Colorado · Hiking · Near South Fork

Bear Creek

9.2 mi
round trip
852 ft
climb
10,790 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun, Sep
best months

Is Bear Creek open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Rio Grande National Forest. It doesn't name Bear Creek, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Rio Grande National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Bear Creek is a hard hike in the Saguache Ranger District of Colorado's Rio Grande National Forest, about 9 miles long with an elevation gain of 852 feet. The trail is an out-and-back, with a low point of 9,942 feet and a high point of 10,790 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is open year-round. The trip starts at the Upper Deep Creek Trailhead. The trail surface is natural, and the route is open to both horses and bikes. Summer is the most comfortable season. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs around 72°F in July, though that station sits about 1,100 feet lower, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. July and August also bring the most wet days of the year, about 15 each. Nearby options include Saguache Creek, about 1.6 miles away, and Deep Creek, about 2.1 miles away. Stone Cellar Campground is about 2.6 miles off, and Bower's Peak Trail is about 3.6 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Stone Cellar Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 2.6 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Two Rivers BBQ

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 22 mi
  • If it rains

    Creede Underground Mining Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 19 mi from South Fork

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in South Fork

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.