Hiking in Crested Butte | Hiking Teocalli Peak

After doing some hiking in the Crested Butte area, hiking Teocalli Peak (13,208 feet) was next on our radar. So far, we hadn’t done any summits and it was definitely time! With so many hikes and peaks to explore in the beautiful Crested Butte area, we decided our next adventure was going to be hiking Teocalli Peak.

Hiking Teocalli Peak is a steep, challenging adventure to a very rewarding summit! The views from atop Teocalli are truly incredible – extremely beautiful, vast and surprisingly colorful. We had done a bit of hiking in the Crested Butte area but we had yet to experience a Colorado summit. And there are so many trails and peaks to choose from in the area! We were really happy with our decision to hike Teocalli Peak.

Quick Info: Hiking Teocalli Peak

Directions: From Crested Butte, take CO-135 S for 2 miles then make a left onto Brush Creek Road/CR 738. Continue for 5.3 miles to a junction and turn left onto West Brush Creek Road. From here, the Teocalli Mountain Trailhead is another 5 miles but 4WD and high clearance may be necessary. There are pull offs along the way so gauge your vehicles ability.

Difficulty: Strenuous; over 3,000 feet elevation gain

Distance: About 5 miles roundtrip if you park at the actual trailhead.

Our Experience Hiking Teocalli Peak

After reading that high clearance/4WD was necessary to reach the Teocalli Peak Trailhead, we weren’t sure what we might encounter. We made it to a pull off near the large/long river crossing and decided better safe than sorry. This is where we started our hike, though in hindsight, we definitely could have gone further!

If you’re also undecided, there are definitely places to pull off immediately after the large river crossing, as well as several more pull offs before reaching the trailhead. Although the road is rough, and narrow in some spots, we did see one Subaru parked at the actual trailhead on our way back down.

Walking along the road from where we parked wasn’t too bad. We walked about a mile before reaching the parking area and sign for Teocalli Peak. And the adventure begins!

The Start of the Climb to Teocalli Peak

Already, looking up at Teocalli, we were amazed at how vibrant and green it was! So beautiful. The trail begins on a narrow path through some lush vegetation. Then the single track dirt trail gradually ascends the soft meadow-esque mountainside. Along this section, the views are wide open and as we climbed, the views were beautiful of the valley below.

From the beginning of the trail, the ascent looks gradual but there are definitely some steep areas. We had the trail to ourselves at this point, with the exception of two mountain bikers who were not hiking Teocalli Peak but were instead starting a ride from the Teocalli Ridge.

The vast views, vibrant green, numerous colorful wildflowers and the rocky peak looming above made for a very scenic climb!

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Next, the trail enters a patch of woods as the trail continues to climb. Up ahead, we reached a junction sign for Teocalli Ridge Trail and Teocalli Mountain Trail. But instead of following either of the trails on the sign, we branched left on a smaller trail behind the small National Forest Wilderness sign. This is where hiking Teocalli Peak really begins!

Unmarked Path: Hiking Teocalli Peak

Once out of the woods we could see the narrow path leading straight up the mountainside! We were surprised to see that there were no switchbacks!

The vast views were great as we continued hiking Teocalli Peak one slow step up at a time! And we were still amazed by how alive and vibrant the mountainside was.

Finally, we made it to a rocky edge that granted us views beyond Teocalli. And they were nothing short of incredible!! The colors of the mountainsides across the way were unbelievable! Many times, views of surrounding mountaintops are primarily granite gray… but this was different and already a very impressionable scenic view for me. And the lakes and waterfall down below added another degree of perfection to this already stunning view. And we’re not even to the top yet!

Up here, the wind was starting to pick up. And the trail looked as though it was going to turn into rock climbing the rest of the way. But don’t worry, keep following the faint trail as it wraps around the rocky formations.

The Final Ascent

The trail is more rocky here and not as obvious but we just aimed for continuing up and chose the route we were most comfortable with. There were also sporadic cairns along the way that gave us something to shoot for it need be.

Even though this section of the trail appeared to be more of a challenge, it actually felt easier than the straight up trail we took to get there!

After about a half mile or so of this rocky scramble we were on top! And we were completely surrounded by indescribable beauty! We were captivated by the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain landscapes.

Although this is no 14er, I must say I was thoroughly impressed with the vantage point that we earned hiking Teocalli Peak. Since this hike, we have done a couple 14ers but I think that this view is almost more captivating! There are so many colors and beautiful contrasts from this view point.

At the top, we met one other cool hiker but this was not a busy peak at all. We took in the perfect panoramic views and ate our lunch before deciding it was probably time to make our steep descent back down. And steep it was! Getting safe footing on such a steep and straight path was a bit of a challenge. And the views continued to amaze. On our way down, we passed two other parties on their way up. What an amazing adventure…

Thanks for Reading!

We had an amazing time hiking Teocalli Peak! Like I mentioned, it was our first Colorado peak and it definitely did not disappoint. This particular hike showed me just how different mountain ranges can be from other mountain ranges. At this point, we had been in the Crested Butte area for a little over two weeks and had seen some serious beauty, though we’ve just barely scratched the surface. But it was time to move on and explore another area of Colorado.

If you like reading about our adventures you can see more here! Or check out the articles below:

• Bumpass Hell + Cold Boiling and Crumbaugh Lakes
• Stunning Black Canyon Trail
• Fortynine Palm Oasis in Joshua Tree

The plan this summer was to have an action packed season in Colorado and so far it’s been great. In between adventures we’re still busy working on our hand painted Lost Coast Longboarding longboards! Check out our one of a kind longboards and hand crafted shirts at our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop. Thanks for your support!

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