Is it right for you?
American Peak rises at the head of American Basin and Burns Gulch, west of Handies Peak. You can reach it from the Cinnamon Pass road side or from the Animas River above Silverton; this route uses Burns Gulch on the Animas side, which most crossover SUVs can reach.
You walk the Burns Gulch road to a fork, climb grassy slopes past a rock glacier and a tiny lake, then grind up loose talus and scree to the saddle between Jones Mountain and American's west ridge. From there you follow the ridge east, staying on its south side to avoid cliffs on the north. It is a rough Class 2 with lots of unstable rock.
The round trip from the bridge is about 8.2 miles with 3,015 feet of gain. Driving to the fork with a high-clearance 4WD saves about 2 miles each way and more than 900 feet of gain. Jones Mountain and Niagara Peak are close by and are often climbed on the same day.
Plan of the day
By 6:30 a.m.
Be at the saddle by 10:30 a.m.
Loose scree to the saddle and unstable talus on the ridge.
Easy to moderate. Stay south of the ridge crest.
The small lake at 12,520 feet is the last water. Filter it.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
Loading Fetching the forecast for 13,814'…—
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Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Getting there
Burns Gulch
From Silverton, drive east through town and take County Road 2 toward Howardsville. The pavement ends after about 2 miles, and the road becomes well-graded dirt. From Howardsville, continue north past the old site of Eureka, where the road crosses the Animas River and climbs a steeper shelf. Continue about 3.5 miles past Eureka to the turnoff for Burns and Grouse Gulches. Most crossover SUVs can reach this point in dry weather.
Park near the bridge where the main road recrosses the Animas to its east bank. From there, a spur road heads south along the river's east bank to meet the Burns Gulch road. The Burns Gulch road is a narrow, rocky single-lane 4WD track. Low on the road it runs along a shelf where passing another vehicle is hard. Only drive it with a high-clearance 4WD vehicle.
There are no Forest Service campgrounds along the Animas road, but there are many dispersed sites, and a couple of spots up in Burns Gulch. Respect private land postings.
Base towns and camping for this climb
Coming from out of state? See Lodging & Camping for how free camping works, what is closed this year and where to stay.
Before you go
Check these the week of your climb.
Official forecast
The National Weather Service forecast for the summit area, hour by hour. Look for thunderstorm chances and wind above treeline.
NWS point forecast →Directions to the trailhead
Burns Gulch. Road conditions near the trailhead change after storms. Check your clearance and have a backup plan for a lower lot.
Get directions →Roads and highways
Closures, construction and winter conditions on the highways that get you there.
COtrip road conditions →Closures and fire rules
Trail closures, fire bans and other alerts from the Forest Service in Colorado. For the latest on your trailhead, call the local ranger district.
Forest Service alerts →Snow on the route?
From fall through early summer, any snow slope can slide. Check the avalanche forecast before you go.
Avalanche forecast →Cell signal
Most trailheads and many summits have little or no signal. Check coverage near the trailhead and carry a satellite messenger or beacon if you can.
FCC coverage map →