Colorado · Hiking · Holy Cross Wilderness · Near Leadville

Cross Creek

15.0 mi
loop
4,652 ft
climb
11,983 ft
high point
Loop
route

Is Cross Creek open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Cross Creek is a 15-mile loop hike in Colorado's Holy Cross Wilderness, part of the Holy Cross Ranger District of the White River National Forest. The trail climbs from about 8,450 feet to roughly 11,980 feet, with a total elevation gain of 4,652 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surface, so expect a rougher path than a developed trail. The climb is hard, and the route is a loop, so you'll pass the same points twice. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not. The trip takes about 7.5 hours, and the parking area is named Cross Creek. The trail is open year-round. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Climax weather station, which sits a few hundred feet lower than the high point, show July highs around 67°F with lows near 40°F, and snow is common from November through April. Martin Creek is less than a mile away, and Grouse Lake is about 2.4 miles off. Halfmoon Campground and the Eagle/Vail/Minturn/Red Cliff climbing area are both within about 2.2 miles.

Around this trail

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

    Tigiwon Community House

    Campground

    Campground · 1.7 mi from the trail

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Craig Talbert, CC BY 3.0 (commons)

More in Leadville

Go with a guide

  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit Cross Creek

    No month here meets our mild-weather rule. 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° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    2. Feb

      29° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    3. Mar

      35° / 8°

      14 wet · 14 snow

    4. Apr

      40° / 15°

      13 wet · 13 snow

    5. May

      49° / 25°

      10 wet · 8 snow

    6. Jun

      61° / 34°

      8 wet · 2 snow

    7. Jul

      67° / 40°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      64° / 39°

      15 wet

    9. Sep

      58° / 32°

      11 wet · 2 snow

    10. Oct

      47° / 21°

      9 wet · 7 snow

    11. Nov

      35° / 11°

      12 wet · 12 snow

    12. Dec

      27° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Climax, CO, 17.6 mi away at 11,344 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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