I enjoyed seeing this incredible mountain during my time here at Rocky Mountain National Park. At 14,259 feet, Longs Peak is the highest point in Rocky Mountain National Park. This flat-topped monarch can be seen from almost anywhere in the park. It is popular for its 15-mile hike that takes between 10 and 15 hours to complete. It is a complicated and challenging hike to do. I did drive up to the trailhead to get a feel for a future hike someday. Longs Peak Trailhead is about a 9 mile drive west of Highway 7. When weather conditions are favorable, many climb to Longs Peak's summit via the Keyhole Route. Here you will experience steep cliffs, narrow ledges and loose rock. There are other more technical climbs on Longs Peak in addition to the the Keyhole Route. The East Face of the mountain is steep and is known as "The Diamond" because of it shape. It is world-famous for its Alpine climb. Deaths on Longs Peak are an annual occurrence. This hike is definitely not for beginner hikers. Longs Peak is near another high mountain called Mount Meeker. The two mountains are sometimes referred to as the Twin Peaks. If you do not want to do the challenge to the summit, there are some less-involved hikes on the peak that are easier. If you just want a nice view of Longs Peak from afar, there are some pullouts on scenic Highway 7 that give you great views of this incredible mountain. There are a couple of full campgrounds near Meeker Park if you want to camp overnight. Popular nature photographer Ansel Adams photographed this mountain in 1941. Longs Peak is named for explorer Stephen Harriman Long who claims to be the first to discover this mountain. read more

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Longs peak is notorious for being the most fatal 14er due to the exposure and risk of fatal falls. That being said, it was much easier than I thought-this was the most well maintained and well marked trail from start to finish that I've ever been on. Now this review is coming from a seasoned hiker. I'm crazy about 14ers and on my journey to do them all. I've recently moved onto to some of the harder peaks, with this being my 39th summit. I took all of the precautions recommended: I packed lots of food & water, started at 2am, checked the weather etc. I felt that I could have started later as it was only 8 hours of hiking at a brisk pace. I hiked under a full moon and watched the sunrise as I ascended the keyhole. The only part where you have to route find is the Boulder field and it was quite manageable, even in the dark. The rocks are large and stable and a nice perk is the bathrooms that have a great view. There also happens to be a storm shelter to the left of the keyhole if you find yourself in a pinch. The narrows and class 3 sections were actually very fun. You have a decent amount of climbing but there are nice little yellow & red dots on the rocks to guide you. The exposure is considerable so do what you can not to fall. I noticed lots of hikers without a helmet on which surprised me...it's a long way down so I would highly recommend wearing one for the last few sections and especially for the last climb up the rock wall. The summit is beautiful and catching the sunrise on my way made the lack of sleep and hours hiking in the dark worth every minute. The summit is HUGE! Lots of areas to explore and take in the vistas. Round trip was only 5K elevation and 15.5 miles. It sounds like a lot, but up until the Boulder field is quite easy and gradual. The park rangers at the trail head were lovely and more nice bathrooms await. I appreciated the smooth drive up the the parking lot and had no problem finding parking at 2am on a Wednesday. You don't need a park pass or timed entry if you go before 9am (?) and you should definitely start before then! read more

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Over the past 10 years I have been fortunate to have bagged several 14ers. Some are easy jaunts and some are heart pounding adventures.....Longs is the later. We took the infamous Keyhole route: Chasm lake is stunning and for the most part of the hike it is benign.... but the boulder field is a very tiring affair. Great ready to do some scrambling as well. Worth the whole day but be prepared to be really tired. read more

Long's Peak - Parks Near Me

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This is not just a hike, it's a Class 3 Climb & Scramble ADVENTURE to the 14,259 foot summit! Taking the Keyhole Route is 14.8 miles round trip with 5,000' of elevation gain. This was my 8th summit of a 14er on 4 different mountains. In the planning stages, as I read and watched the videos about this hike I started getting worried about the final Homestretch. I recently retired from my job of 36 years and for some reason started a new fear about falling to my death from a steep mountain trek, just like the 'Homestretch'... and not being able to enjoy my retirement. Turned out that my fears almost came true, I thought it would be on the descent, but it was on the climb up the Homestretch. My two nephews and I started our hike on August 22nd, but we only made it out 2 5 miles before the hard rain persuaded us to turn back. The next night we started out again at midnight and the weather was better. Except for it being very cold from the 70 mph winds and the icy patches with wet rock beyond the Keyhole that the rain left behind the night before. We reached the stone hut and the Keyhole near 13,000' and waited there for daylight. The Ledges, Trough and Narrows were challanging, but at the same time much more exciting than a standard trail. As we reached the Homestretch you could see the shinny patches of ice and wet rock, and no one was just walking up to the summit. As we waiting our turn to ascend, a hiker coming down slid about 10 feet and somehow stopped himself just before reaching us. As I headed up the Homestretch, I found it much more precarious than going down. Without the ice and wet rock, it would have been similar to Sub Dome in Yosemite, and able to walk up. To be safe, hike with a partner. I found reaching the Longs Peak Summit was much more exciting than reaching Mt Whitney. TRAIL LANDMARKS: * 0.00 miles - Ranger Station Trailhead (9,382') * 0.50 - 1st 'Chasm Lake 3.7' sign. Go LT. * 1.20 - Goblins Forest * 1 60 - Cross Larkspur Creek. * 2.00 - Cross Alpine Brook. * 2.25 - 2nd 'Chasm Lake 1.7' sign. Go LT. * 3.30 - 3rd 'Chasm Lake / Boulderfield' sign junction. Go to the far RT. (11,550') * 4.30 - 'Boulderfield 1.7' sign. Granite Pass Go RT. * 5.80 - 'Keyhole Route Ahead' sign. North end of Boulder section. * 6.40 - KEYHOLE & the Stone Hut (13,000') * 6 4 to 6.7 - The LEDGES section. * 6.70 - Enter the TROUGH section. Up 600'. * 6.7 to 7.0 - Cross the NARROWS. * 7.20 - HOMESTRETCH scramble. * 7.30 - Longs Peak Summit. (14,259') Watch "Longs Peak WARNING: Keyhole route 1,000ft + Ledges!" on YouTube https://youtu.be/fy6XHQM2hq0 Watch "Longs Peak - Keyhole to Summit" on YouTube https://youtu.be/4AkVQiWBB-s read more

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Take water, rain gear, warm clothing and food on this very popular and strenuous hike. Long's Peak is the highest peak in RMNP and the experience is worth the trip if you are in good condition. We left at 3:00 a.m. and had to sign in at the ranger station before we started the climb. (I think this is so they can identify the body if you don't make it back.) Initially the terrain was a thick forest but within several hours we were up where the vegetation was low and trees curled and weathered by the wind. Treeline was a little after sunrise. It was wonderful to see some wildlife on the way up and watch a mother marmot carry her babies in her mouth to relocate them. I made it to the keyhole but the drop off on the other side made me too queasy to finish. The mister and his brother in law reached the summit and took wonderful photos from all directions. On the way back, we opened our packs and found that the physical movement and exertion on the hike had caused our sandwiches to get squished and roll into balls. Mmmm, best tuna I've ever had. read more

Highest peak in the park, and what a spectacular view for hundreds of miles! You'd better be in shape, though, as, aside from the serious altitude gain, getting to the summit is quite the obstacle course (with enticing names like: the keyhole, the scrambled egg route, the narrows, etc). It can be cold and windy no matter what time of year you go, so be smart in your packing, and try to summit midday. This is a hiking goal that really pays off for it's incredible views - well worth the effort! read more

Yep! One star! This hike kicked my 61 year old butt. Reports say this mountain can be climbed in 12 hours. That is fake news. It took my wife and me 22 hours. After you are at the keyhole, every step for the next 8 hours is dangerous. Way too many cliffs and 1,000+ ft falls. Just as you think you're at the top, you have to climb a 300 ft cliff. I'd give this a higher rating if I wanted to climb it again! read more