Exploring the Backcountry

There are numerous opportunities in the park for backpacking and technical climbing, and hikers and climbers will generally find that the farther they go into the backcountry, the fewer humans they will meet. Some of the day hikes discussed above can also be done as overnight hikes. For example, the East Longs Peak Trail, which takes most people about 15 hours round-trip, is often completed over 2 days. Hikers can also combine various short trails to produce loops that can keep them in the park's backcountry for up to a week.

The Bear Lake area has several trails that can be combined for longer jaunts. The same is true in the Wild Basin area. The North Inlet and Tonahutu trails described below start at Grand Lake and lead to Flattop Mountain on the Continental Divide, where the trails connect to Bear Lake. Only your desire, your time constraints, and your ability will limit the number of trail combinations available to you.