14ers.com

Hey everyone,

I am planning to spend a week in the San Juans in mid-July and am looking for recommendations on hikes and camping. Travelers will be 2 people and a dog.

Camping - I am used to camping in national forest sites or similar, so I don't need any accommodations besides a vault toilet and drinking water is nice to have. It looks like most in the area are first come first serve....which are typically easier to find a spot and/or have the best access? I didn't realize that Black Canyon was actually a national park and national parks suck for dogs which I hate.

Hiking - I am not a peak bagger (so if you have a recommendation for a different forum feel free) and I honestly don't know if my health will allow me to do 14ers although I might try if I feel good. Any recommendations are welcome! I usually average about 8-14 miles per day, am willing to do backcountry for the best views, will be coming from sea level so I plan to acclimate some. A few years ago I did Boulder, Leadville, and Crested Butte. Boulder area isn't my scene too many people, I did Elbert and Massive on back-to-back days, and absolutely loved Rustler's Gulch in Crested Butte. I originally thought to do a couple days at Black Canyon and then head south. Also, thought about doing San Luis peak, but it seems like quite the trek just to get to the trailhead.

Anyway hope this gives enough of a picture of what type of things I am looking for!

I took my dog to the Black Canyon. They're allowed in the campgrounds, parking lots and all the paths to overlooks.

I am just dipping my toes into the San Juans as well, but I know of a couple of places that are absolutely incredible and not as hard as doing a 14er that you have to see at some point - Ice lakes basin and Blue Lakes (both near Ouray). There will probably be a ton of people at both places, but both are incredible and worth it despite the crowds.

Ice Lake is kind of a must-see but definitely has the potential to be crowded. I stayed at the campground right at the TH last summer; we were able to find a good campsite around midday on a weekday. We also took the opportunity with nice weather to do the Ice Lake hike that afternoon and I would highly recommend that if you have a good weather window. Way less crowded on the trail and we had the lake almost entirely to ourselves.

We had also planned to do the Highland Mary Lakes loop outside of Silverton but high water or downed trees or something else made us change plans

I would recommend Owl Creek/West Cimarron for that time. Well, you do have a lot of off pavement driving most of it is pretty smooth and well graded until near the trailhead. From the west Cimarron Creek trailhead, you can hike into the small rarely visited basin between coxcomb and Wetterhorn. Or, if you go into the East Cimarron trailhead, you can head up fairly broad Valley with incredible views of 14er Unconpaghre ahead of you. The middle Cimarron provides an excellent trail alongside its namesake creek. That time of year, the best wildflowers will be in the south western portion of the east Cimarron basin, below the slopes of Wetterhorn and Heisshorn.

What’s the question?

Hey there,

Sounds like a fantastic trip! For camping, I'd suggest checking out sites near Silverton or Ouray, such as the South Mineral Campground, which has basic amenities and access to trails. If you prefer dispersed camping, try areas along the Alpine Loop. For hiking, consider the Blue Lakes Trail near Ridgway or Ice Lake Basin near Silverton—stunning scenery without the 14er commitment. With a dog, just remember the leash rules in national forests. Have an amazing trip!