CO - Mount Elbert Section

The Mount Elbert Section of the Colorado Trail offers an alternate route to the summit of Colorado and the Rocky Mountains highest peak at 14,440 feet, following the CT corridor before branching onto the North or South Mount Elbert Trail for the final ascent. The mountain dominates the landscape above Leadville and the Arkansas River Valley, and its gentle but relentless slopes make it a popular introduction to Colorado fourteener climbing.

The trail climbs through dense spruce and fir forest before breaking into open tundra and alpine meadows on the upper slopes. The views from the summit are panoramic, encompassing dozens of fourteeners including the Collegiate Peaks directly across the Arkansas Valley and the rugged terrain of the Sawatch Range extending in both directions. The CT alternate route via the North Elbert Trail is a longer but more gradual ascent that avoids some of the loose scree on the standard south route. Early summer snowpack can persist on the upper slopes into June, requiring microspikes. The summit is frequently crowded on summer weekends due to its status as Colorado highest point, so weekday visits or very early starts are recommended.