Hike Condor Gulch Trail
What to Expect
Safety Advisory
This trail is completely exposed with no shade — surface temperatures on the rocky trail can exceed what the air temperature suggests by a wide margin. In summer, the High Peaks area regularly runs ten degrees hotter than the parking lot. Heat exhaustion is a real risk if you start after mid-morning.
Rattlesnakes are active on the east side trails from spring through fall. Stay on the trail, watch where you step and place your hands, and give any sunbathing snake a wide berth.
Trail Details
Pro Tips
Hit the trail by 8 a.m. or earlier, especially March through October — the east side heats up fast and this trail has zero shade once you leave the parking area.
The Condor Gulch Viewpoint at the one-mile mark is the ideal turnaround for casual hikers or families with younger kids — you get ninety percent of the views for a fraction of the effort.
Scan the sky and cliff faces near the viewpoint for California condors, which are often spotted soaring above the High Peaks in the morning thermals. Their wingspan stretches nearly ten feet, so they are hard to miss if they are out — but binoculars let you spot the numbered wing tags that identify individual birds.
Photos
NPS Photo/Kelsey Frusetta
