Have you considering hiking two 14ers in one day? Well by hiking Grays and Torreys, you can do just that! Colorado has a total of fifty-eight 14ers, or 58 mountains that have an elevation of over 14,000 feet above sea level – the most out of any state. Six of the 58 are in the Front Range, making them accessible hiking goals while you’re stationed (or just living) in the Denver or Colorado Springs areas.
In this post, I’m going to show you how to bag two 14ers in one day–Grays and Torreys. Because these two mountains are connected via a saddleback, you can easily hike to the top of one mountain, then bag the other in as little as another 30 minutes! Read on for this Coloradan’s guide to bagging two majestic 14ers in one day!
Quick Facts about Hiking Grays and Torreys
- Trail length: 8.5 miles (4.25mi out, 4.25mi back)
- Estimated time for completion: 6-7 hours
- Difficulty: Easy at trailhead, moderately difficult towards summit but little to no scrambling
- Best way to experience the journey: go on a weekday and get started early so you don’t have to share the trail with others
- Camping: Feel free to camp right at the trailhead! If it’s completely full, backtrack down the road you used to come in on (forest rd 321), and camp within the Arapahoe National Forest for free!
- Recommended start time: 05:00
- Recommended months: June through September
- Best part: Mountain goats. Everywhere
If tackling a 14er sounds daunting, you’re not alone—I totally get it! It took me three or four trips to the trailhead before I finally mustered the courage to attempt one, even though I had already summited a few other mountains over 14,000 feet.
For a great introduction to 14ers, I recommend Grays and Torreys. You can bag two 14ers in the same day! Plus, you’ll have some great trail buddies: mountain goats!
Hiking Grays and Torreys: Where to start
Hiking Grays and Torreys is simple since a saddleback connects them. That means you can traverse from one to the other with nothing more than a sturdy pair of hiking shoes and a great attitude.
To get to Grays and Torreys, take I-70 west from Denver to exit 221 (Bakerville). From there, follow Forest Road 321 for about 3.5 miles until you reach a dead end with parking for around 30 cars. Just past the parking lot, you’ll find a few dispersed camping spots.
The trail is almost as easy as it gets all the way to the top. It’s clearly marked, well traversed, and doesn’t have any large obstacles until the last little scramble to the summit of Grays.
Be on the lookout for mountain goats while hiking Grays and Torreys as there are everywhere along this trail! Be mindful of their space and they’ll do the same for you.
As you approach the saddleback, climb up towards the middle. Decide whether to go right towards Torreys first or left towards Grays first. Either choice is correct, so don’t overthink it.
If you’re lucky, you’ll still have your trail buddy tagging along like I did. I named him Billy because….well, you get it.
Once you’ve made it to the top of your first 14er of the day, take out that cardboard box flap and snap those selfies for the ‘gram; you did it!
Last thing to do is head back down the saddleback and onto the other peak to bag your second 14er in one day, congratulations!
