Twin Sisters Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

Hike Twin Sisters Peak Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

Class 2 7.2 miles 2500 gain 3-5 hrs Out + Back Aug 16, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Twin Sisters Peak GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

As of 2021, Rocky Mountain National Park requires a pre-purchased permit to hike from any of its trailheads. Twin Sisters Peak can get quite popular so be sure to do so. The trailhead requires just parking on the shoulder of the dirt road leading to the start of the hike, no official parking lot. The trail is well-maintained and easy to follow. It begins on a humorously low grade, slowly making its way through the forest via wide switchbacks. After wrapping around the northwestern base of Twin Sisters Peak, the trail got a bit steeper and made tighter switchbacks leading up to the northern ridge of the summit. The views became nice, especially toward Longs Peak. Some more nice forest walking and switchbacks brought us to treeline, where the well-constructed trail heads through talus up to the saddle of the Twin Sisters Peak's twin summits. We left the trail and ascended to the high point (eastern) on Class 2 talus before following the trail to the summit of the less-tall western summit. Nice views despite the wildfire haze.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Twin Sisters Peaks
11428 ft
2298 rise
2
Twin Sisters Peaks - West Peak
11143 ft
53 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

The start of the Twin Sisters Peak Trail.
The start of the Twin Sisters Peak Trail.
The trail is a very light uphill grade.
The trail is a very light uphill grade.
Long, sweeping switchbacks through the forest.
Long, sweeping switchbacks through the forest.
Image 3 from gallery
Some nice views as we wrap around the northwestern base of Twin Sisters Peak.
Some nice views as we wrap around the northwestern base of Twin Sisters Peak.
Image 5 from gallery
Passing the remains of a massive landslide.
Passing the remains of a massive landslide.
Looking back the way we came within the landslide area.
Looking back the way we came within the landslide area.
Ascending tighter switchbacks above the landslide area.
Ascending tighter switchbacks above the landslide area.
Continuing through the forest heading up to the northern ridge of Twin Sisters Peak.
Continuing through the forest heading up to the northern ridge of Twin Sisters Peak.
Image 10 from gallery
Image 11 from gallery
Some hints at views.
Some hints at views.
Wide shot looking north.
Wide shot looking north.
Image 14 from gallery
Twin Sisters Peak ahead, left.
Twin Sisters Peak ahead, left.
The trail is a bit rocky through the talus, but no scrambling required.
The trail is a bit rocky through the talus, but no scrambling required.
Ascending to the saddle of the twin peaks.
Ascending to the saddle of the twin peaks.
View back toward the switchbacks.
View back toward the switchbacks.
Approaching the saddle. Ahead of Austin is the end of the trail. The high point is on the left out of frame.
Approaching the saddle. Ahead of Austin is the end of the trail. The high point is on the left out of frame.
Twin Sisters Peak (eastern) high point.
Twin Sisters Peak (eastern) high point.
View back toward the saddle as we ascend on Class 2 talus to the high point.
View back toward the saddle as we ascend on Class 2 talus to the high point.
Class 2.
Class 2.
Last bit of Class 2 to the summit.
Last bit of Class 2 to the summit.
Summit of Twin Sisters Peak, view south toward another peak on the ridge. I was upset we didn't have time to get over to it, but it would certainly be all off-trail.
Summit of Twin Sisters Peak, view south toward another peak on the ridge. I was upset we didn't have time to get over to it, but it would certainly be all off-trail.
Quick jaunt to the end of the trail to get the western summit, view back toward the high point (left).
Quick jaunt to the end of the trail to get the western summit, view back toward the high point (left).
Longs Peak.
Longs Peak.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!