Rocky Mountain National Park · Colorado
Longs Peak via the Keyhole
Break the standard Longs Peak Keyhole climb into two trail days with one reserved night in the Boulder Field. Hike from Longs Peak Trailhead to the designated rock-ring sites, then climb through the Keyhole, Ledges, Trough, Narrows, and Homestretch before retracing the route to the trailhead.
Longs Peak Trailhead to Longs Peak Trailhead via Boulder Field, the Keyhole Route, and Longs Peak summit
Read the one night . For this exact one-night trip and the permit locations that fit your saved party. The permit on Recreation.gov
The Keyhole out-and-back. The shape of it
A long approach reaches the Boulder Field before the steepest climbing begins.
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Reserved night area · mile 5.801
Boulder Field 12,760 ft site listing Night 1 uses one reserved rock-ring site before the maintained trail ends and the upper-mountain climbing begins. -
Upper-route gateway · mile 6.4
The Keyhole ≈13,255 ft profile sample Beyond the Keyhole, painted bull’s-eyes mark exposed Class 3 terrain across the Ledges, Trough, Narrows, and Homestretch. -
Route turnaround · mile 6.823
Longs Peak summit 14,259 ft The summit is only the halfway point; descend every exposed section and retrace the approach to the trailhead.
- Longs Peak Trailhead Exact catalog entry
- Granite Pass East Longs Peak Trail approach
- Boulder Field Night 1 · reserved rock-ring site
- The Keyhole Gateway to the exposed upper route
- Longs Peak summit Route turnaround · 14,259 ft
- Longs Peak Trailhead Exact catalog exit on the identical return
- Route length
- ≈13.6 mapped miles
- Total climbing
- ≈5,100 ft gain
- High point
- 14,259 ft
- permit option
- Boulderfield · 1–7 people
- This itinerary
- 1 night / 2 trail days
Start and finish at Longs Peak Trailhead. Follow the East Longs Peak Trail past treeline and Granite Pass to the reserved Boulderfield sites for Night 1. Continue through the Keyhole and the four named upper-route sections to the summit, then retrace the same route to the trailhead.
Day 1 follows the East Longs Peak Trail from the ranger-station trailhead through forest and alpine tundra, past the Chasm Lake junction and Granite Pass, to one of the designated rock-ring sites in the Boulder Field. The park lists the site area at 12,760 feet and six miles from the trailhead.
Above the Boulder Field, the maintained trail ends. Cairns lead toward the Keyhole, then red and yellow bull’s-eyes mark the Ledges, Trough, Narrows, and Homestretch. The park describes this as an exposed climb with loose rock, route-finding consequences, and possible snow or ice at any time of year.
After reaching the summit—or turning around earlier when conditions, time, or judgment require—retrace the complete route through the Keyhole and Boulder Field to Longs Peak Trailhead. The measured profile mirrors one outbound source sequence rather than smoothing the upper mountain into a decorative line.
Night by night
One reserved night before the upper-mountain climb
Hike to a designated Boulderfield rock-ring site on Day 1. Start the exposed Keyhole climbing from high camp on Day 2, then retrace the entire route to Longs Peak Trailhead.
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N1
Boulder Field
Campsites matched to your party size · advance reservation
Follow the East Longs Peak Trail past Granite Pass to the nine-site Boulderfield area. Recreation.gov separates inventory into one-, two-, and three-tent site classes; the watch includes the classes that accept your saved party size.
Boulderfield · Designated rock-ring wilderness campsite · advance reservation
- Boulderfield 1 (One 2-person tent) (Snow-free average: June 19)
- Boulderfield 2 (Two 2-person tents) (Snow-free average: June 19)
- Boulderfield 3 (Three 2-person tents) (Snow-free average: June 19)
The one-, two-, and three-tent provider offers remain separate physical site classes. Wild Chime groups them into one watch choice and includes only the classes whose published group-size rule accepts the saved party.
- Over
- Granite Pass and alpine tundra
- Camp elevation
- 12,760 ft site listing
- Water
- Carry what you need; confirm and treat Boulder Brook water
On the ground. The maintained trail ends in the Boulder Field. Study the Keyhole route before arrival and treat summit plans as conditional on weather, snow, ice, time, and judgment.
The permit
How the Boulderfield night actually works
One logical Boulderfield watch choice spans three distinct Recreation.gov site classes. Wild Chime reports qualifying openings; it never books, buys, combines, or holds a campsite.
- One night, three provider offers
- Recreation.gov publishes separate Boulderfield one-, two-, and three-tent site classes. They are independently pollable physical offers under permit 4675320.
- Annual opening
- Current summer guidance opened May-through-October reservations on March 1 at 8:00 a.m. Mountain Time. Recheck the authority for a future season.
- Party-aware matching
- The live provider rules accept parties of 1–3, 1–5, and 1–7 respectively. A saved party watches every site class it fits, while larger parties exclude smaller classes.
- One logical area
- Any eligible class can satisfy the night. Another class opening while Boulderfield remains logically open does not create a duplicate opening transition.
- Pickup and access
- Pick up the physical wilderness permit before entering. It serves as timed entry for the trip, but a park entrance fee or pass is still required and trailhead parking is not guaranteed.
- Designated rock rings
- Camp only in the exact reserved Boulderfield site class and established rock-ring site assigned by the permit; this trip is not dispersed camping.
- Returned inventory
- A canceled reservation may make inventory available again, but the authorities give no guaranteed return minute. Wild Chime never completes checkout.
Primary planning intent
Boulder Field permit answers.
The campsite reservation changes the schedule, not the technical character or hazards of the Keyhole Route.
What does the watch reserve?
It checks the Boulder Field campsite reservation choices that can accommodate the saved party. An opening still belongs to one designated rock-ring campsite class and date.
Boulderfield Wilderness CampsiteDoes a wilderness permit make the Keyhole Route easier?
No. The NPS describes the Keyhole Route as a long, exposed climb where conditions can turn it technical. The permit only authorizes the overnight campsite.
Longs Peak — Keyhole RouteDo I also need timed entry?
The overnight wilderness permit serves as the timed-entry reservation. A park entrance pass or fee is still required, and the Longs Peak trailhead has its own current access guidance.
Timed Entry Permit SystemHard-won
Nine things worth knowing first
The route shape, exposed climbing, campsite contract, and current access checks to settle before committing to Longs Peak.
This trip includes the summit route
The fixed route continues from the Boulder Field through the Keyhole, Ledges, Trough, Narrows, and Homestretch to Longs Peak summit, then retraces every section.
The Keyhole is a climb
The park explicitly warns that this is not a hike. Expect exposed scrambling, loose rock, narrow ledges, route finding, and terrain where a fall could be fatal.
Boulderfield is exact
Choose the single Boulderfield watch area. Moore Park, Goblins Forest, Battle Mountain, bivouac zones, winter areas, and Longs Peak Campground are different campsites or permit areas.
Site class follows party size
Parties one through three can match all three site classes; four or five match the two larger classes; six or seven match only the three-tent class.
Plan beyond the chart number
The retained route geometry measures about 13.6 miles round trip, while the park describes 15 miles and 14ers.com 14.5. Carry time, food, water, and margin for the longer estimates.
Snow and ice can appear any time
The most snow-free period is generally short. Read the current Longs Peak Conditions Report and be prepared to turn around before or after the Keyhole.
High camp does not remove storm risk
The Boulder Field and upper mountain are exposed to lightning and wind. Use a current high-elevation forecast and make a conservative turnaround plan.
Do not depend on an easy refill
The Boulderfield site page identifies treatable Boulder Brook water, while the Keyhole FAQ broadly warns there are no water sources on the route. Confirm locally and carry what you need.
Recheck every live authority
Wild Chime does not monitor climbing conditions, snow, weather, closures, road access, parking, permit-office operations, water, or checkout completion.
Questions
Longs Peak & the Boulder Field, asked and answered
What does this exact trip monitor?
One Boulderfield permit night under Recreation.gov permit 4675320, across every one-, two-, or three-tent site class that accepts the saved party size.
Why is Boulderfield one watch choice if there are three offers?
The offers are separate physical site classes at the same logical overnight area. Any eligible one satisfies Night 1, so the watch groups them without merging their inventory.
Does the route stop at the Boulder Field?
No. This catalog trip continues through the Keyhole Route to Longs Peak summit and returns the same way. The summit remains optional in real conditions: turn around whenever safety requires.
Is the Keyhole Route a normal hiking trail?
No. The maintained trail ends in the Boulder Field. Above it, cairns and painted bull’s-eyes mark an exposed climb with loose rock, scrambling, and serious fall consequences.
Does the wilderness permit guarantee trailhead access and parking?
No. The physical wilderness permit serves as timed entry, but an entrance fee or pass is still required and no reservation guarantees a Longs Peak Trailhead parking space.
Does an alert reserve the campsite?
No. An alert only reports qualifying openings. Wild Chime never books, buys, holds, or completes checkout.
Keep the intent distinct
More trips in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Compare exact permit-night orders rather than substituting a nearby route or reversing the dates.
Exact-trip availability
Watch Longs Peak via the Keyhole.
Start with this exact direction, overnight order, and the permit locations that fit the saved party. Wild Chime reports qualifying openings; it never books or holds them.
For this exact one-night trip and the permit locations that fit your saved party.
Review the current permit on Recreation.gov