Attractions and Places To See around Twin Lakes - Top 20

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To be honest, it's a bit disappointing that they haven't managed to install a decent summit cross or other special marker on Colorado's highest mountain. Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico are much better at that on their highest mountains.

That was the starting point for our trail up to Mount Elbert.

There are a handful of different places you can park to do Mount Elbert, but this is the official starting point for the Standard Route. The North Mount Elbert Trail shares its route with the Colorado Trail briefly before branching off and heading up the northern ridge of the mountain. The first couple miles of the route are runnable before the trail gets too steep (though it still definitely starts out uphill). This is a well maintained trail and a good first 14er to try to run.

After breaking through treeline on the North Mount Elbert Trail around 11,800 feet, it's a steep power hike over several false summits. The trail becomes progressively rockier after leaving treeline, but it is easily to follow the entire time. The trail is VERY steep after leaving the Colorado Trail so hiking might come before treeline. Regardless, the trail is much harder to run above treeline. You can definitely run most of the downhill, though.

Lily Pond Lake is actually a collection of small mountain pools at the eastern base of Mount Elbert. Beavers are constantly changing the way water flows around the area, and you can easily observe beavers, fish, birds, and frogs at these ponds. Some of the pools are directly beside the Colorado Trail, and some of the larger ponds are further down a spur trail. This is an easy detour to add on to other runs when you are passing by the area.

Reaching an altitude of 12,600 feet, Hope Pass is nearly 1,000 feet above treeline and is a true Rocky Mountain Pass. The trails on both sides of the mountain have to use switchbacks to reach the peak that can sometimes stay snow covered until late July. A wooden staff with prayer flags marks the top of the pass, which is sandwiched between Quail Mountain (13,469 feet) to the east and Mount Hope (13,941 feet) to the west. This marks the high point in the Leadville 100 trail race. Both sides of the pass feature steep climbs and steep descents, but aid stations await at the river crossings in both valleys.

At 14,440 feet, Mount Elbert is the highest peak in Colorado and the second highest in the contiguous United States. Along with being the tallest peak in the state, it is also one of the most popular summits. There are a variety of routes to get to the top, and all are rewarded with 360 degree views of the Sawatch and Mosquito mountain ranges. Elbert can be one of the more "runnable" 14ers, but the upper mile and a half is usually power-hiking grades.