Sunshine Peak and Red Cloud Peak are two Colorado 14ers that you can hike combo in one day near Lake City, Colorado.
PEAK INFO
Elevation
Sunshine Peak: 14,001 ft
Red Cloud: 14,034 ft
Distance: 12.2 miles RT via Redcloud @ Silver Creek Trailhead
Nearest town: Lake City
DAY 1
We camped at Grizzly Gulch/Silver Creek Trailhead before summiting Sunshine Peak and Red Cloud Peak the next day. There were ample camping spots when we got there, but it was packed by late afternoon.
I highly recommend getting there early afternoon or late morning so you can get a better spot. It gets packed and busy during peak season. This free campground at the trailhead has access to a vault toilet and water source (creek) if you have a filter.
This trailhead is busy and gets a little noisy at night with ATVs and jeeps heading to the American basin.
DAY 2
We started about 7am the next day at Silver Creek Trailhead and hiked Red Cloud Peak, then Sunshine Peak. We got back at the trailhead campground by early afternoon.
Some choose to do three in a day, adding Handies Peak to the combo, which is really doable, but we prefer to take our time and soak in the views and enjoy the journey, so we hiked Handies Peak the following day via Grizzly Gulch Trailhead. Handies Peak vlog is in a separate video.