Trails · Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Cone Trail
A conical 11,006-foot summit on the park's eastern edge — a steady forest climb over Storm Pass, then a short, steep scramble to a rocky crown with a 360° view straight into the face of Longs Peak.
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Estes Cone is the shapely, pointed peak you notice from all over the Estes valley, and its summit earns its keep: a near-360-degree view taking in Longs Peak and the Diamond to the south, the Twin Sisters to the east, and the Glacier Creek valley and Continental Divide to the west and northwest. It's reached over Storm Pass, either from the Lily Lake trailhead on Highway 7 (about 6.8 miles round trip, ~2,100 feet of gain) or from the Longs Peak trailhead (about 6.6 miles round trip). Most of the way is a pleasant, moderate forest climb.
The final push is what makes it: from the Storm Pass junction, the Estes Cone spur climbs steeply and roughly — nearly 800 feet in about two-thirds of a mile — with a bit of easy scrambling over granite to reach the very top. Save it for dry conditions and a settled sky. This is Rocky Mountain National Park, so dogs aren't allowed, and a timed-entry permit may be required to reach the Longs Peak/Lily Lake corridor in summer.
Trail Facts
Difficulty
Moderate–Difficult
Round trip
~6.6–6.8 mi (via Storm Pass)
Summit
11,006 ft
Elevation Gain
~1,600–2,100 ft (by route)
Final spur
~800 ft in 0.7 mi — steep, scrambly
Bikes
Not allowed (National Park)
Dogs
Not allowed (National Park)
Season
Summer–fall
Manager
Rocky Mountain National Park
Getting There
Reach Estes Cone over Storm Pass from either the Lily Lake Trailhead on Highway 7 (~6 miles south of Estes Park) or the Longs Peak Trailhead. Follow the Storm Pass Trail to the Storm Pass junction, then take the Estes Cone spur to the summit. A timed-entry permit may be required for the Longs Peak corridor in summer; both lots fill early.
| — | Storm Pass Trail from Lily Lake or Longs Peak Trailhead |
| Storm Pass | Junction — Estes Cone spur begins |
| +0.7 mi | Steep scramble up the cone (~800 ft) |
| Summit | Estes Cone, 11,006 ft — 360° views to Longs Peak |
Know Before You Go
- Steep, rugged finish. The last 0.7 mile up the cone is steep with easy scrambling — sure footing and dry rock required.
- National Park rules. No dogs; a timed-entry permit may be required for the Longs Peak/Lily Lake corridor in summer.
- Exposed summit. Start early and be off the top before afternoon storms.
- Carry water. None on the trail.
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- Poudre Wilderness Volunteers — trail patrols & the official trail description Donate →
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- Google & USGS — trailhead location, ratings & topographic maps
Trail details compiled by the Red Feather Lakes Travel Guide from the sources above. Photography by us — more of our own trail images coming as we hike them.