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Steamboat Springs Hiking

Hiking in Steamboat Springs, Colorado offers spectacular surroundings full of alpine forests, open meadows, beatiful apsen groves, lakes and streams. Go for a short day hike or a long weekend adventure. Many of the outdoor shops in can provide additonial hiking information and tips. One of the favorite hiking books for the area is "Hiking the 'Boat II" which is available at most of the outdoor shops in town or at Amazon.

Popular Hikes

Fish Creek Falls

Trails to and above Fish Creek Falls provide hikers with everything from a short hike to the waterfall to an extended 12-mile roundtrip day hike to Long Lake. Fish Creek Falls is an impressive 283 foot waterfall which derives its name from the abundance of whitefish and brook trout in the water.

Emerald Mountain Quarry

Distance: 2 miles each way
Hiking Time: 45 minutes up and 35 minutes down
Elevation: Gain 1,088' going up

This quick two mile climb takes you high above Steamboat Springs and provides panaoramic views of the whole city. At the end of the hike you will find an old sandstone quarry on the east side of Emerald Mountain. Some of the first buildings in Steamboat were made from this sandstone during the 1900's, including the train depot and Routt County Courthouse.

Mt. Werner - Storm Peak

Distance: There are many options for this hike
Hiking Time: Depends on the hike chosen
Elevation: Base area: 6,900'; Top of gondola: 9,100'; Top of Storm Peak: 10,600'

A hike up and/or down the ski mountain is quite enjoyable and worth the trek. You will be rewarded with spectacular views of the Yampa Valley and downtown. With the help of the gondola, you can make the hike as easy or hard as you want. Make sure to grab a trail map at the base area.

Strawberry Park Hot Springs

Distance: 3 miles each way
Hiking Time: About 1.5 hours each eay
Elevation: Bottom trailhead: 6,700'; Top of Trailhead: 7,800'

This single track trail hugs the Hot Springs Creek through a narrow and steep forested canyon. The trail takes you from the beautiful Strawberry Park Hot Springs to Elk River Road. The Strawberry Park Hot Springs are just north of Steamboat in a secluded and peaceful setting and can be accessed via a two way gravel road. The temperatures of the pools range anywhere from 105 degrees to 85 degrees and if that gets too hot for you, take a refreshing dip in the river.

The Devil's Causeway - East Fork

Distance: 6 miles roundtrip, if you return the way you came ; 10.5 miles if you continue south after the Causeway
Hiking Time: 3 to 4 hours roundtrip; 6 to 7 if you continue south
Elevation: Trailhead: 10,280'; Causeway: 11,600'

This hike is quite the rush and not for the faint of heart. The Devil's Causeway is named after a four foot wide passageway over a volcanic cliff with 1,500 foot drops on either side. The quickest way back to your vehicle is to return the way you came ir add another 4.5 miles to the hike by continuing south across the plateau. Make sure to check out other popular hikes in the Flat Tops Wilderness.

Six Fishing Lakes

Distance: 1.5-miles to Fishhook one way; add on just over another four miles each way if you go to all six lakes
Hiking Time: About 45 mintues to Fishhook one way; about 3 hours one wa, if you don't spend too much time at each lake
Elevation: Trailhead: 10,038'; Fishhook Lake: 9,877'; Lost: 9,900'; Elmo: 1038'; Round: 10,060'; Percy: 10,034'; Long: 9,880'

Fishhook Lake can be the end destination or the beginning of visits to a total of six wonderful fishing lakes - Fishhook, Lost, Elmo, Round, Percy and Long via a section of Wyoming Trail 1101. All six can be visited on a day hike on a gentle trail. This is the ideal choice for a family backpack trip and provides good fishing and camping spots. Make sure to check out other great hikes accessed off of Rabbit Ears Pass.

Pearl Lake

Distance: 1.5 miles round trip
Hiking Time: If you don't stop it only takes about 45 minutes
Elevation: 8,087' at the lake

Pearl Lake is actually a beautiful Colorado State Park, a serene gem and much more primitive and pristine than most other state parks. There are 41 car campsites which sit just above the lake itself. The acutal hike takes you from the picnic area, south and to the right around the southwest end of the lake and to the dam at the most southern point. It is a short three-fourths of a mile hike and allows ample time to stop and fish, explore and observe. A great hike for the family and kids. There are also many other spectaular hikes in the Hahn's Peak and Steamboat Lake area.

Gilpin Lake

Distance: 5 miles each way to the lake
Hiking Time: About 3.5 hours each way
Elevation: Trailhead: 8,460'; Gilpin Lake: 10,338'

Gilpin lake is one the most visited hiking spots of the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness because of it's magnificent beauty. The trail up to the lake follows along Gilpin Creek and weaves its way through stands of trees, meadows, wildflowers and a number of avalanches paths. Gilpin is a large lake, twenty-nine acres in size and offers amazing views of Big Agnes, Little Agnes and the Sawtooth Range. There are many other magnificent hikes accessed from Clark and Seedhouse Road.

The above information was taken from "Hiking the 'Boat II" which is available at most local outdoor shops in Steamboat or at Amazon.