April Gulch
- 2.8 mi
- round trip
- 2,879 ft
- climb
- 10,139 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is April Gulch open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name April Gulch, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).
Gold Mountain Wildfire Roads and Trails Closure Order v 4.0
Agency closure covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
Ophir Pass Road Closure
Agency closure covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
Potter Basin and Beaver Park Roads Emergency Closures
Agency alert covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
TERMINATION OF ORDER - FIRE RESTRICTIONS
Agency alert covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
Dallas Area Closure order
Agency alert covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
As of · Source: USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
April Gulch is a 2.8-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Gunnison Ranger District, part of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. The trail rises from 8,724 feet to 10,139 feet, a total climb of 2,879 feet, and the hardest stretch comes at about 0.76 miles in with a 30% grade. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route has natural surface with horses and bikes allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Crested Butte show July highs around 76°F with lows near 40°F, and the station sits roughly 1,300 feet lower, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. The hike is open year-round and takes about 2.5 hours. Beaver Creek Trail is about a mile away, and Sun Creek and Black Gulch Trail are both within 3 miles. For an overnight base, Mesa RV Resort is about 8.4 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Taylor Park Trading Post31 mi away
- Maroon Bells Guide and Outfitters39 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Beaver Creek TrailHiking1 mi
- SUN CREEKHiking2.3 mi
- Black Gulch TrailHiking2.6 mi
- Ohio CreekCanoeing5.7 mi
- GunnisonRock climbing7.3 mi
- Mesa RV ResortCamping8.4 mi
- Palisades Senior RV ParkCamping8.5 mi
- Roadside BoulderRock climbing9.4 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Van Tuyl TrailHiking · ~15 min drivePhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- RidgelineHiking · ~16 min drivePhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
West Elk PeakHiking · ~21 min drivePhoto: John Sowell, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Little Mill Trail 455Hiking · ~6 min drive
Beaver Creek TrailHiking · ~16 min drivePhoto: flamouroux, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Beaver Creek TrailHiking · ~2 min drive
- Sun Park TrailHiking · ~5 min drive
- ZigzagHiking · ~6 min drive
The RidgeHiking · ~17 min drivePhoto: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- SUN CREEKHiking · ~4 min drive
Best time to visit April Gulch
Best months: June–August. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
26° / -7°
12 wet
Feb
29° / -2°
11 wet
Mar
38° / 7°
10 wet
Apr
47° / 19°
9 wet
May
58° / 28°
8 wet
Jun
70° / 34°
7 wet
Jul
76° / 40°
10 wet
Aug
74° / 38°
12 wet
Sep
66° / 31°
9 wet
Oct
54° / 22°
8 wet
Nov
39° / 9°
9 wet
Dec
27° / -4°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Crested Butte, CO, 17.7 mi away at 8,867 ft. The station sits about 1,300 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
