Monarch Crest
Located near Salida, CO off of Monarch Pass, there are two ways to enjoy Monarch Crest. The first is hike or bike the point-to-point trail, which is approximately 31 miles. We did not do this. We chose the second option, which was to ride the vintage gondolas up to the top via the Monarch Crest tramway. Once at the top, we explore the mountaintops and hike around various trails.
To get to the tramway, you’ll need to drive to Monarch at the Crest Visitor Center. You can stay in Salida or Buena Vista for the night as well, but it can be a day trip from Colorado Springs or Denver. Once you are at the Visitor Center, you’ll need to buy a ticket for the tram, which was $10 each.
Two things to remember about this trail.
The tram is only open from 8:30am - 5:30pm between May 15 until about September 15. It depends on the weather. I tried going up on September 17, 2022 and they had just closed for the season.
You can get married here (as of summer 2022) for the cost of the ticket alone if you have less than 10 people in your presence, including your vendors. So you can elope here with you two, your pup (on a leash), and your photographer for less than $100. That’s a great deal! If you like this option, I’m available to photograph your elopement :)
All images below photographed with my Canon AE-1 film camera, and Portra 160 film.
