One of the most popular 14er routes in Colorado and a common first fourteener — a short, well-built trail from a paved-road trailhead close to Denver.
The Guanella Pass Trailhead sits at the top of the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway, reached via a paved road from Georgetown (the pass road is seasonal, typically open from around Memorial Day weekend through October or November; when closed, it adds about 1.5 miles each way). From the trailhead at about 11,669 feet, the trail briefly descends southeast on a boardwalk through willows, crossing Scott Gomer Creek after about half a mile. Beyond the willows, the trail switchbacks up Bierstadt's west slope to a shoulder around 13,780 feet, then follows the ridge to the true summit at 14,060 feet; the final section is rockier and less clearly defined but requires no real route-finding.
Reverse the route back to Guanella Pass. Some parties continue east along the Class 3 Sawtooth Ridge toward Mount Blue Sky instead of descending directly — a significantly more serious undertaking than the standard route.