5 Stunning Hikes Near Breckenridge, CO
1. Mohawk Lakes
8.4 miles, 2,106 ft elevation gain - This trail is absolutely gorgeous and worth every foot of elevation gain. This trail had been on our hiking list for quite some time, and we finally were able to tackle it this past June. Mohawk Lakes has all of the things we want in a Colorado hike (three alpine lakes, wildflowers, mountain goats, and a waterfall).
Tips For Best Experience: You can shave off a bit of mileage if you have a 4WD vehicle with high clearance. We attempted to drive part of this road, but it really is rough and slow going and also part of the trail, so you will have to dodge people hiking. We recommend just parking in the lot and hiking it instead (unless off roading is thrilling for you). Most Colorado hikes are best done in the early morning, before afternoon thunderstorms. It is very popular and unless you go early, you will most likely be joined by other hikers. This trail is best hiked in the summer, due to snow melting until around July. We went mid June and although we did not have any issues getting to the upper lake, we did have to traverse some snow near the upper lake, and the wildflowers were not in full bloom.
2. Herman Gulch
7.2 miles, 1,774 ft elevation gain - Herman Gulch is actually closer to Dillon and Silverthorne than Breckenridge, but it is worth mentioning if you are in the area. It is only a 35 minute drive and conveniently located off of the interstate. And, it now one of our favorite hikes in Colorado. The hike starts off steep but becomes more gradual as you go and is beautiful the entire way. After hiking through the forest for a few miles, you will come out into the gulch with wildflowers and eventually end at an alpine lake.
Tips For Best Experience: The parking lot is huge and we did not have any trouble finding parking near the end of June. Many people that were hiking this trail were backpackers, as there are other trails that veer off from the Herman Gulch trail. We hiked during late afternoon/evening (when you are advised not to hike in Colorado). There is a reason for it as we ran into rain and sleet and a gloomy sky for the rest of the hike. I would recommend getting here early in the day before the afternoon thunderstorms hit. This trail is best hiked July-September, when the snow has melted and the lake has thawed. We did not have any issues near the end of June, but wildflowers were just starting to bloom.
3. McCullough Gulch
6.4 miles, 1,607 ft elevation gain - It was hard to pick between this hike and Herman Gulch as they both are amazing hikes. This hike features two lakes and a waterfall, along with wildflowers and mountain goats. It is also similar to Mohawk Lakes as far as scenery, so you really can’t go wrong with any of these three hikes. The parking situation is much better at Herman Gulch, so that was definitely a win.
Tips For Best Experience: Coordinating this hike was a bit of a pain due to the parking situation. Breckenridge now has a reservation system in place at the parking lot which is shared with hikers who are parking for Quandary Peak. You can reserve a parking permit here. The short term (3.5 hours) parking permit ($5-$20) is intended for this hike, but I think it would be difficult to make it to the waterfall, both lakes, and the trailhead in that time frame, unless you did not stop at all to enjoy the scenery. Parking is free starting at 3PM and the shuttle runs every 30 minutes from both of the trailheads to the parking lot until 4:30PM. So you could park at 3PM and take the shuttle to the trailhead, and then walk back to the parking lot after your hike. We forgot about the shuttle and ended up parking around 3:30 and walking the extra 1+ mile to the trailhead. However, hiking in the evening is not always ideal, as we ran into bad weather and did not make it to the upper lake. If you need more than 3.5 hours, you have to pay for full day parking ($25-$50). However, you can take a shuttle from Breckenridge instead, which charges $15 per person for the round trip. You can book the shuttle from Breckenridge here.
4. Quandary Peak
6.6 miles, 3,326 ft elevation gain - Probably the most famous hike in the area, Quandary Peak is sure to make every Breckenridge hiking list due to its 14er status and the fact that it is one of the easier 14ers to tackle. Many people actually choose this for their first 14er hike, as it is only a 6.6 mile round trip! It took us just a bit under 6 hours to complete, and that was with stopping at the top for a few photos. While not my favorite hike in Colorado (I prefer waterfalls, alpine lakes, and wildflower meadows), it does have some great views from the top and you get some serious bragging rights. Bonus - you often see mountain goats on this hike! We actually saw three on the way down.
Tips For Best Experience: This is another hike with the same parking dilemma as McCullough Gulch (see above). Unless you have someone to drop you off and pick you up for free, you will be most likely paying to do this hike. The parking lot reservation ranges from $25-$50 for the day, and if you take the shuttle from Breckenridge, you are looking at $15 per person. We opted to reserve a parking spot during the weekday for $25. We reserved the day beforehand, but you can reserve up to 14 days in advance. You can park in the parking lot starting at 4AM (but not beforehand), which is a bummer if you were hoping for an epic sunset at the top. We hardly ran into anyone on the way up, but a ton of people on the way down. Make sure you are acclimated to the elevation before this hike to avoid altitude sickness. You can also purchase canisters of oxygen in town.
Blue Lakes Trail
1 mile, 108 ft - This is the perfect trail for you if you want to see some beautiful alpine lakes but aren’t into the long, difficult hikes. There is also a waterfall if you take the short hike around lower Blue Lake.
Tips for Best Experience: Apparently this is a very busy trail but we came at sunrise and did not have any issues finding a parking spot. Best to get here early as it started to get more crowded as we were leaving. You don’t have to do much hiking at all to view both of the lakes, and no hiking whatsoever to view the lower lake. The road is closed to get to the upper lake, so you do have to walk up the road to get to this one.
