Colorado · Hiking · Near Red Feather Lakes

Granite Ridge

14.7 mi
round trip
96 ft
climb
8,605 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 21 h ago

Is Granite Ridge open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Canyon Lakes Ranger District.

As of · Source: USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Granite Ridge is a 14.7-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Canyon Lakes Ranger District, part of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. The route starts and ends at the Molly Lake Trailhead, about 0.3 miles from Bellaire Lake Campground, and rises from a low of 7,948 feet to a high of 8,605 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is natural-surfaced and open year-round. The climb is a long one, with a total gain of 96 feet from the low to the high point. The trail is rated hard, and it's suited to riders as well as hikers: both bikes and horses are allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at about 7,700 feet show July highs around 78°F with lows near 47°F, while winter highs stay in the mid-30s. Several other outings sit close by. The Molly Lake and Molly Moon hikes are within a mile and a half, and the Elkhorn Creek mountain biking area is about 1.7 miles away. Red Feather Lakes, a climbing area, lies roughly 6.5 miles off.

Around this trail

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

    Bellaire Lake Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 0.3 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    Homestead Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 14 mi from Red Feather Lakes

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Red Feather Lakes

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Granite Ridge

    Best months: May–September. 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

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      44° / 20°

      6 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 25°

      8 wet

    5. May

      59° / 32°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 40°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      78° / 47°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      76° / 46°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      69° / 38°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      56° / 29°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      44° / 21°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rustic 9wsw, CO, 7.1 mi away at 7,700 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.