Trailhead GPS 40°16.316' N, 105°33.376' W Location Front Range in Rocky Mountain National Park outside of Estes Park
Intro Longs is a must-do mountain. I could not in good faith write about the best summits in Colorado and exclude it. For many, an ascent of Longs Peak is the culmination of their hiking career. Even though it’s a tough climb, it is also one of the most social summits in the state, so get ready to make some new friends. In my opinion, this is part of the fun. You’ll see it all: families, gutsy weekend warriors, cocky climbers, teenagers, grandparents, guys, girls, the hefty and the slim, all aiming to stand on the flat summit of the mountain whose image is reproduced on the Colorado state quarter.
Longs Peak is a challenging day hike that should not be underestimated. The classic way to climb the peak is to begin around 3 a.m. (to avoid storms) and summit in the early morning. Dreamlike phantom trains of headlamps heading up in the predawn hours are a surreal sight, and passing through the Keyhole is like reaching the next level in a video game; a new world waits on the back side of Longs. Even veteran hikers and scramblers can appreciate the moderately exposed traverses and good class 3 terrain that lead to the summit.
Driving The road to Longs Peak Trailhead is paved and passable by all vehicles.
How to Get There The road to the trailhead is off CO 7. From the south, this is 10.4 miles north of the junction of CO 7 and CO 72; from the north, it’s 9.2 miles from the junction of US 36 and CO 7. Turn west onto the well-marked Longs Peak Road, and drive approximately 0.8 mile to the ranger station and Longs Peak Trailhead.
Fees/Camping Longs is in Rocky Mountain National Park and, as of 2021, requires a $25 timed-entry permit (see “Contact Info,” page 80). Camping requires a permit and a $30 fee. There are three campgrounds along the way: Goblins Forest, Battle Mountain Group Site, and the Boulderfield. Call or go online for reservations 6 months in advance, as these sites fill up quickly in the summer. Longs Peak Campground is just below the trailhead and offers 26 tent-only sites. No overnight camping is allowed in the parking lot.
Route Notes I’ve noticed that my GPS tracks recorded a slightly shorter round-trip distance than official park publications proclaim (most say either 15 or 16 miles). I stayed on-trail where there was one; however, I made direct approaches in the boulder field and in the trough, which may have cut my mileage a bit (I grew up hiking in New England; we don’t believe in switchbacks). As a result, I had a mileage of 6.91 miles to the summit and 6.89 miles on the descent. My elevation profile includes the up and down in the Keyhole, the Boulderfield, and the slight ups and downs around Chasm Lake. I explain these discrepancies because there is so much literature available providing statistics about Longs.
As mentioned, day hikers should aim to start no later than 3 a.m. (early is better). A considerable portion of this hike is above treeline, with little shelter from the inevitable summer storms. Longs is a serious hike; many people have died on the standard route from falls, lightning, and other accidents. Don’t underestimate it just because it is popular. Note: The Keyhole Route is formally known as the East Longs Peak Trail.
Mile/Waypoint
0.0 mi (1) Start at the Longs Peak Trailhead, gaining the East Longs Peak Trail just behind the ranger station. There’s a good chance you’ll be hiking in the dark (as you should). The trail is wide, well worn, and easy to follow.
0.4 mi (2) Don’t make a rookie mistake in the early morning. At this fork, the Longs Peak Trail goes left, so stay the course. The trail that cuts off to the right goes to Eugenia Mine and Estes Cone. Once you clear this intersection, you have a long approach to the Keyhole. Set a good pace and enjoy the sunrise.
1.1 mi (3) Goblin Forest Campground.
2.4 mi (4) A short distance above timberline, Battle Mountain Campground is off to the right. Stay left on the well-marked trail.
3.1 mi (5) Great views of the Diamond are evident from the flat section that serves as the junction between the Longs Peak Trail and the Chasm Lake Trail (a toilet is here too). The Diamond on Longs Peak’s northeast face is a test piece for advanced rock climbers; practically every line you can see on the sheer face has been scaled. Do not descend to Chasm Lake. Continue northwest to Granite Pass and the boulder field.
4.0 mi (6) Granite Pass. Stay left on the trail to the boulder field at the trail junction. In the event of a fast-moving storm, the rocky caves to the north of Granite Pass provide emergency shelter.
5.6 mi (7) This is the heart of the boulder field. Gaps in the rock at the west end form the fabled Keyhole. The trail fades out on the rocky slope up to the Keyhole, but your short-term goal is obvious. At the Keyhole is a storm shelter, complete with glass windows. Get ready to climb once you pass this gateway to adventure. Note that there are restrooms at the boulder field.
5.8 mi (8) Behold the world beyond the Keyhole! Your route goes left (south) and follows a 0.3-mile trail marked with spray-painted bull’s-eyes. This traverse is slightly exposed and gives you the first real taste of the challenge of Longs.
6.1 mi You are now at the base of a long gully known as the Trough. The base of the Trough is roughly 13,100 feet, so you’ll be doing the steepest climbing at dizzying altitude. It’s 900 feet to the top of this heart-pumping chute. Watch out for rocks dislodged by climbers above you, and try not to knock any on the climbers below you.
6.5 mi (9) The Trough tops out just below 14,000 feet. There are great views of another mountain featured in this book, Mount Alice (Hike 9), from this gap. The next short section is known as the Narrows. The exposure may be unsettling for inexperienced hikers. The path is cut into the slope, and there are plenty of good handholds along the way. These sections are short and well marked, so the map of this route does not include them as individual waypoints.
6.7 mi Drop down about 30 feet to 13,980 feet and the beginning of a section known as the Home Stretch. To the southeast, long chimneys of rock are worth looking at while you take a water break.
The Home Stretch entails the most difficult scrambling of the hike. The holds are very good, and the route is marked. Push your way through Victory Gap to the surprisingly mellow, flat summit.
6.9 mi (10) Longs Peak summit! You’re halfway done. A rock outcrop to the west has the U.S. Geological Survey marker, the summit log, and the best views. Allow me to describe the top using an all-American measuring system: the summit of Longs is three football fields in length.
On the descent, return the same way you came. Take your time when there is snow. Be courteous as you pass other hikers. Many will have the blank stare of exhaustion with a glimmer of determination in their eyes. Be positive! In bad weather, remember that there are shelters at the Keyhole and in the rocks at Granite Pass. It’s a very long walk down; the last few miles in the trees get tedious. With luck, the afterglow of such a great hike will keep you moving.
14.0 mi Finish the hike and give yourself a pat on the back; you’ve just completed Colorado’s classic fourteener.
Options This hike is a big commitment. If doing it as a day hike, you’re probably not going to want to add to it. Some people will make the short traverse over to Storm Peak, north of the Keyhole... show-offs! The Estes Cone hike is a nice adventure if you’re staying in the area. It’s 4.8 miles round-trip from the trail intersection at waypoint 2 on a good trail.
Quick Facts There is far more history to report about Longs than I can cover here. I would suggest reading Longs Peak: The Story of Colorado’s Favorite Fourteener by Dougald MacDonald (Westcliffe Publishers). It is an excellent account of the history of the peak.
The peak is named for Stephen Long, who surveyed the area in 1820 but never climbed the mountain. He didn’t formally name the peak after himself. Rather, he described Longs and its 13,911-foot neighbor as the Two Ears, a name given to the peaks by French fur trappers. The sister peak would later be named Mount Meeker, in honor of Nathan Meeker, founder of the city of Greeley.
The first official climb of the peak was recorded in 1868 by a group made up of John Wesley Powell, the renowned one-armed explorer and Civil War vet; his brother, W. H. Powell; William Byers, for whom a mountain was later named; Lewis Walter Keplinger, also a Civil War vet; and three Illinois college students who apparently forgot to sign the register. Upon reaching the summit, they discovered an Arapaho eagle trap, clearly indicating that others had been to the top before them. To his credit, John Wesley Powell never disputed this fact.
Longs is the highest point in Boulder County and the Front Range. It is also the northernmost fourteener. The correct spelling of Longs Peak does not include an apostrophe. Mapmakers agreed long ago that geographical features would not have apostrophes in their official names.
Contact Info To secure your timed-entry reservation and pay your entrance fee, visit recreation.gov/timed-entry/10086910.
Rocky Mountain National Park nps.gov/romo
General Park Information: 970-586-1206
Visitor Information (recorded message): 970-586-1333
Backcountry Information: 970-586-1242
Campground Reservations: 800-365-2267
