Quandary Peak, Summit County's fourteener

Quandary Peak at a glance

Summit elevation

14,265 feet in Breckenridge's official hiking guide. The Forest Service trailhead page lists 14,247 feet, and NOAA's preliminary 2024 survey puts it near 14,270.^1,5,6

Standing

The 13th highest mountain in Colorado and the only fourteener in Summit County^4,5

Where

White River National Forest, Dillon Ranger District, near Breckenridge¹

The trail

From the Quandary Peak Trailhead, about 6.1 to 6.6 miles round trip with about 3,340 feet of gain^4,5

Difficulty

Widely seen as one of the easier, least technical fourteeners, but the Forest Service notes that none of them are easy hikes¹

Parking reservations

In summer you need a parking reservation or the shuttle. Summit County listed June 13 to September 13 for 2026, and the Forest Service listed June 14 to September 14. A full day (5 a.m. to 3 p.m.) was $30 Monday to Thursday and $55 Friday to Sunday and holidays. Parking is free after 3 p.m. and outside the season.^2,3

Shuttle

In season, a shuttle runs daily from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. between the Breckenridge South Gondola Parking Structure and the trailhead, $7 round trip for visitors²

No roadside parking

Parking on county roads, including McCullough Gulch Road and Highway 9, is not allowed and is enforced^2,3

Weather

There's always a strong chance of afternoon thundershowers with lightning¹

The summit sign

The sources we read don't describe a permanent summit sign on Quandary. If you bring your own to hold up for the photo, make yours big and dark so it reads from a few feet away, and your charm keeps it right in your hands.

Getting the summit photo

• Bring your own sign and write the name and height large, in thick dark marker.
• Put the Tenmile and Gore ranges, which you can see to the north, in the frame behind you.
• Get your whole body in, head to boots, and take it early before the afternoon storms build.

Quandary Peak questions