From Denver, take I-70 to the Georgetown exit. Go through town and follow the signs to Granella Pass. Once you turn onto Granella Pass Road and begin climbing up the mountain, drive 7-8 miles and look for our camping spot on the left. There are lots of camping spots in this area, but this one can accommodate many tents. Hint- you have to cross a stream to access the camping spot.
To access the Mt. Bierstadt trail, drive up Granella Pass about 12 miles. You will see a paved parking lot on the left with bathrooms. The trail starts right beside these bathrooms.
The Mt. Bierstadt hike is about 7 miles roundtrip, and is extremely intense (for me, anyway). You will climb almost 3,000 feet to get to the peak, which is 14,060 feet. This is apparently one of the easiest 14ers to hike, so you will encounter a ton of people, especially on the weekends. For the best weather, go in July, August, or early September (we went over Labor Day weekend).
Start the hike as early as possible to avoid afternoon thunderstorms. We arrived at the trailhead around 9:30 and hit the trail by 10, and were done with the hike around 3. Remember to pack lots of layers, because it gets colder the higher you climb! I was freezing once we reached the summit.
One more thing- pack a bunch of food and water. And make sure to stretch before you start!
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