Mount Blue Sky

/

View from the summit of Mount Blue Sky onto the end of the scenic byway and the observatory. Photo by Daniel Schwen/wiki.

The former Crest House built on the summit of then Mt. Blue Sky. Photo by Jay Poules.

Mount Blue Sky Mountain Goats. Photo by Robertbody/wiki.

Summer crowds on Mount Blue Sky summit. Photo by Alan Franklin/wiki.

• 
• 
• 
• 

 Upload a Photo

Dominating the skyline west of Denver, the summit of Mount Blue Sky has long been a popular destination for Denverites. Originally named Mount Rosalie by the painter Albert Bierstadt, it was later renamed Mount Evans for the second territorial governor of Colorado, John Evans. In 2023 the name was changed to Mount Blue Sky, honoring the indigenous Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes.

With the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915, Mount Blue Sky and the surrounding area were also proposed for national park status, but this never came to pass. In 1921, the state of Colorado began construction of what is now Highway 5 to the summit of Mount Blue Sky. The road reached the summit in 1927. In 1941, a restaurant and gift shop called the Crest House was constructed at the end of the road. Unfortunately, the Crest House burned in 1979, and its stone walls are all that remain. In 1942, a fire lookout was constructed on the Mount Blue Sky summit, but it remained for only a couple of years. During World War II, the road was closed to public use and used by the Army as an arctic training area. In 1945, the road was reopened and the trail to the summit from the parking area was improved. The trail was designated a National Recreation Trail in 1979.

The boundary of the Mount Evans Wilderness crosses the summit of Mount Blue Sky, as does the boundary between the Pike and Arapaho National Forests. Although the trail is maintained and managed by the Arapaho National Forest, the trail is technically on the Pike.

Although the trail is never closed to use, the road to the trailhead is closed to motorized use from Labor Day until Memorial Day.

Reviews

Jul 14, 2021

start slow

loved the little hike up there, i took off running and got very lightheaded. I grew up in Colorado and have summited a few 14ers. just remember, do not get too excited . take your time. even though its so short.

 Add a Review

Allowed Uses:

Other Activities

• Wildlife viewing / observation

• Certified as an NRT
  Dec 12, 1979