Cattle Creek
- 17.6 mi
- round trip
- 3,047 ft
- climb
- 11,059 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Cattle Creek open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Limited parking at Snowmass Creek Trailhead
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Grizzly Creek Trail Closure
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · Order 2026-02 · USFS · White River National Forest
Ruedi Marina Day Use area Dump Station is CLOSED
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Asbestos safety closure - Camp Hale
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Cattle Creek is a hard hike of about 17.6 miles on an out-and-back route in Colorado's White River National Forest, within the Sopris Ranger District. The trail climbs from a low point of about 8,000 feet to a high of 11,059 feet, with an elevation gain of 3,047 feet one way. Bikes and horses are both allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs around 73°F in July and 70°F in August, though that station sits about 1,300 feet lower than the high point, so temperatures up top run cooler. The trail is open year-round, and the parking area is called Cattle Creek. Several other outings lie within a few miles. Basalt Mountain is about 2.6 miles away and Mill Creek about 2.8 miles. The Seven Castles climbing area is about 3.6 miles off, and the Roaring Fork River is about 5.1 miles away for fishing.
Go with a guide
- Mineral Belt Trail Guided WalkRoamze · $25 per person · 40 mi away
- Glenwood Canyon Resort18 mi away
- Basalt MountainHiking2.6 mi
- Mill CreekHiking2.8 mi
- BLUE CREEKHiking3.4 mi
- Seven CastlesRock climbing3.6 mi
- Roaring Fork RiverRiver fishing5.1 mi
- Fryingpan RiverRiver fishing6 mi
- Sopris CreekCanoeing6.4 mi
- The SkilletRock climbing6.4 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Rio Grande Soft Surface TrailHiking · ~21 min drivePhoto: Thad Roan from Littleton, CO, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Basalt MountainHiking · ~4 min drive
- Mill CreekHiking · ~5 min drive
- NORTH FORK CATTLE CREEKHiking · ~6 min drive
- BLUE CREEKHiking · ~6 min drive
- Arbaney-KittleHiking · ~8 min drive
- Ditch TrailHiking · ~6 min drive
- TAYLOR CREEKHiking · ~8 min drive
- TAYLOR CREEK SPURHiking · ~6 min drive
- Mount ThomasHiking · ~9 min drive
Best time to visit Cattle Creek
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.
Jan
31° / 3°
8 wet
Feb
33° / 3°
8 wet
Mar
39° / 9°
8 wet
Apr
44° / 18°
8 wet
May
55° / 27°
9 wet
Jun
68° / 34°
9 wet
Jul
73° / 39°
12 wet
Aug
70° / 38°
12 wet
Sep
62° / 31°
8 wet
Oct
51° / 23°
6 wet
Nov
39° / 14°
7 wet
Dec
31° / 6°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sugarloaf Rsvr, CO, 35.5 mi away at 9,738 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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.
