Mt. Evans and Mt. Spalding Loop Trail
If you’re looking for a chance to summit two mountains in a relatively short distance, Mt. Evans and Mt. Spalding Loop trail provides beautiful lake views and a great introduction to areas that are considered a class 2 route. I tried this hike around Labor Day, and I was lucky to have great weather for the nearly 5-mile trek. Continue reading to learn about hiking the Mt. Evans and Mt. Spalding Loop Trail and what you can expect when entering Mount Evans Recreational Area.
Getting to Mt. Evans
Mount Evans is one of the few Colorado 14ers that you can drive to. The Mount Evans Scenic Byway is typically open from Memorial Day to Labor Day and is the highest paved road in North America. Being located just 60 miles from Denver, the mountain is a popular day-trip for visitors.
There are Fees required to enter the Mount Evans Recreational Area. You can check the USDA Forest Service link here for updates regarding park fees. When we arrived, the fee to drive to the top of Mt. Evans was $10 per vehicle but only $5 for parking at Summit Lake.
Choosing a Starting Point
The Mt. Evans and Mt. Spalding loop trail begins and ends at Summit Lake. We parked at the lake and began the hike on the East side of Mount Evans. We walked some on the road that leads up to Mt. Evans before finding the trail. This part of the trail was the steepest part of the loop, leading us up nearly 1,400 feet to the top of Mt. Evans.
Summiting Mt. Evans first was a lot of effort, but I was really happy that we began the loop this way. Trying to come down this route would have been very slippery and it was great to get the steep part of the hike out of the way at the beginning of the morning.
Top of Mount Evans
The summit of Mount Evans was also not the highlight of the loop for me so I was glad to reach it early into the hike. Because the road was still open for driving to the summit, the top of the mountain was crowded. I loved the views but I was really interested in getting back on the trail to see even more of the area.
Continuing to Mount Spalding
The southwest side of Mt. Evans was rocky and had areas with some extreme drop-offs. It was a little harder to see the trail, but there were other hikers to show the way. Almost every hiker we passed started the loop going the opposite way as us. I did not run into mountain goats, but they are known for being around the trail.
Mount Spalding had amazing views of Mount Evans and Summit Lake. Because we were hiking down a from Mount Evans, reaching the top of the 13,482 ft. Mount Spalding did not require much of a climb. Right after summiting Mount Spalding, the trek down was a little more challenging for me with some cliffs and large rocks to work my way around.
Hiking with my Dog
Dogs are allowed on the trail provided they remain on a leash. The trail was rocky and may be difficult for some dogs. There were a few points into the loop where my dog needed to jump between rocks, but he did a great job and seemed to really enjoy the trail. The distance at just around 5 miles was also great for my dog who I don’t like to push too hard during hikes. A nice perk for hikers with dogs on this loop is that there are trash cans at the summit of Mt. Evans.
A Beautiful High Altitude Hike
This is the only trail where I spent the entirety of my hike above the trees. Being so exposed to the elements at high altitude was a thrilling experience. The terrain was rocky and it was interesting to observe all of the succulents. I hadn’t seen these type of plants on my other hikes at lower elevations.
AllTrails is a great resource for information about this route and other trails in the area. I recommend this hike if you are looking for an introduction to scrambling and for those who have an interest in hiking near cliffs. This was a really fun and challenging hike but not unbearable by any means. Due to the popularity of the Mount Evans summit, the best time for trying this loop would be during the middle of the week.
I hope you enjoyed learning about this trail! Continue following Nutshell or Two for more hikes in Colorado.
