Mount Harvard

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

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