Mount Harvard ![](/files/icons/stars_four_half.png)
Distance: 13.6 miles (round trip)
Collegiate Peaks, San Isabel, near Buena Vista in Central Colorado
A scenic trail with a steady ascent and short class-2 scramble leads to the summit of Mount Harvard (14,420-ft.) where hikers are greeted with stunning, panoramic views of five 14,000-ft. summits in the Collegiate Peaks and the surrounding valley.
See Trail Detail/Full Description
- Distance: 13.6 miles (round trip) to Mount Harvard
- Elevation: 9,890-ft. at Trailhead
14,420-ft. at Mount Harvard - Elevation Gain: 4,530-ft. to Mount Harvard
- Difficulty: strenuous-difficult
- More Hikes in:
Buena Vista / Central Colorado
Why Hike Mount Harvard
Terrific views of a quintet of 14ers, the Horn Fork valley, Missouri Basin and the Pine Creek valley are the rewards of climbing Mount Harvard (14,420-ft.), the third highest summit in the Rocky Mountains. A long, steady climb on well-defined trails and a short scramble up the summit block make this a challenging but doable trail for fit, well acclimated hikers.
With a very early start you can summit Mount Harvard in a day. A better option is an overnight backpack that allows you to explore Bear Lake and the upper Horn Fork basin. I strongly advise waiting for the snow to melt before tackling this trail.
See the Bear Lake Trail for a detailed description of the first 5.2 miles of the hike to Mount Harvard.
Elevation Profile
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Trail Resources
Trail Detail/Full Description / Trail Photo Gallery / Trail Map
Basecamp(s) Information:
Region Information:
Central Colorado
Other Hiking Regions in:
Colorado