East Longs Peak Trail

East Longs Peak Trail is the principal hiking approach in Rocky Mountain National Park for reaching the Longs Peak summit via the Keyhole Route. It starts from the Longs Peak Trailhead off CO Highway 7, south of Estes Park, and climbs steadily until the character shifts into more exposed, scramble-oriented terrain near the top.

Plan for a long, high-effort day: the Keyhole Route is about 14 miles round-trip with roughly 4,850 feet of elevation gain, and most parties take around 10 to 15 hours to complete it. The route is managed as a hiking corridor (SAC scale hiking, T1), but the summit approach includes Class 3 scrambling elements.

Above treeline, the environment becomes alpine and exposed, with the long route spending much of its time over 10,000 feet. A common waymarkers-and-cairns rhythm takes over near the Keyhole: once you reach the Boulder Field area, the “trail” becomes a rock-hop route delineated by cairns rather than a continuously treaded path.

Notable waypoints on the East Longs Peak / Keyhole line include Eugenia Mine Trail early on, then the Chasm Lake junction around mid-route. Chasm Lake and its surroundings sit high enough to support side goals, while the main line continues onward toward the Boulder Field and the final Keyhole section.

Key high features of the upper section include the Boulder Field sea of rock and the Keyhole itself—a gap in the ridge that serves as the gateway to the summit route. Approaching the Keyhole, the route becomes more committing and scrambling-focused for the remainder to the summit.

Because weather is a deciding factor at this altitude, start very early and aim to be positioned for a summit attempt before conditions destabilize. Late-day thunderstorms and lightning risk rises in the afternoon, and the route design (high exposure plus scrambling) makes turning around partway a normal, prudent option.

More information: Booking, Visitor information, Tips for Summiting Longs Peak, Part I: Preparation