Discover the 5 Highest Peaks Along the Continental Divide Trail

The Continental Divide is a massive boundary that separates the Americas through mountains and river systems. It stretches from the Bering Strait in Alaska all the way to the Strait of Magellan in Chile. Along with the Continental Divide, there is an American trail that starts at the border between New Mexico and the Mexican state of Chihuahua and extends north to the border between Montana and Alberta, Canada. The trail is a popular one for hikers and avid mountaineers. The most popular segment of the trail is in the Colorado area where hikers get to experience the highest peaks on the Continental Divide Trail.

Let’s explore the five highest peaks along the Continental Divide Trail. We will also give you details of each peak and other fun facts.

Grays Peak

Grays Peak is the highest point on the Continental Divide Trail. It’s the highest summit of the Front Range, as well. Located in the Arapaho National Forest in Colorado, it is part of the Rocky Mountains. Grays Peak is considered to be a fourteener, which is a mountain that is more than 14,000 feet in elevation. Colorado has 53 of them.

The peak is named for Botanist Asa Gray, who oddly enough, was not the first to climb the summit. That honor was bestowed to Charles C. Parry in 1861 and he is the one who named the summit (after his colleague and friend Asa Gray, by the way). Grays Peak is a very climbable mountain and is quite accessible from various trails.

Torreys Peak

About a mile away from Grays Peak, Torreys Peak is the second-highest point along the Continental Divide Trail. Charles C. Parry also named this peak and instead of naming it after himself, he named it after another colleague of his, John Torrey. Torrey climbed the peak in 1872, 11 years after Parry did. Torreys Peak is accessible through various trails, but there are three main ones hikers use. One of them is used in conjunction with Grays Peak because of their proximity to one another.

Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness Highpoint 

With an elevation of 14,175 feet, the Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness Highpoint is located in both Lake and Pitkin counties in the state of Colorado. It is part of a wilderness area that contains an abundance of animals, as well as Linkins Lake. The wilderness area has about 50 trails you can take and it was established in 1978. The nearest city is Aspen, CO. The highpoint is part of Mount Massive, which is not on the Continental Divide Trail, but is part of the Sawatch Range.

Grizzly Peak

This peak is one of the highest along the trail, but one must not be confused with other Grizzly peaks. The state of Colorado has four other Grizzly peaks, as well as a Grizzly Mountain. Because this Grizzly Peak is the fourth-tallest, it is called “Grizzly Peak D.” The summit is accessible by several trails but the main one is at Loveland Pass. The views going up the summit are gorgeous and will allow you to see Chihuahua Lake. Moreover, you won’t need any mountain climbing equipment, like ropes, screw gates, harnesses, or ascenders, to get to it.

Ice Mountain

With an elevation of 13,960 feet, Ice Mountain has a cool name. Unfortunately for hikers and mountain climber lovers, Ice Mountain isn’t a fourteener by 40 feet. Located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, Ice Mountain gets all types of precipitation throughout the year, from snow in the winter to rain in the summer. If you have time to take a detour, about 5 miles from Ice Mountain is the eerie ghost town of Winfield.

Conclusion

And there you have it, these are the five highest peaks along the Continental Divide Trail. The trail is a popular hiking journey that mountaineers love to tackle. Especially when it comes to peaks, mountaineers love to push themselves to the limits and conquer anything. If you are a nature and outdoorsy person, hiking these segments of the trail will be an unforgettable experience. You can check it off your bucket list and say that you went to climb the highest peak along the Continental Divide Trail.

Five Highest Peaks Along the Continental Divide Trail