Colorado · Hiking · Near Red Feather Lakes

Columbine North Loop

Columbine North LoopPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.4 mi
round trip
15 ft
climb
7,999 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Columbine North Loop open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Canyon Lakes Ranger District.

As of · Source: USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Columbine North Loop is a short, easy out-and-back hike in the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 1.4 miles long, with a low point of 7,957 feet and a high of 7,999 feet, so the climb is minimal, just 15 feet of elevation gain. The route is natural-surface and open to both horses and bikes, which makes it a flexible option for riders and pack animals. It stays open year-round, and the Forest Service lists it as a trail in the National Forest System. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation show July highs around 78°F with lows near 47°F, while winter highs sit in the mid-30s. Frog Pond West Loop and Frog Pond, both mountain biking trails, are within a few tenths of a mile. Dowdy Lake Campground is about 1.7 miles away, and Red Feather Lakes, a climbing area, is about 2 miles off.

Around this trail

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

    Dowdy Lake Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 1.7 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    Homestead Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 17 mi from Red Feather Lakes

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Red Feather Lakes

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Columbine North Loop

    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

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      44° / 20°

      6 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 25°

      8 wet

    5. May

      59° / 32°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 40°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      78° / 47°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      76° / 46°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      69° / 38°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      56° / 29°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      44° / 21°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rustic 9wsw, CO, 11.6 mi away at 7,700 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.