Mount Lindsey

From the town of Gardner, located northwest of Walsenburg, take Colorado 69 west for approximately half a mile, then turn west onto County Road 550. The trailhead is 22+ miles from this point. Start measuring mileage here:

• At 7.0 miles, the road turns to dirt.
• At 11.8 miles, stay left on Forest Road 580.
• At 15.7 miles, stay left at the entrance to the Singing River ranch. The road becomes narrow, but usually still 2WD with good clearance.
• At 16.7 miles, pass the entrance to the Aspen River ranch.
• At approx. 20 miles, reach the the west side of large, landslide area where the road was re-routed in 2016. After this point, there's a steep section that requires 4WD.
• Continue 2 miles on the rough, narrow road to reach the Lily Lake TH. There are dispersed camping spots along this section.

This route has long been considered the standard route on Lindsey, but it becomes an unpleasant ascent/descent once the snow has melted out of the northwest gully. If the snow is gone, consider using the Northwest Ridge once you get to the 13,150-foot saddle between Iron Nipple and Mt. Lindsey. The ridge is steeper, more exposed, and requires Class 3 scrambling, but it is far more stable despite the added challenge.

From the parking area, follow the Lily Lake trail south through trees into a large meadow ( 1). Walk 1 mile to a trail junction where the Lily Lake trail veers right ( 2). Continue straight on the unmarked trail for 100 yards, cross the Huerfano River ( 3), and head south. About 0.1 mile after the crossing, the trail climbs left, away from the river. Zigzag through the dense forest to reach a boulder field near 10,800' ( 4).

Now it's time to gain some elevation. Climb roughly 600 feet through the forest on the right side of the boulder field to reach a gully/stream around 11,400'. Follow along the stream's left side and cross it near 11,600' ( 5). Continue south, climbing a hillside to emerge at tree line near 12,000', overlooking a high basin and Mt. Lindsey's summit ( 6). Drop slightly, walk toward the east side of the basin, and ascend to 12,200' ( 7). From there, follow a small ridge ( 8) to reach a 13,000-foot crest ( 9). The remaining route is on private property, hopefully you filled out the landowner's liability waiver. Navigate through a boulder field to the 13,150-foot saddle between 13er Iron Nipple and Mt. Lindsey ( 10).

Ahead, you’ll see Lindsey's rugged north face and northwest gully ( 11,  12). Follow the ridge southeast to 13,200', where the trail begins to traverse east toward the gully. Continue to the base of the gully ( 13). From here, the ascent becomes steep, loose, and more difficult. Climb carefully and try not to dislodge rocks. Use the more stable terrain along the gully's right/upper edge when possible. Near the top of the gully (~13,600'), narrow sections may require easy Class 3 moves if snow is not present ( 14). At the top of the gully, pass through a small notch ( 15) and traverse east across shallow gullies, gradually gaining elevation ( 16). As an alternative to this traverse from the notch, you can also turn right and following angled Class 3 slabs which makes for more line toward the summit ridge. Above 13,800', the climb remains steep ( 17,  18) until reaching Lindsey's summit ridge near 14,000' ( 19). Hike southeast for 0.2 mile to reach the summit ( 20,  21,  22).

IMPORTANT: This route enters the Sangre De Cristo Wilderness area. Designated wilderness areas have special regulations and restrictions for party size, dispersed camping, campfires, etc. Also, dog owners should read the wilderness information carefully because some wilderness areas prohibit dogs to be off-leash and/or limit how close dogs can be to lakes and streams. If you have questions about the wilderness area, please contact a U.S. Forest Service office for the National Forest(s) listed above.