Colorado · Hiking · Near Pitkin

Cascade Creek Trail

Cascade Creek TrailPhoto: oxtopus, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.9 mi
loop
212 ft
climb
8,996 ft
high point
Loop
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Cascade Creek Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 7 alerts for Pike and San Isabel National Forests.

As of · Source: USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Cascade Creek Trail is a short, easy loop in Colorado's Pike and San Isabel National Forests, within the Salida Ranger District. The trail is 0.87 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 212 feet, and it runs from a low point of 8,778 feet to a high of 8,996 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round. The route is a loop, so it starts and ends at the same point. It's a low-effort outing, and the climb is gentle, making it a good choice for a quick walk or a stop on the way to other spots in the area. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Buena Vista show July highs around 83°F with lows near 49°F, while winter highs sit in the low 40s. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet below the trail, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. The trail sits right next to Chalk Lake, with the Chalk Lake Fishing Site and the Chalk Creek Boulder (also known as the Boulder of Sorrow) both about 0.2 miles away. Mt. Princeton Campground is 0.4 miles off.

Around this trail

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

    Chalk Lake

    Campground

    Campground · 0.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Mountain Spirit Winery Ltd.

    Brewery

    Brewery · 13 mi from Pitkin
  • If it rains

    Evans Firewall & Savard Building

    Museum

    On your way back · 6 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Pitkin

Go with a guide

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Cascade Creek Trail

    Best months: May–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.

    1. Jan

      41° / 11°

      4 wet

    2. Feb

      43° / 14°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      50° / 21°

      6 wet

    4. Apr

      56° / 27°

      6 wet

    5. May

      67° / 36°

      7 wet

    6. Jun

      78° / 43°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 49°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 47°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 40°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      62° / 29°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      50° / 20°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      40° / 11°

      5 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Buena Vista 2s, CO, 9.5 mi away at 7,954 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.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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Tigger Peak

~5 min drive

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Mount PrincetonPhoto: wohnai, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mount Princeton

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Standard route to Mount Princeton (14,204 ft) from Mt. Princeton Road.

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Taylor MountainPhoto: kalestews, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Taylor Mountain

~16 min drive

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Tabeguache PeakPhoto: kalestews, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Tabeguache Peak

~14 min drive

Standard route to Tabeguache Peak (14,162 ft) from Shavano/Tabeguache.