Colorado · Hiking · Holy Cross Wilderness · Near Leadville

Gold Dust

12.5 mi
round trip
2,088 ft
climb
11,881 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Gold Dust 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.

Gold Dust is a hard hike in Colorado's Holy Cross Wilderness, part of the Eagle Ranger District of the White River National Forest. The route is an out-and-back of about 12.5 miles, with a total elevation gain of 2,088 feet, from a low point of about 9,966 feet to a high of about 11,881 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced and open to horses. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Climax weather station, which sits a few hundred feet lower, show July highs around 67°F with lows near 40°F and no snow days. Winter is harsh, with highs in the upper 20s and snow on about half the days from December through February. The trail starts at the Nolan Lake parking area, and the route is open year-round. Lake Charles is about a mile away, and Gold Dust Peak is about 1.6 miles off. Yeoman Park Campground and East Brush Creek are both within about 3 miles.

Around this trail

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

    Fulford Cave Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 1.7 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Hot Heads Chicken

    Fast food

    On your way back · 24 mi · Open after 6

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 Gold Dust

    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, 24.9 mi away at 11,344 ft. The station sits about 500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.