Uncompahgre Peak 14er Hike Guide
Uncompahgre Peak is a Class 2 Colorado 14er located in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado near Lake City. It is a moderate hike at 7.5 miles round trip with about 3,000 feet of gain from the upper trailhead or 15.5 miles and 5,500 feet from the lower one. Getting to the upper trailhead typically requires high clearance and 4×4 vehicle. Although Uncompahgre looks like a mountain straight out of the Alps, its trail is actually fairly mild consisting of mostly Class 1 terrain to get to the summit. Its common to pair Uncompahgre Peak with neighboring Wetterhorn Peak to knock out two 14ers in one day or trip.
Uncompahgre Peak Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
| Hike Rating | ★★★★ (4/5) |
| Area | San Juan Mountains, Colorado |
| Trailhead | Nellie Creek |
| Distance | 15.5 Miles Total (Lower TH) 7.5 Miles Total (Upper TH) |
| Route Type | Out and Back |
| Elevation Start | 9,310ft (Lower TH) 11,456ft (Upper TH) |
| Highest Elevation | 14,318ft |
| Total Elevation Gain | 5,500ft (Lower TH) 3,000ft (Upper TH) |
| Estimated Time to Complete | 5-7 Hours |
| Difficulty | Moderate – What does this mean? |
| YDS Class | Class 2 – What does this mean? |
| Exposure | Low |
| Best Season | June – October |
| Activity Type | Hiking, Trail Running, Backcountry Snowboarding |
| Crowds | Moderate |
| Dogs Allowed | Yes |
| Permit/Fee | No |
| Last Hiked Date | 5.27.23 |
Alternative Routes Up Uncompahgre Peak:
Uncompahgre Peak Virtual Trail Guide
In this virtual trail guide you’ll see the trailhead, route conditions, navigation tips, difficult sections, summit views, what to expect throughout the hike and of COURSE, my unique experience on this hike.
Uncompahgre Peak Route & GPX
The map below shows the route that I followed for this hike. GPX files are available through a suggested donation of $3-$5. Creating and maintaining hiking guides, videos and GPX files takes a tremendous amount of time. Your support helps keep The Virtual sherpa running, covers website hosting costs and allows me to continue creating free hiking content.
After making a donation, click the button below to send me an email with the hike name in the subject line. I’ll send the GPX file as soon as possible.
Uncompahgre Peak Directions & Parking
Protected Area Type: National Forest; Wilderness Area
Protected Area Name: Uncompahgre National Forest; Uncompahgre Wilderness
Trailhead: Nellie Creek
Coordinates: 38.06266738400894, -107.42203257511537
Driving Directions: From Lake City, take 2nd street and turn left onto Bluff Street which turns into Henson Creek Road/Alpine Loop Scenic Byway. Drive 5 miles on the rough, but passable but most vehicles, dirt road to reach the lower TH on your right. Park here if you do not have a 4×4 vehicle with high clearance and an experienced driver. The road will get very rough after this point. From the lower TH, it’s 4 miles to the Upper TH. The road starts off rough and gets worse after the 1st stream crossing about 1.8 miles in. Continue up the road, bearing left at the only junction you come across. After crossing the stream a 2nd time, this is where the most variables occur in terms of downed trees, rock and mudslides + remaining snow in early summer months. The road ends at the upper trailhead.
Parking: There is plenty of room at both the lower trailhead and upper trailhead to park. In between these two spots, parking is very limited and availability will depend on when you are hiking.
Permits or Reservation/Fee Description: No fee is required.
Uncompahgre Peak Overview
Assuming you start at the lower trailhead, walk up the rough dirt road, crossing the creek a few times, to reach the upper Nellie Creek trailhead. From here, the dirt trail winds through the forest and eventually emerges into a large drainage. The hike switches from dirt to rocky terrain but never exceeding class 1. As you work towards the saddle of Uncompahgre Peak, the trail picks up elevation gain steadily.
Once on the shoulder, the trail bears north and starts to get a lot more rocky, a bit exposed and the crux of the route is a Class 2. The scree is loose but not terribly steep or exposed even with snowy conditions. After gaining the summit block, the trail switches back to class 1 rocky but flat terrain and gains a bit more elevation on a wide slope before reaching the summit of Uncompahgre Peak. The summit block is massive but don’t let the space fool you, there are some serious drops from the summit and if you look careful enough, you can find some extremely exposed areas.
Plan Your Hike
Best Season: June through October is typically the best time to hike Uncompahgre Peak due to access issues with getting to both the lower road and the trailhead itself. If you visit outside of this period, expect to add a lot more mileage of hiking and vert depending on the road conditions.
Check Weather: Uncompahgre Peak Weather
Camping: In general, there are quite a few spots to camp along the Alpine Scenic Road before the Nellie Creek turnoff but be sure to avoid any private land. At the base of Nellie Creek road there are spots for several campsites and as you drive up the road more options randomly appear. Getting a campsite here will depend on when you visit, but if you have a 4×4 vehicle, you should not have a problem finding one. Please do not make new camping spots and follow all principles of Leave No Trace to keep this area accessible in the future.
Bathrooms: Non-plumbing bathrooms at the lower TH (about 50 yards to the west) and at the upper TH.
Hazards: Loose Rock, Exposure to Weather,
Dog Description: Uncompahgre is a great option for dogs with a little bit of mountain experience (due to the final Class 2 scramble). Since this hike is in a Wilderness area, please keep your dogs leashed.
Water Sources: Nellie Creek typically is a fairly reliable water source for the first few miles of this hike. After leaving it though and entering the upper basin, water is not an option anymore.
Drones: This entire hike is in a Wilderness area so drones are not allowed.
Hike Tip(s): When heading out to hike 14er Uncompahgre Peak, you will want a good weather window to allow for a safe hike. Once you leave the upper TH, there is about ¾ mile of tree coverage and then you are basically in an open field from the time you leave there until the time you top out on the summit. If weather changes or a storm catches you off guard, you will have no place to hide. Once you are on the summit, be very careful when exploring the north side of that area as the cliffs below drop several hundred feet to the valley below.
Best Views: Uncompahgre Peak offers A+ views for essentially the entire hike. Once you get to the summit, be sure to explore the area and soak in the views, they are some of the best Colorado has to offer.
Primary Attractions: Summit Views, Waterfall, Wildflowers,
Gear Needed
New to 14ers? This is What to pack for a 14er day hike.
Required Gear
- Hoka Mafate 5 – My go to hiking shoes and trail runners
- La Sportiva Cyklon – Great for scrambling
- Osprey Talon 22 Backpack
- Sunglasses
- Running Hat – Save 15% Using “DMRCMickey15”
- Base Layers
- T Shirt
- Mid Layer / Sun Hoodie
- Rain Jacket / Shell – Black Diamond
- Mountain Hardwear Puffy Jacket
- REI Sahara Pants
- North Face Wander Shorts
- Socks
- Hiking Poles – 120CM
Seasonal Gear
Optional Gear
- Helmet
- Water Filter
- Garmin inReach
- Headlamp
- Garmin Fenix Watch
- UD Running Vest
- Osprey Running Vest
- Film Gear: GoPro, Joby Tripod, Selfie Stick, GoPro Max 2 , Drone, Insta360
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
Dog Gear
More Hikes in the Area
- Matterhorn Peak
- Wetterhorn Peak
2 thoughts on “Uncompahgre Peak 14er Hike Guide”
How is this during winter?
A very long approach since roads are closed even allowing you to access lower TH. Plan on adding miles and miles of additional travel.