Fall Creek

Fall Creek is a 14-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Holy Cross Wilderness, part of the Holy Cross Ranger District of the White River National Forest. The trail climbs from a low point of 10,322 feet to a high of 12,580 feet, with a total elevation gain of 2,644 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced and open to horses. The most comfortable stretch for a visit runs from June through September. Typical averages from the nearby Climax weather station show July highs around 67°F and lows near 40°F, with snow days dropping to zero in July and August. That station sits about 1,200 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. The Half Moon Trailhead is the parking for this route, and the trail is open year-round. Halfmoon Campground and Mount of the Holy Cross both lie within half a mile. Notch Mountain is about a mile away, and Gilman Canyon offers climbing roughly 3 miles off.