Crooked Beaver

Crooked Beaver is a moderate hike in the South Park Ranger District of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. The route is a 3.2-mile out-and-back on a natural surface, and bikes are allowed, so expect to share the trail with riders. This is high country from the start. The trail sits between about 10,440 and 10,760 feet, and it gains about 300 feet one way. That makes for a modest climb in distance and gain, but the thin air at this elevation adds to the effort. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. At a nearby weather station in Fairplay, July brings typical highs around 71°F and lows near 42°F. That station sits several hundred feet below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. Other hikes close by include Beaver Creek and Mount Silverheels, each about 0.6 mile away, and South Crooked Creek, about 1.3 miles away. Horseshoe Campground, about 6 miles away, offers a place to camp.