Colorado · Hiking · Flat Tops Wilderness

Bear River

6.4 mi
round trip
1,020 ft
climb
11,426 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Bear River open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Bear River is a 6.4-mile out-and-back hike in the Flat Tops Wilderness, part of the Yampa Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest in northwest Colorado. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is rated moderate, with about 1,020 feet of elevation gain from the low point at 10,337 feet to the high at 11,426 feet. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows horses, so riders can take it as well as hikers. The route lies entirely within designated wilderness, which adds to its backcountry feel. Several other destinations sit close by. North Derby and Edge Lake are both about 1.3 miles away, and Devils Causeway is about 1.4 miles off. Cold Springs Campground, about 1.7 miles away, is the nearest place to camp.

Local outfitters

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

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

North DerbyPhoto: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

North Derby

~2 min drive

4.35-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 757 ft gain and 11,197 ft max elevation.

Mandall LakesPhoto: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mandall Lakes

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10.55-mile out-and-back trail to Mandall Lakes in Colorado with 1,565 ft gain.

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Arthur H. Carhart

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5.35-mile loop in Colorado's White River National Forest with 175 ft gain.

Smith LakePhoto: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Smith Lake

~3 min drive

1.44-mile out-and-back hike to Smith Lake in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

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Edge Lake

~2 min drive

3.96-mile out-and-back hike to Edge Lake in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

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Duck Lake

~9 min drive

4.84-mile out-and-back trail to Duck Lake in Colorado, 543 ft elevation gain.

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Devils Causeway

~2 min drive

2.64-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 207 ft of elevation gain.

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Hooper Lake

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West Lost Lake

~10 min drive

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Keener Lake

~4 min drive

0.74-mile out-and-back to Keener Lake in Colorado's White River National Forest.