Hiking in Colorado in July is absolutely amazing, but you have to be realistic about your abilities. I say this anywhere but in Colorado for sure. The standard elevation as you head up from Denver (which already sits at 5,280′) can be anywhere from 9,000′ all the way up to 11,500′. Your body changes. Muscles, joints and you will even notice your head having problems, whether it be headaches or dizziness.

I started with this as a fair warning that this hike starts at 11,686′. I had no real issues until recently with elevation. We did our first 14er in 2016 and it felt like any other hike. This time, my joints and my muscles didn’t know how to react. Even with being at 10,000′ for about a week, staying hydrated and eating a lot! I would be telling my legs to move and they couldn’t do more than a snails pace. It was frustrating and a bit demoralizing, but I kept telling myself how high we were and kept moving.

Hike to Square Top Mountain or Hike to Square Top Lakes

This was a beautiful hike and I think anyone with an average physical ability could make it to the Square Top Lakes. It will be a challenge to make it all the way to the top of Square Top Mountain. I will give the stats for both and you can decide which you want to do. You do need to prepare differently for each of them.

	Square Top Mountain	Square Top Lakes
Trailhead Elevation	11,686′	11,686′
Miles	7	5
Elevation Gain	2,500′	1,000′
Max Elevation	13,794′	12,304′
Difficulty	Hard	Moderately Hard
Time	This depends on your ability, but I would set aside a minimum of 4 hours.	It took us under 2 hours.
Dogs	Yes, on leash, especially if you head to the top. Mountain goats, pikas and just for their safety.	Yes, on leash, most do not follow this rule.
Water	Bring more than you think you will need, unless you have a filter.	Bring more than you think you will need, unless you have a filter.
Best Month	July	July

Getting to the Trailhead

This was actually pretty amazing. Across the street is the trailhead for Bierstadt, which is one of the most popular 14ers. People will line the road for miles and you can turn into the trailhead for Square Top and find spots. Not always but we arrived on a Sunday at 11:00am and there were multiple spots. Popular for motorcycles to stop and have a beverage with a view, they don’t stay for long. There is a suspect vault toilet. Use at your own risk, but better than nothing in a bind.

Trailhead Coordinates: 39.597283, -105.712574

The trail starts just to the left of the vault toilets for both hikes.

The beginning of the trail feels like rolling hills, which will help your lungs get used to the elevation. In July it is wildflower season so make sure to enjoy them!

You will have a view of Square Top Peak the entire hike and the climb that awaits you. It’s absolutely beautiful.

At around 1.9 miles you will reach the turn off to either Square Top Lakes to the right, where you will get a gradual incline then a leisurely hike to the Square Top Lake or Square Top Peak to the left, where you need to prepare yourself for a hard climb.

We decided to head left. Even if we decided not to go to the peak, there would be a great view of Square Top Lakes. At 2.1 miles you will make it to the second sign where you take a right and this is where it becomes incredibly steep on lose rock.

We definitely took it slow and came across a few couples that had went to the peak and said that the last half mile was steeper than what we were on and very loose scree. They didn’t recommend heading any higher at the time, especially since there was a storm rolling in.

Where I am pointing is the first point that you have to climb to before you get to the last climb to the right.

We decided to stop here and take in the view. I let the remaining climb get to me mentally and for safety reasons from the storm, we decided it was best to turn around. It is hard. It sometimes makes you think you are a failure or giving up. That every reason is just an excuse, especially since I know I am capable. I am not sure where this mentality came from but it shouldn’t be something that you have to talk yourself into. If you are not feeling it, you are not feeling it. We were happy with the 5 miles we got in that day. Time on feet is what is important to us and experiencing new trails together.

It really was worth it just for this view!

Packing List

The following items are what we think you should have for each of the hikes.

Square Top Mountain

Poles and good hiking shoes are a must, along with a jacket that can break the wind and cold. Water, snacks, chapstick, sunscreen, bug repellent and mole skin for blisters.

Square Top Mountain Lakes

I do not think you need poles for this hike but if you are used to using them, then bring them. Otherwise, the packing list is the same for Square Top Lakes as Square Top Mountain. Except maybe a blanket that folds if you plan to hang out at the lake. The weight of a fun drink would be worth it!

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