Bennett Peak

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 3/8/2026, By: yaktoleft13
Info: Climbed bennett from cr28 today. Was able to drive about 2 miles past comstock campground, which really shortened the day. Road was intermittent snow/dry to that point, nothing a 4runner couldn't plow through. Beyond where I parked, which was about 10.3k, the road was largely snow covered, but not deep and packed by a snowmobile.

Turned off the road with a very mild and short bushwhack and climbed toward the dry south facing slopes of bennett. Gentle grassy slopes led to the summit. Leave the snowshoes (and honestly gaiters) at home.

Go get this one now! Very easy snowflake. But according to the forest service, cr28 will close 3/15-5/15 for runoff. Total stats were 9.3 miles, 2900 vert, 4:25 car to car with a long summit break. 

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 5/26/2025, By: wineguy
Info: Beautiful day in the San Juans for an early season 13er. Snow mostly avoidable, except at stream crossing and near summit. I carried snowshoes and gaiters, which was a total waste. Per WildWander's TR, crux for early-season ascent is the stream crossing, but I managed it without wet boots or putting on my sandals.

The "route description" for Bennett on this site needs some clarification. It shows the round-trip distance as 3.5 miles, but reading the description suggests this is the one-way distance. I short-cutted the ATV track, and still showed about 5.5 miles round-trip on two separate devices. My travel time and experience says this is about right. More importantly, the route description does not mention the possible gate closure over 8 miles from the TH. If trying this summit when the gate is closed (my experience last month) expect over 21 miles round-trip. 

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 4/23/2025, By: wineguy
Info: Road gated about 7 miles from trailhead. Route description says fun hike in winter or summer. This is only true if you want to add 14 miles round-trip to route description. 

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 6/19/2024, By: DixieFlyer
Info: Bennett Peak is definitely in summertime condition -- my feet never came close to touching snow.

The road to the TH is in great shape. 

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 5/26/2024, By: HikerGuy
Info: Snow-free, dry from bottom to top. Couple of damp spots in the lower meadows. 4.61 miles and 2,032 feet. 

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 5/29/2024, By: MKwhite45
Info: Road dry to TH. Took the road up to the saddle between sheep and Bennett. I wanted more mileage vs going straight up. 8 miles 2200' gain. Most of the snow I encountered I believe has melted now. 

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 10/16/2023, By: hr011242
Info: Dry as a bone. Summit reggie needs a new pen! 

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 7/2/2023, By: dolfh
Info: The road to the trailhead is 2wd with just a few bumps. Trail 702 runs downhill for a hundred yards from the trailhead before crossing a creek. Difficult to keep footwear dry on the creek crossing. There are several areas of mud and running water to navigate around on the way up to the Bennett Peak / Sheep Mountain saddle. There is also a small herd of cattle in the area. The ATV road that goes to the Bennett Peak summit was dry. 

Route: Approached from west, gained ridge
Posted On: 6/17/2023, By: Reg0928
Info: Parked at a campsite west of the peak and walked the road from there. Used the roads to gain the ridge. Route was dry with no snow 

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 4/10/2023, By: Marmot72
Info: W San Francisco creek (north access from Del Norte). This is the ATV trail, but it has a few downed trees blocking at intervals. Someone had skied in last few weeks and that track helped for the first mile and a half. After that, the snow was deep and unsupportive. Between 10,200 to 11,000, I was postholing anywhere knee to hip for 20-50 yards at a time....slow going. At and above treeline, good sastrugi forming. Above 12,600, the snow is mostly avoidable. Should make for a really nice, quick hike in a few weeks after more thaw/freeze cycles make the trees passable. 

Route: South slope ridge
Posted On: 7/26/2022, By: zootloopz
Info: Lovely and easy class 1 hike. Easy dirt road drive to the TH. Cute cows. Nice flowers. What's not to like? 

Route: Windy+Pintada+Bennett
Posted On: 5/29/2022, By: supranihilest
Info: Entire area is in summer condition. The climb of Bennett's north face from Pintada sucks, probably better to go west past the little lakes and up the north ridge. 

Route: South Fork Trailhead
Posted On: 11/11/2019, By: drop_bear
Info: Not much snow to speak of. Some snow/ice near the beginning of the trail that is melting out. Small, mostly avoidable patches past treeline. Did it in trailrunners with no traction.

The road was a bit icy heading down into South Fork, but after that it was clear and I was able to make it all the way to the trailhead.

1) South slopes 2) Looking back towards Sheep Mt. 3) SE Slopes