Plan with
Confidence
Regional Classic
A must do route for the area handpicked by local experts.
Almost all of this trail is in the Mount Blue Sky Wilderness. Wilderness rules apply. Summit Lake trailhead access is from the Mount Blue Sky highway which is generally open to Summit Lake Memorial Day through the end of September however you need a reservation to go up the road. Currently a reservation fee is $17 or $2 with an America The Beautiful Pass. Trailhead parking is on Denver Mountain Parks property, which also charges a fee. https://www.recreation.gov/timed-entry/10087438
Path Type
There and Back
Park at Summit Lake Trailhead and head out along the trail to Chicago Lakes Overlook. From here, you head west and start of the Mount Blue Sky Ridge Trail #51. The trail is not easy, and there are default moments of exposure. The way is rocky, craggy and requires a good bit of fitness to tackle well. After about a 1 mile, you'll reach the summit of Mount Spalding, a 13er that sits on the ridge. From here, the grade is generally much gentler, though there are still a few steeper parts. Almost to the summit, you'll join the Mount Blue Sky summit trail (NRT) which comes up from the parking area just below the peak. Enjoy the views, explore the ruins, and check out the observatory before navigating your way back down. Remember to check the weather before you hike. Storms are incredibly dangerous here, and there is no shelter along this entire trail.
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