Mt. Princeton Campground
Campground
Campground · 2.1 mi from the trail
Colorado · Hiking · Near Pitkin
Mt. Princeton
Photo: kalestews, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 4.0 mi
- round trip
- 1,972 ft
- climb
- 14,171 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Mt. Princeton open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 7 alerts for Pike and San Isabel National Forests.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Interlaken Hotel Tree Hazards
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Sharpe Fire Update
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Turquoise Lake Road (County Road 4) Closure
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Food Storage Prohibitions on Pike-San Isabel National Forests
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · Order 02-12-00-23-07 · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
As of · Source: USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Mt. Princeton is a hard out-and-back hike in Colorado's Pike and San Isabel National Forests, within the Salida Ranger District. The trail runs about 4 miles, with a total elevation gain of 1,972 feet, from a low point of 11,838 feet to a high of 14,171 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is open year-round. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows both horses and bikes. That makes it a versatile option for riders and pack animals, though the climb is steep enough to demand careful planning. Mt. Princeton Campground sits about 2 miles away, and Tigger Peak is roughly 1.6 miles off. Climbers can head to Chalk Creek Boulder, also known as Boulder of Sorrow, and paddlers will find Chalk Creek about 2 miles from the trail.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Mountain Spirit Winery Ltd.
Brewery
Brewery · 15 mi from PitkinIf it rains Evans Firewall & Savard Building
Museum
On your way back · 7 mi
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors
More in PitkinGo with a guide
- Mineral Belt Trail Guided WalkRoamze · $25 per person · 35 mi away
- Valley Mobile RV Park9 mi away
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: kalestews, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Tigger Peak
~3 min drive
Route to the summit of Tigger Peak (13,272 ft) from Mt Princeton.
Photo: oxtopus, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Cascade Creek Trail
~4 min drive
0.87-mile loop with 212 ft gain in Colorado's Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Photo: wohnai, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Mount Princeton
~4 min drive
Standard route to Mount Princeton (14,204 ft) from Mt. Princeton Road.
Photo: JenTravelsLife, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)North Trail
~16 min drive
1.64-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 825 ft elevation gain
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~12 min drive
5.36-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado with 3,166 ft elevation gain/loss.
Photo: Nholifield, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Yansing (Chinaman) Gulch Trail 6043
~15 min drive
2.92-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 916 ft elevation gain and loss.
Photo: twslivxe26, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Mount Columbia
~15 min drive
Standard route to Mount Columbia (14,077 ft) from North Cottonwood Creek.
Photo: cogdogblog, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)Crank n' Hammer Trail
~16 min drive
5.12-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 851 ft elevation gain and loss.
Photo: twslivxe26, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Kroenke Lake
~16 min drive
12.37-mile out-and-back trail to Kroenke Lake in Colorado's Pike and San Isabel National Forests.
Photo: markbyzewski, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Few Dollars More Trail
~15 min drive
2.28-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 547 ft elevation gain
Route details
- Distance
- 4.0 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 1,972 ft
- Summit
- 14,197 ft
- Difficulty
- Hard
Season
Season: Year-round.
Other routes up Mount Princeton
Questions about this route
How long is the Mt. Princeton on Mount Princeton?
About 4.0 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Mt. Princeton?
About 1,972 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Mt. Princeton?
It is rated hard.
When is the best time for the Mt. Princeton?
Year-round.
How many routes go up Mount Princeton?
2: Mount Princeton and Mt. Princeton.
Conditions and forecast on Mount Princeton
Caution todayAgency alerts are in effect for this areaUSFS · checked 2 h ago
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
