Parka

Rocky Mountain National Park hiking guide

Longs Peak Trail

A 13.7-mile out-and-back with 4,860 ft of climbing in East Side, rated extreme.

Longs Peak Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park
Photo: kalestews · CC BY 2.0

Key facts

Length
13.7 mi (22.0 km)
Elevation gain
4,860 ft (1,480 m)
Route type
Out and back
Difficulty
Extreme
Area
East Side
Highest point
14,248 ft
Lowest point
9,392 ft

About Longs Peak Trail

The journey begins with a steep ascent through forested terrain, then crosses the rugged Boulderfield. Beyond the Boulderfield, the Keyhole Route becomes a technical climb rather than a simple hike; it requires scrambling on steep, exposed rock with narrow ledges, loose rock, and sheer vertical faces where an unroped fall could be fatal. Key features along the route include the Boulderfield, the Keyhole, the Ledges, the Trough, the Narrows, and the Homestretch. Each section presents unique challenges that require careful route-finding, appropriate experience and equipment. The reward is a panoramic view from the summit, offering vistas of the surrounding peaks and landscapes.

Route map

Route map of Longs Peak Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park1 miN
Start and finishNorth is up. Drawn from the route in the Parka app.

This route was checked by Parka editors.

Elevation profile

Elevation profile of Longs Peak Trail10,00012,00014,0000510Distance (miles)Elevation (ft)High 14,248 ftLow 9,392 ft
Elevation runs from 9,392 ft to 14,248 ft over 13.5 miles of mapped route. The profile is sampled from elevation data along the route.

Nearby in East Side

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