Deer Lake Trail
- 7.6 mi
- round trip
- 695 ft
- climb
- 11,574 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Deer Lake Trail 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.
Deer Lake Trail is a 7.6-mile out-and-back hike in the Flat Tops Wilderness, part of the Blanco Ranger District of White River National Forest in Colorado. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is rated hard, with a one-way climb of about 700 feet from a low point of 11,145 feet to a high of 11,574 feet. The trail is on natural surface, and horses are allowed. Bikes are not. That makes it a good fit for riders on horseback or for hikers who want to move at a slower pace. Deer Lake sits just 0.1 mile away, and South Derby and Island Lakes are both within about a mile. For an overnight base, Bucks Campground is roughly 5.6 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Flat Tops Wilderness Guides8 mi away
- Glenwood Canyon Resort26 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)North Derby
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South Derby
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Derby Ridge
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Outlet Horse Trail
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