Come Saturday, June 13, a reservation will be required to park at the trailhead for the Quandary Peak East Ridge route in Summit County. The trailhead also serves the popular McCullough Gulch area, as well.

With the policy set to be in place through September 13, it’s recommended that those wanting to park at the trailhead for the Quandary Peak hike – a 6.75-mile route with 3,450 feet of elevation gain – purchase the ‘full day’ reservation, which is for 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. It costs $30 Monday through Thursday and $55 on Friday through Sunday plus some holidays. Meanwhile, those wanting to hike in McCullough Gulch may consider the half-day, four-hour reservation, which costs $10 on weekdays and $20 Friday through Sundays plus some holidays.

After 3 p.m., parking in the lot is free and first-come, first-serve, though it should be noted that dangerous afternoon storms can be common in the area, especially on Quandary Peak. Because of this, officials strongly that people start their hike much earlier than 3 p.m. The typical round-trip time for Quandary Peak is about six hours, and it’s recommended to plan to be off the peak by the time early-afternoon hits.

The parking reservation requirement was adopted in 2021 in hopes of addressing public safety issues in the area. Public safety issues were related to extreme crowding of the Quandary Peak trailhead, which limited access for emergency services and local residents – an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 people climbed the peak in 2020 and by 2024 with the reservation system in full swing, that number dropped to a still-high 25,000 to 30,000. The trailhead parking lot with the reservation is the only place where it’s legal to park in the area, with a strict ‘no parking’ policy enforced on Blue Lakes Road and McCullough Gulch Road.

For those not wanting to pay for a parking reservation, there is a bookable shuttle option available from June 13 through September 13. The shuttle runs to and from the Quandary Peak Trailhead parking lot from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week during this period. It picks up in the South Gondola Parking Garage in Breckenridge. The cost of the shuttle is $7 for non-residents of Summit County and free for locals. Shuttles depart every 20 to 30 minutes from the South Gondola Parking Garage with the last shuttle departing from the Quandary Peak trailhead at 4:30 p.m.

Learn more about parking reservations and the shuttle system here.

STAY INFORMED: Get free Colorado news with our daily newsletter (Click here)