the dirt portion of Coronet Drive from Blue River. You will likely encounter the last remaining snow as you approach the summit. If you are into trail blazing, this was a less populated path and we did see a heard of 50 elk. There is a nice more open area of trees all the way up the ridge line; would make for nice skiing. Views are great, Quandary is to the west, as is North Star Mountain. At this time of year, crossing the meadow required taking shoes off and wading 2 creeks. Soon, you will emerge from the trees into an expansive alpine meadow. Like other peaks in the area, light rain sometimes arrives unpredictably. There are definitely no facilities on this mountain -- come prepared with everything you'll need to get up and back down. Quandary Peak's popularity is driven by its status as one of Colorado's fifty or so "fourteeners" -- peaks over 14,000 feet. The mountains get their name from the reddish iron ore rocks that cover the surface. After you walk down the dirt road and make a right to cross the creek, there is zero trail. ”In my opinion, the two most rugged mountain ranges in Colorado are the Gore Range northwest of Dillon Reservoir and the Needles Range in the remote San Juan Mountains.” -John Fielder-famous Colorado Landscape photographer. The variety of wildflowers in the open areas above the tree line is the best I've seen in Summit County. There were some sheep or goats near the summit as I was approaching but they left long before I was close. It's high, but getting there requires only a leg-burning hike up a ridgeline to … The Gores are more of a range consisting of 12-13,000-ft ridges, rather than separated peaks. Red Mountainis a set of three peaks in the San Juan Mountainsof western Coloradoin the United States, about 5 miles south of Ouray. tough one. The peak is on private land 15 mi (24 km) southeast of San Luis. Turn off your ad blocker to see a map of this trail, Spruce Creek Road to Mohawk Lake and Continental Falls, Southside Trail to Illinois Creek High Trail Loop, Boreas Pass Road and Baker's Tank Trail Loop, True Romance and Baker's Tank Loop Trails, Mohawk Lake to Pacific Peak and Crystal Peak. This is a challenging trail and you should be prepared for a cool wind at the top. Probably one of my favorites. The real hike begins 1.1 miles up the dirt road. Next piece of advice- don't cross the stream too early, the thicket on the other side is tough. But the difficulty and uncertainty was a little tricky for us - there is literally no marked path the entire way. You can park anywhere along the road here if your vehicle made it this far. There is no trail and you need to cross a creek at the beginning, which can be done in certain places without removing boots. Nearby Red Mountain Pass is named after Red Mountain, and the ghost town mining camp of Red Mountain Town is located at the foot of the Red Mountains. Started at just after 10am, got back to car at 8pm. The gradually sloping mountainside and lack of obstructions provide a clear view of the peak ahead. Red Mountain is a set of three peaks in the San Juan Mountains of western Colorado in the United States, about 5 miles south of Ouray. Just keep heading uphill through the sparse pine forest. Red Mountain's peak tops out at around 13,200, but it's more scenic than its neighbor across the street. Luckily, we didn't have any oncoming vehicles but I was scared because it was so bumpy and there was a downhill to my right lol. Rarely write reviews on here, but felt these details might be helpful to others. There are some nice but rarely used camping spots at the base near Pennsylvania Creek. The trailhead is accessible to any passenger vehicle. We are intermediate hikers, this one pushed us. Once you climb above the tree line, you the way if fairly obvious. Wait a bit until you are definitely beyond the small lake, then cross. No crowds - saw 3 others the entire time. Walking this portion of the dirt road will add a mile each way and another 300 feet of elevation gain. Plus, Quandary Peak gets very crowded on summer weekends, but you likely will have Red Mountain all to yourself. This road is rough, so if you don't have the proper vehicle, just park in the dirt area where the paved road ends and walk up the dirt road. There are hundreds of jaw-droppingly-spectacular peaks in the Gore Range, but most of them require miles of scrambling on semi-technical terrain to reach. Had the peak to myself, with a warm breeze, and a wonderful view of the Mosquito Range. From the parking area to the summit (where someone has now left a small register), my Garmin fenix calculated this at 5 miles one way. Took 2 1/2 hours to get to summit, stream crossing very doable if you walk upstream (East) after leaving the Jeep road. A few of the more prominent ridges actually have names like, Zodiac Spires, Rockinghorse Ridge, Ripsaw R… I am sure it would have been a pretty view, but weather didn’t hold up for us. As others have noted, this is an off-trail hike. Returned the way we came, with a nice summit snack time the hike was about 5 hours round trip. Five miles south of Breckenridge, you'll come to Blue River. First off, this is not a real trail. By late June, it will be nearly gone (most years, at least) and will not impede your path. Started to hear gunshots though maybe 1/4 into the hike, so might be smart to wear bright colors when you hike. The elevation gain is a workout, but the terrain isn't technically challenging or dangerous. You can pick your path at this point since it's obvious where you're headed: continue through the meadow towards the summit, and take some time to admire the variety of wildflowers. You can either park in the dirt area here or keep driving up the dirt road if you have a good off-road vehicle. Also there was snow half or more parts of the hike, so that probably slowed us down a bit. Very steep. The San Juan Mountains as seen from Red Mountain Number 3, The elevation of Red Mountain Number 3 includes an adjustment of +1.801 m (+5.91 ft) from, The elevation of Red Mountain Number 1 includes an adjustment of +1.826 m (+5.99 ft) from, The elevation of Red Mountain Number 2 includes an adjustment of +1.803 m (+5.92 ft) from, List of Colorado 4000 meter prominent summits, List of the most prominent summits of Colorado, Iron Mountain (Costilla/Huerfano Counties), 66 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, Yanks Gulch/Upper Greasewood Creek Natural Area, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Red_Mountain_(Ouray_County,_Colorado)&oldid=790020414, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 11 July 2017, at 02:43.