Colorado · Hiking

Big Creek Lakes Loop

2.8 mi
round trip
53 ft
climb
9,045 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Is Big Creek Lakes Loop 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.

Big Creek Lakes Loop is a 2.80-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. The route gains 53 feet of elevation and reaches a maximum elevation of 9,045 feet.

Local outfitters

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

  • Nearby · Bear Lakes · Gold Creek Lake · Mica Basin
  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Big Creek Lakes Loop

    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.

    1. Jan

      27° / 2°

      8 wet

    2. Feb

      30° / 4°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      39° / 13°

      8 wet

    4. Apr

      47° / 20°

      9 wet

    5. May

      58° / 28°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      69° / 34°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      76° / 38°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 36°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 29°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      53° / 21°

      7 wet

    11. Nov

      38° / 12°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      28° / 3°

      8 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Walden, CO, 21.5 mi away at 8,056 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Access Impact: Big Creek Lakes Dam Project

      Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest · Order dated October 8, 2026; seen Oct 9, 2026, no lift recorded · Forest Service

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Bear LakesPhoto: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Bear Lakes

~18 min drive

2.13-mile out-and-back trail to Bear Lakes in Colorado with 30 ft of elevation gain.

Gold Creek LakePhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Gold Creek Lake

~19 min drive

14.26-mile out-and-back trail to Gold Creek Lake in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

Mica BasinPhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mica Basin

~19 min drive

5.46-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest with 1,359 ft gain.

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Grizzly Helena Trail 1126.1

~6 min drive

1.5-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 131 ft elevation gain.

Wyoming TrailPhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Wyoming Trail

~21 min drive

17.71-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 2,830 ft gain and 11,148 ft max elevation.

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Blue Lake

~13 min drive

3.91-mile out-and-back trail to Blue Lake in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

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Gem Lake

~11 min drive

2.14-mile out-and-back trail to Gem Lake in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

Three Island LakePhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Three Island Lake

~22 min drive

11.40-mile out-and-back hike to Three Island Lake in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

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Twin Lakes

~14 min drive

3.14-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 894 ft elevation gain.

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Main Fork Trail

~16 min drive

0.84-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado with 74 ft of elevation gain.