Mount Harvard

Distance: 13.6 miles (round trip)

Collegiate Peaks, San Isabel, near Buena Vista in Central Colorado

View to the west/northwest from the summit

View to the west/northwest from the summit

 

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

Elevation Profile for Mount Harvard

Best Hiking in Central Colorado around Aspen, Marble, Leadville, Buena Vista and Crested Butte

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Trail Resources

Trail Detail/Full Description / Trail Photo Gallery / Trail Map

Basecamp(s) Information:
Buena Vista

Region Information:
Central Colorado

Other Hiking Regions in:
Colorado