Baldy
Photo: rb06, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 4.1 mi
- loop
- 775 ft
- climb
- 8,048 ft
- high point
- Loop
- route
- Jun–Jul, Sep
- best months
Is Baldy open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 8 alerts for Pike and San Isabel National Forests.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Interlaken Hotel Tree Hazards
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Sharpe Fire Update
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Turquoise Lake Road (County Road 4) Closure
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Downed and weakened trees on South Platte Ranger District
Agency alert covering South Platte Ranger District · USFS · South Platte Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Baldy is a moderate 4-mile loop hike in Colorado's Pike and San Isabel National Forests, within the South Platte Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail's natural surface makes it suitable for both horses and bikes. The route climbs about 775 feet from its low point at 7,202 feet to a high of 8,048 feet. It is a loop, so the total gain is the same whether you go out and back or around the whole trail. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Bailey weather station, at a similar elevation, put July highs around 79°F with lows near 44°F, while winter highs stay below 40°F. The trip takes about two hours. Buffalo Campground is about 1.6 miles away for an overnight base, and the Baldy 727 mountain biking trail lies less than a mile off. The Buffalo Creek climbing area is about 2 miles away, and West Resort Creek, a canoeing spot, is roughly 6.6 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Lostfork Basecamp20 mi away
- Camp Always Choose Adventures33 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Baldy 727Mountain biking0.6 mi
- Morrison CreekMountain biking0.7 mi
Buffalo CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain1.6 mi- Meadows Group CampgroundCamping1.9 mi
- Buffalo CreekRock climbing2 mi
- Buffalo Creek BoulderingRock climbing2.8 mi
- West Resort CreekCanoeing6.6 mi
- Craig CreekCanoeing8.6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Morrison CreekHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: rb06, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Sunshine TrailHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Green MountainHiking · ~4 min drive
- North Fork TrailHiking · ~15 min drive
- Cynical TrailHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Raven's Roost TrailHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- ShinglemillHiking · ~4 min drive
- Eagle's View TrailHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- TramwayHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: rb06, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Little ScraggyHiking · ~6 min drive
Best time to visit Baldy
Best months: June–July and September. 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
38° / 9°
4 wet
Feb
40° / 10°
5 wet
Mar
48° / 18°
6 wet
Apr
54° / 23°
7 wet
May
63° / 31°
8 wet
Jun
75° / 38°
8 wet
Jul
79° / 44°
12 wet
Aug
77° / 43°
13 wet
Sep
71° / 35°
7 wet
Oct
59° / 24°
5 wet
Nov
45° / 16°
4 wet
Dec
37° / 9°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bailey, CO, 8.7 mi away at 7,752 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
