Keyhole And Agnes Vaille Shelter Trail

This trail winds from the valley floor around Estes Park, past waterfalls and through splendid meadows to a historic shelter high on 14,255-foot Longs Peak. The hike is unremarkable at first, rising 2.5 miles through forests until it bursts above timberline as the imposing cliff of the peak’s east face comes into view. Don’t worry, you’re going around. The trail gradually ascends Granite Pass. Turn left on the East Longs Peak Trail, climb a gentle ridge and enter the Boulder Field. You’ll pass some tent campsites and a restroom. The famed Keyhole is in the distance. This opening in the rocky wall is when the Longs Peak climb often turns technical, as the trail becomes a series of boulder hops that can hold ice late into the summer. You’ll also find the Agnes Vaille Shelter, a stone building constructed in the 1930s, named for a woman who died on the peak. If your trek is taking you to the summit, continue on past the Keyhole; otherwise return the way you came.

Pro Tips

Recommended season(s): Summer to early fall.

–R. Scott Rappold