By Gabby Sherwood, Communications Associate
The sweeping view from the summit of Twin Sisters Peak is one of the most rewarding panoramas in Rocky Mountain National Park. From the top, hikers take in Longs Peak, Mount Meeker, Estes Cone, and Lake Estes—a rewarding view after a steady, steep ascent that draws visitors in every season.
But beneath every step on this beloved trail lies more than a century of history—and a pressing need for restoration.
Originally known as Lily Mountain by early settlers in Estes Park, the mountain was officially renamed Twin Sisters in 1907. Just a year before the park was established, the first trail to the summit was built in 1914 by the U.S. Forest Service and then later reconstructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936.
Today, about 1.5 miles into the hike, the remnants of a massive landslide scar the trail. Caused by the flood of September 2013, the landslide bulldozed everything in its path across the western side of the mountain, leaving significant damage. RMNP trail crews acted quickly to remove hazardous debris and reopen the trail, but more than a decade later, the long-term impacts remain.
“With high visitation year-round, we want to ensure the trail is built to handle that visitor capacity long-term,” said RMNP Facility Manager of Backcountry Operations Doug Parker.
Rocky Mountain Conservancy is supporting a trail restoration project which is slated to start in July 2026 and continue through October 2026. “We’ll be doing a lot of general repairs to the trail that we haven’t done in over 20 years,” said Parker.
Trail sustainability benefits both visitors and the surrounding ecosystems. Sections of the trail near the landslide that are too steep will be realigned to an area with a less severe grade. Over time, anything above a 10% grade will result in trail widening, debris build-up, and erosion, exposing rocks on the trail.
Trail crews will also repair the trail’s water drainage system and areas experiencing erosion. “We’ll improve the drainage structures along the trail to keep it dry and prevent further erosion, pooling of water, and deterioration of the trail tread,” said Parker.
Twin Sisters continues to be a trail that many connect with and enjoy. By repairing it for long term use, we are ensuring that present and future generations can continue to hike up both peaks of Twin Sisters and enjoy the iconic scenery.
The Conservancy has committed $424,000 to the Twin Sisters Peak restoration project in 2026 through the Trail Improvement Fund. You can help by giving a gift at RMConservancy.org/donate.
