Directions:

This portion of the Monarch Crest Trail starts at Monarch Pass which is easy to get to. Head up Hwy 50 from Poncha Springs on the east or from Gunnison on the west. There is a large parking area, gift shop, restaurant, and Gondola at the top of Monarch Pass…closed in the winter.

Hike Description:

The Monarch Crest Trail has many designations, it is part of the Colorado Trail’s Collegiate West Branch Segment 5 and also part of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. The trail runs for 11 miles from Monarch Pass south to Marshall Pass and north from Monarch Pass for 7 miles to an unnamed peak above Hunt Lake. The trail is very popular with mountain bikers and considered one of Colorado’s premier mountain biking routes. It’s popular with hikers as well, but unless you are backpacking or car shuttling, us hikers need to break it down into manageable chunks. Here’s a good place to start.

From Monarch Pass at the Gondola station, jump onto the Monarch Crest Trail and head north. The trail starts out on a wide dirt road but soon dips below the road bed onto a single track trail. The trail is beautiful from the start and you are treated to expansive westerly views immediately. You can make out the West Elk Mountains on a clear day. The trail continues through the forest for about a mile with intermittent views ahead to the flat summit of Mt. Peck at 12,200 ft. At the mile point you’ll pop out of the forest to a saddle with power lines and get your first views to the east. Continue to hike for another quarter of a mile as the trail re-enters the forest and gets quite a bit steeper for a few switchbacks. You’ll then arrive at the crest of the divide and the first in a series of “summits” leading up to Mt. Peck. You can follow the crest as far as you want to Mt. Peck, it’s steep and rocky but all class 2 hiking. The Monarch Crest Trail continues through the forest but doesn't meet up with the crest again until the far side of Mt. Peck a mile and a half later.

If you are looking for a shorter hike, this first crest is a great destination. The view is spectacular with 14ers Tabeguache and Shavano dominating the landscape. You also get a nice view back towards Monarch Pass and the top of the Monarch Tramway. For a quick taste of the Monarch Crest Trail, this 2.7 mile out and back hike should scratch the itch but of course, you can hike as far as you want, you won’t be disappointed.

I’ve driven over Monarch Pass many, many, times and I’ve always wanted to hike a bit of the Crest Trail. It was the perfect start to a day full of hiking and I soaked up the beautiful clear morning views and weather before heading down into the Fossil Ridge Wilderness, which would turn out to be quite a bit different.