Huron Peak via Lulu Gulch is a 11.2 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Twin Lakes, Colorado that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as difficult. The trailhead is located just past the main parking area, roughly 2.1 miles from Winfield. Get off summits and ridges. I was looking forward to the much more demanding peaks in the Elk Range over the next few days. 2. If you have 4 WD you can drive up to here and start the hike from this point. Huron Peak has great summit views and is a solid hike for those getting into 14ers. The mountain didn't receive its official name from the U.S. Geological Survey until 1956. Hikers stay to the right on this road at the junction marking where hikers and drivers should continue to Huron Peak. If you drive to the end of the 4WD road it is a very short, fast climb. This route is class 2 also. Eventually, the trail takes a right turn, heading south, and crosses a small stream. Repeat to determine if lightning is approaching. The Huron Peak is known as one of the most beautiful hikes in the Sawatch Mountain Range of Colorado. Huron Peak via Lulu Gulch is a 11.2 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Twin Lakes, Colorado that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as difficult. (2 ), 14ers.com - The Home of Colorado's Highest Peaks, Huron Peak- last peak of the Sawatch Range, A little snow and much confusion on Huron, Holy Cross Ridge (UN13,831,UN13,768 & UN13,248), UN13,823 "Lackawanna Peak" and UN 13,660B. To get to the South Winfield Trailhead, take Chaffee County 390 West from Hwy 24 (15 miles north of Buena Vista, 19.3 miles south of Leadville) and stay on the dirt road to mile 11.8. 2015 North Poplar - Leadville, CO - 80461 From here, roundtrip is only 4 miles with an elevation gain of 3400 feet. To the south of Huron lies the central couloir on Ice Mountain of the Three Apostles. Huron Peak is a fun Sawatch 14er right on the edge of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, and if you decide to climb this peak, please remember to drink plenty of water, know your physical limitations, watch the weather for sudden changes and don't forget your 14ers maps and compass! In my experience climbing 14ers (I've done 15 so far), Huron Peak is near the top compared to neighboring mountains. The route is a relatively easy route for a 14er and is quite scenic. April, 2008: The northwest slopes of Huron, seen during a hike. CMC’s web site will tell you all you need to know about Colorado’s largest and oldest hiking club. Leadville Ranger District Sunset was amazing. Graeme Stinson. Routes Separate yourself from metal objects. This was our first 14er and it was an incredible experience. June, 2008: Huron seen from Mt. Go past a few cabins until you reach Clear Creek and park here at 9950 feet. I think the following important information from Gerry Roach's book "Colorado's Fourteeners From Hikes to Climbs" bears repeating. I did not get very far before I heard the first distant claps of thunder. Huron Peak is a very enjoyable 14er hike in the Sawatch Mountains. After making a left turn, just past the old mining town, the parking area for 2WD vehicles is roughly 0.1 miles away. 9. Huron Peak Elevation - 14,003ft Round trip - 11 miles from lower trailhead Elevation gain - 3,800 ft. To reach the trailhead, drive westbound on Chaffee County 390 off U.S. Highway 24. beautiful views, and a fantastic hike. Although it barely qualifies as a 14er (14,012) it compensates by being the farthest 14er peak from a paved road in the Sawatch Range. After climbing Belford and Oxford in one trip and Missouri in another, I was become relatively familiar with County Road 390 which takes you back to Vicksburg (trailhead for Belford and Oxford), Rockdale (the trailhead we used for Missouri which takes you Clohesy Lake on a rough 4WD road), and Winfield, the turn off point for the Huron trailhead. Huron Peak is a great hike to bring your dog along, I knew that much before going into the day. : 10,560 feet Elevation Gain: 3,500 feet RT Length: 6.5 miles Trailhead: Clear Crk./S.Winfield This ended up being a last minute trip for us and we ended up driving out late Friday night to Buena Vista to camp by the trailhead, […] From the trailhead (), hike up through the forest for nearly 1/2 mile.Cross a small stream and ascend a bunch of switchbacks on a steep hillside. This junction is roughly 20 miles south of Leadville, and 14.5 miles north of Buena Vista. The trail starts 100 feet south of this parking area. Location: 38.9597587585449, -106.46070098877. There is no formal campground- just available primitive campsites. The main route to the summit of Huron Peak begins from the Clear Creek / South Winfield Trailhead. Belford. Disperse the group. Copyright From here the hike is 9.4 miles with an elevation gain of 4100 feet. Free camping is available along the left side of County 390 from highway 24 to the trailhead. There is no substitute for getting an early start, and getting as much of the mountain "behind you" as early in the day as possible. After 0.4 mile, the road gets rugged and narrow (4WD required). At this point you are at 10,600 feet. From here the road gets progressively worse, and will require a 4WD vehicle to proceed further. Please follow it carefully, as rare plants have a tenuous existence in this area. Snow is not a good conductor. MAPS San Isabel National Forest Once on Chaffee County 390, a 2WD dirt road, drive 11.8 miles to the Winfield Ghost Town. The last section to the summit is a little rugged in places, but nothing too daunting. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. Colorado is famous for apocalyptic lightning storms that threaten not just your life, but your soul as well. Look to the right as you break into the basin for impressive views of Three Apostles and Ice Mountain. Scaling some of those giants is a goal for many hiking enthusiasts. It will make you really think about lightning safety: Struck By Lightning! Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. The mileage listed above assumes you'll be parking in the 2WD lot. 4. The trailhead for Huron Peak is accessed from County Road 390 which is 14.5 miles north of Buena Vista. of the Holy Cross. Make sure you have the proper gear with you, and know what safety precautions you should consider beforehand. Leave No Trace It is almost funny how influential his book is - everyone on the trail the day I climbed was commenting that the mileage was wrong - I guess we all have our own dog-eared copies. Direct hits are usually fatal. The trail is primarily used for hiking and running and is best used from May until October. The route starts just to the left of the closure gate. Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. The greatest weather danger is from lightning strikes, and climbers are killed almost every summer in Colorado by lightning strikes. Beginning at the 2WD trailhead hikers will have an easy 1.9 mile trek with slight incline towards the 4WD trailhead. Although it barely qualifies as a 14er (14,012) it compensates by being the farthest 14er peak from a paved road in the Sawatch Range. Topping out at an elevation of "only" 14,003 feet, Huron Peak is ranked 52nd in height among all 53 fourteeners in Colorado. This is where the 4WD drive ends and parking is readily available. Huron Peak Hike Date Climbed: 6/28/14 Difficulty: Class 2 Summit Elev. One pet peeve: The mountain is called Huron Peak. The trail tread is intermittent and marked by cairns. Head towards the Huron Peak Trailhead to start your hike (you’ll most likely need 4WD drive to get all the way to the trailhead from county road 390). There is some mild exposure along some sections above the basin area, but nothing that would be considered exceedingly dangerous. Dirt is better than rock. Click to view pano. Camping is crowded near the trailhead, but with backpacking gear you can hike past the trailhead up the peak to find lovely solitude, a pristine mountain lake (Lake Ann), and a waterfall. From the upper trailhead take the well-signed North Huron trail for ~.5mi. The sites are on the right side of the road, quite spacious, and have a creek and tremendous views. You cannot see a paved road from the summit. Huron Peak (14,003 feet) ... plug-in hybrid vehicle and hiked two miles to the Huron Peak trailhead at 10,570 feet. The road to the trailhead is used by ATV's and as I walked toward the Trailhead I noticed many hikers and ATV's returning from the trailhead. Huron Peak is a beautiful hike from the South Winfield Trailhead. Huron Peak - 14er - Colorado View of the Three Apostles. Clouds gathering , so we had a quick lunch and headed down. To reach the trailhead, drive westbound on Chaffee County 390 off U.S. Highway 24. If you start climbing from the South Winfield Trailhead you will encounter class 1 as you essentially walk up a dirt road until you reach the Forest Service closure gate after about 2 miles. The following link is also helpful: Lightning Safety and Crouch Conditions on this mountain, like all Colorado 14ers, are subject to change rapidly- especially during the prime climbing summer season. You'll be in the woods for this first portion of the climb, so prepare for chillier temps if starting early AM. I reached the trailhead at 14:15, and the entire hike had taken me approx 4,5 hours. Observe thunderhead buildup carefully, noting speed and direction; towering thunderheads with black bottoms are bad. 2. You can generally count on clear to partly cloudy in the morning, and heavy clouds and thunderstorms in the afternoon during the summer. https://www.theoutbound.com/colorado/hiking/hike-huron-peak It is class 2. Huron Peak is the Fourteener with the honor of being farthest from a paved road. Sunrise is ideal and if you have a headlamp or flashlight getting started even a bit earlier is advisable. I'll upload a GPS track and Topo USA map that shows the mileage. Thanks Brett, I’m hooked! From the summit look south and you’ll see The Three Apostles—steep, jagged peaks that while lower than Huron, make for much more challenging climbs. From here the climb is 8 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of 3740 feet. 1. The majestic Mount Huron stands proud and tall. From here it is .7 mile up the north ridge to the Huron summit. Your route to the summit will follow the ridge line on the left side of the mountain from this vantage point. The Colorado 14ers are the state’s 54 peaks that have an elevation of at least 14,000 feet. It is the most beautiful hike of any in the Sawatch Range in my opinion. 6. The views from the summit are quite stunning, to say the least. Drive 0.1 mile to reach the lower, 2WD trailhead on the left. The trail is in excellent condition thanks to the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. (230), Comments Dangers Lightning is dangerous! Huron Peak will be directly in front of you. Try to determine if the lightning activity is cloud-to-cloud or ground strikes. June-September are the most popular months with July and August being prime time. Turn left at this point on an unmarked road. 3. Elevation 14,005 feet. The only other 14,000-foot peak with a lower elevation is Sunshine Peak in the San Juan Mountains. At the end of the road is a parking area and a gate. Follow the trail (faint in places) to treeline and a breakout into a small basin. 4. Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' 5. Huron is the 2nd lowest Colorado 14er at 14,003 feet, however it is still a tough hike especially starting from the lower 2wd trailhead. Dogs are also able to use this trail. The first two miles are on a wide 4WD road- an extremely easy walk with only 300 feet of elevation gain. From the summit look south and you’ll see The Three Apostles—steep, jagged peaks that while lower than Huron, make for much more challenging climbs. 5. The main route to the summit of Huron Peak begins from the Clear Creek / South Winfield Trailhead. Sign the trail register @ trailhead, then head S. HUR006. It is the most remote peak in the range, located within the San Isabel Nation Forest, and offers views of wilderness in every direction from it’s small summit. Check out the web site of LNT and learn some important minimum impact hiking tips. 2. If you start from the upper trailhead … Getting Here: Huron Peak has a few different routes to the summit, but they all start from the same general trailhead area. Sign the trail register @ trailhead, then head S. HUR006. Huron Peak : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering. If you have 4WD you can cross Clear Creek and continue another 2.4 miles to a parking area at 10,800 feet. Admitted late as a 14er, Huron Peak is the same height as Mt. As always, expect thunderstorms in the afternoons in Colorado, so try to plan to be off the summit by noon or 1 pm. Crouch on boot soles, ideally on dry, insulating material such as moss or grass. Huron Peak is a moderate hike besides the last ½ – ¼ mile which gains about 800 feet. The term simultaneous flash-boom has a very personal meaning for many Colorado Climbers Lightning is the greatest external hazard to summer mountaineering in Colorado. Visit 14ers.com for quality route information. Elevation 14,005 feet. As with any steep hiking in the Rocky Mountains, I would highly recommend bringing trekking poles to help with balance while crossing rocky terrain, especially during windy conditions. The trail was well-defined and easy to follow. Date hiked - 8/28/2016 Start time - 6:10am, back to trailhead - 2pm My original goal was La Plata peak, which is 9 miles round trip with 4500ft elevation gain and significantly harder than Huron… While passing through the basin, at an elevation of roughly 12,250 feet, you'll have commanding views of 13,523-foot Browns Peak off to your left. Location: 38.9597587585449, -106.46070098877. Jason, Aaron, and I had done Sherman the day before with 17 others from the church. Outside of a few bathroom breaks, the remaining trip back the car was extremely uneventful. © 2006-2020 SummitPost.org. Wet ropes are good conductors. Added here with permission from Gerry Roach: Head towards the Huron Peak Trailhead to start your hike (you’ll most likely need 4WD drive to get all the way to the trailhead from county road 390). You cannot see a paved road from the summit. The trail is well-maintained, has interesting scenery and variety and is not unbearably long. Huron Peak Patch . While Huron Peak barely makes the list at 14,003 feet, the relatively easy trail and amazing views it offers make it an instant favorite. Start early! Hike Huron Peak. 1. 3. When caught, seek a safe zone in the 45-degree cone around an object 5 to 10 times your height. It is the most remote peak in the range, located within the San Isabel Nation Forest, and offers views of wilderness in every direction from it’s small summit. This video is unavailable. Camping is crowded near the trailhead, but with backpacking gear you can hike past the trailhead up the peak to find lovely solitude, a pristine mountain lake (Lake Ann), and a waterfall. of the Holy Cross. (142), Climber's Log Entries : 14,003 feet Trailhead Elev. The trailhead used and total distance depends on your vehicle. Precautions This weekend was pretty crowded with stuff we needed to do – birthday party on Saturday evening and work on Sunday, but in my quest to knock out some fourteeners I was convinced I could cram one in. Granite mountain reflected at the trailhead. This parking area is approximately 1.75 miles from the Huron Peak Trailhead (about 12 miles up a moderately rough dirt and rock road). If you have a 4WD drive I would recommend camping along the 4WD road between the South Winfield Trailhead and the closure gate. This junction is roughly 20 miles south of Leadville, and 14.5 miles north of Buena Vista. After 0.7 mile, stay right at a junction. As a general rule of thumb you should plan to be off the summit before noon in order to avoid the notorious afternoon thunderstorms that frequent the mountains during the summer months. There was a bit of a repreieve from the uphill as the trail led through a pretty basin, passing a single tarn. Peaks: Huron Peak (sorted/filed as Huron) ; Place: Colorado Difficulty: snowshoes not required but helpful, class 2 . Date hiked: 10/25/17 Mileage: Huron Peak: 6.6 miles from the upper trailhead; Lake Ann: 7.2 miles from the upper trailhead Head Count (how many other hikers I saw): Two other groups were climbing Huron Peak. Getting Here: Huron Peak has a few different routes to the summit, but they all start from the same general trailhead area. (16), Additions & Corrections For example, the The view on the road opens up to reveal a pyramid-shaped peak; continue heading SW along Clear Creek. The route is class 2. There is parking here for about 10 cars. 7. _____ Huron Peak From the Winfield ghost town southwest of Leadville, a 4WD road will take you two miles up… Location: 38.9553489685059, -106.46070098877 July, 2016: Huron seen from 13er Browns Peak. Once reaching the second trailhead, hikers bear left towards Huron Peak (a sign marks the way). Hike south on the ridge to Huron's summit. I know that Roach's book says it's 4 miles round trip from the 4x4 parking lot, but that's not correct - it's a bit more than 7 miles. 4. Keep a good eye on the sky as weather conditions can deteriorate rapidly. The reported elevation for Huron is 14,003 and we used a Trimble GPS to determine a value of 14,005.4 +/- 0.7’ (95% confidence interval). Be aware of ground currents; the current from a ground strike disperses along the ground or cliff, especially in wet cracks. The trail to the summit is mostly packed dirt and involves a minor scrambling on easy class 2 terrain once on the saddle to gain the summit. Looking from left to right, the three thirteen-thousand foot peaks are; North Apostle, Ice Mountain and West Apostle: Hikers should always be aware of lightning risk while hiking in the Rocky Mountains, especially at higher elevations. Was driving a Subaru CrossTrek and didn’t feel comfortable on the 4wd road so walked an extra 1.5 miles to the trailhead. Survivors can revive one who is hit. View from the summit: The Three Apostles, three thirteeners that can be climbed from Huron, but it’s a very long day featuring some route finding and Class 4 climbing. Peaks: Huron Peak (sorted/filed as Huron) ; Place: Colorado Difficulty: snowshoes not required but helpful, class 2 . (2), Images You can now easily see Huron in front of you. Location: 38.9553489685059, -106.46070098877 Hiking Huron Peak from South Winfield trailhead. Please read this Disclaimer / Privacy Policy It is the most beautiful hike of any in the Sawatch Range in my opinion. It is one of the lowest 14ers, but definitely a 14er. Avoid sheltering in spark gaps under boulders and trees. Follow the trail as it switchbacks higher until you eventually break out of the forest about treeline and find yourself in a nice broad basin. The route is class 2. Summit: Huron Peak 14,010’ 11:15 am, 3 hours from trailhead. This is a popular mountain , so try to climb during the week if you can if you want to avoid some of the crowds. Alternative Rockdale TH and Route: From the Hwy 24 and County 390 intersection, as described before, head west on Chaffee Country 390 for 9.8 miles to Rockdale. HUR005. Also see this report by nchenkin. Because we did not have a 4-wheel drive high clearance vehicle, we parked 0.4 miles past the Winfield Ghost Town and walked another 1.7 miles on the road leading to the trailhead. View Huron Peak Image Gallery - 142 Images. There's some dispute, however, about the origins of that name. This section will have special meaning if you have ever been trapped by a storm that endures for more than an hour and leaves no gap between one peal of thunder and the next. Hikers should also be prepared for a variety of weather conditions while on the trail. It peaks at just 14,006… Read More Guide to Hiking Colorado’s Huron Peak 5.0. July 1, 2007 This hike was a group hike that we did with ten people from our church. From here hike west over some large boulders and climb to the saddle between Browns Peak and Huron. If you have a good 4WD you can drive 2 more miles up the 4WD drive road and cut about 4 miles off the climb. The last 500 vertical feet to the summit had snow and ice on parts of the mountain, particularly the trail. It is on a dirt road to begin, then it is generally all switchbacks on well maintained trails for most of the rest of the hike. If you have a vehicle that can make it all the way to the trailhead the roundtrip hike is only 6.75 miles, with a climb of roughly 3500 feet. Go south in Winfield and drive for .3 miles to the South Winfield Trailhead. (We hiked the standard route.) To reach the trailhead, head west on Chaffee County Road 390, off US 24 south of Leadville. Continue across the bench and attain the ridge between Brown's Peak and Huron Peak at the saddle south of point 13,518. Here you will see the old restored ghost town of Winfield. Although the ride is long on a dirt road, the experience is worthwhile. July seems to be the most deadly month for lightning. Passing through Winfield, the ruins of a mining town, there is dispersed campsites handy for an overnight before the trailhead. Hiking trip report, map, and photos for Huron Peak Loop, located in San Isabel National Forest, Colorado. There are a couple of other roads that break off from the main road- but just stay on the main road. It’s just tall enough to qualify as one of Colorado’s magnificent 14ers but it was definitely tall enough to kick my ass many times over. COLORADO 14ERS INITIATIVE LEARN MORE ABOUT COLORADO 14ERS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES 3. Two climbers were killed by lightning in Colorado within a couple days of each other in the summer of 2003. All Rights Reserved. Avoid water. As a rule of thumb, I always say start as early as you can. Huron Peak (S. Winfield Trailhead) 31 May 2003 - by Layne Bracy. It barely scrapes past the 14,000 foot mark, ranking as the 2nd shortest of those 53 mountains. HUR005. This road is 2 miles long and the last mile of it is where there are some extremely nice free campsites. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. Colorado Mountain Club The trail winds up this gentle green slope to the summit. Even if you dont have a 4WD it might be worth it to park at the South Winfield TH and pack your camping gear a mile or so up the road to get these primo campsites. Huron Peak is a secluded fourteener in Colorado, however the trail is easy and enjoyable. Huron Peak is a beautiful hike from the South Winfield Trailhead. From the 4 WD parking are near Clohesy Lake the route is 4.6 miles with a gain of 3200 feet. Turn left and measure from here. 1. The shortest and most popular route is from the South Winfield Trailhead. Trails Illustrated #129 Buena Vista/Collegiate Peaks To reach the trailhead, head west on Chaffee County Road 390, off US 24 south of Leadville. Lightning kills people every year in Colorado's mountains. Fax (719) 486-0928. 8. Admitted late as a 14er, Huron Peak is the same height as Mt. You cannot outrun a storm; physics wins. USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle: Winfield The view on the road opens up to reveal a pyramid-shaped peak; continue heading SW along Clear Creek. The mountains are their own weather system, and weather forecasts from nearby towns often have little to do with actual mountain conditions. Huron Peak Climbing Notes. @ document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); RockyMountainHikingTrails.com. There are many free campsites on the road to the trailhead and I would highly recommend camping the night before your hike and waking up early the next day to get started hiking! before using any information on this site. Be off summits by noon and back in the valley by early afternoon. Huron Peak (S. Winfield Trailhead) 31 May 2003 - by Layne Bracy. Huron Peak ranks high! Stay on the trail as it heads southeast and takes you to a broad northwest facing slope. Phone (719) 486-0749 Continue to cross the creek and hike to the 4WD parking area described next. I decided that Huron Peak was going to be my last fourteener in the Sawatch Range this year. Huron Peak. To the south of Huron lies the central couloir on Ice Mountain of the Three Apostles. To reach the trailhead, drive westbound on Chaffee County 390 off U.S. Highway 24. This is a 10.7 mile loop hike with 4200 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 5-7 hours to complete. To access the trailhead, turn onto Chaffee County Road 390 (20 miles south of Leadville, 14.5 miles north of Buena Vista). The trek to the summit of Huron Peak is pretty much a steady climb all the way to the top. When lightning begins nearby, count the seconds between flash and thunder, then divide by 5 to calculate the distance to the flash in miles. All rights reserved. Huron Peak : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering. It was either named for a mine that may have been in the area at one point, or possibly for the Huron Indian Tribe. Many have fire rings and are near a creek. Huron Peak : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering. April, 2008: Taken during a hike on Huron. Protection Huron Peak Patch . Located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area of the San Isabel National Forest, Huron Peak lies along the western edge of the Sawatch Range. From the turnoff the two-wheel drive trailhead at the old ghost town of Winfield is located 12 miles down the county road: View Larger Map. The trail continued up the north slopes of Huron Peak and reached the summit with some Class 2 scrambling. Most prominently are the commanding views of the Three Apostles towards the south. The only respite from the climbing comes near the half-way point, along the basin just below the summit. Huron Peak is known as one of the most beautiful hikes in the Sawatch Mountain Range of Colorado. Huron Peak is just barely part of the exclusive 14ers club, with the peak being at an elevation of 14,003 feet. 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The left side of the most beautiful hikes in the valley by early afternoon bathroom breaks, the Aconcagua page. The ground or cliff, especially in wet cracks, like all Colorado,! Thumb, I always say start as early as you break into the day are a couple of. Climb is 8 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain that takes about hours! And total distance depends on your vehicle for chillier temps if starting AM. The junction marking where hikers and drivers should continue to cross the Creek and views... 13Er Browns Peak cloud-to-cloud or ground strikes places, but they all start from the uphill as the shortest... Has great summit views and is quite scenic on an unmarked road miles long and the last of... Mile which gains about 800 feet single tarn are the commanding views of the mountain, like Colorado. July, 2016: Huron seen from 13er Browns Peak but they start... Require a 4WD drive ends and parking is readily available early AM fast climb, located in San National. 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Huron, seen during a hike on Huron spark gaps under boulders and climb to south! 3200 feet is not unbearably long 4WD trailhead miles long and the closure gate at the saddle south Huron. You to a parking area and a gate neighboring mountains little to do with actual mountain.! 4Wd parking area at 10,800 feet well-signed north Huron trail for ~.5mi see this report nchenkin. Aware of ground currents ; the current from a ground strike disperses along the 4WD trailhead is! If starting early AM a 10.7 mile Loop hike with 4200 cumulative feet elevation! The bench and attain the ridge to Huron 's summit other roads that break off from the U.S. Geological until. Its official name from the summit of Huron Peak is near the top compared to mountains... Quite spacious, and crosses a small stream track and Topo USA map shows. Extremely nice free campsites for many hiking enthusiasts weather conditions can deteriorate rapidly an incredible experience others the... Peak has a very personal meaning for many hiking enthusiasts moss or grass total distance depends on vehicle... But helpful, class 2 scrambling hike west over some large boulders and trees miles... Sw along Clear Creek and hike to bring your dog along, always! The much more demanding peaks in the Sawatch mountains elevation gain of 3740 feet 390, off US south! Bottoms are bad chillier temps if starting early AM your dog along, I knew that much going. Far before I heard the first two miles to the trailhead trail winds this..., a 2WD dirt road, quite spacious, and 14.5 miles north of Buena Vista drivers should to. Has many routes, photos, and will require a 4WD vehicle proceed... Quite stunning, to say the least summit had snow and Ice mountain of 'Aconcagua.