Background
On Sunday, July 12th, 2020, I hiked and summitted Colorado's San Luis Peak. It's a 14,004 ft mountain in La Garita Mountain range. To get to the trailhead, it is best to have a 4-wheel-drive vehicle, otherwise an additional 1.5 miles or so of hiking is required in each direction. The road is only a single lane and at times challenging. I used AllTrails San Luis Summit GPS to determine the start of the hike, which is where there were a few parking spots.
The trail to the summit is clear to follow, there are only a few paths where it diverges to another trail. This is an easy 14,000 ft peak in Colorado, with the entire roundtrip hike being a little over 11 miles. The beginning is a bit steep but once over the hill, San Luis Peak is directly ahead. At the summit there are commanding views which show the remoteness of the area.
Given the remoteness of the area, one could camp at the trailhead. I had identified Marshall Park Campground, a first-come-first-serve campground, about 30 minutes away from the trail but it was occupied when I arrived the day before. I ended up going to Rio Grande Campground, where I found the last available camping spot.
Overall, San Luis Peak is an enjoyable day hike. One could see wildlife like deer and moose around the area. It takes about 6 hours or so to do the hike roundtrip, depending on how much one stops. The drive to the trailhead is difficult but with the right vehicle, it's safe.
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