Frenchmen's Creek Trail #1457

Area Status: Open

This is NOT the standard access route to Mount Columbia or Mount Harvard.

Frenchmen's Creek Trail is an 11 mile out-and-back trail northwest of Buena Vista, Colorado, that leads visitors into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, This is NOT, however, the best approach to Mount Columbia or Mount Harvard.

The North Cottonwood Trail, on the Salida Ranger District, is the standard access route. To access Mt. Harvard and Mt. Columbia, follow the North Cottonwood Trail to the junction with Horn Fork Basin/Bear Lake Trail. The route cuts off prior to Bear Lake and ascends Harvard’s south slopes.

For detailed route information, please visit the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative website at www.14ers.org/index.php.

At a Glance

Usage:	Medium
Busiest Season:	June-September
Restrictions:	Wilderness regulations apply.
Closest Towns:	Buena Vista, CO
Information Center:	Leadville Ranger District

General Information

Directions:

General Notes:

Please help keep wilderness wild by following Leave No Trace practices. In particular, please refrain from having campfires near treeline. The dwarfed Krummholz trees that grow there are taking a beating from insensitive campers.