Hardscrabble Lake
Photo: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 0.2 mi
- round trip
- 19 ft
- climb
- 10,150 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Hardscrabble Lake 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.
Hardscrabble Lake is a short, easy hike in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, part of the Aspen Ranger District of White River National Forest in Colorado. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is about 0.17 miles long, with a one-way climb of 19 feet from a low point of 10,122 feet to a high of 10,150 feet. The route is natural-surfaced and rated easy. Horses are allowed, but bikes are not. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Crested Butte show July highs around 76°F with lows near 40°F, while winter highs stay in the mid-20s and lows drop to single digits. Hell Roaring is about 0.2 miles away, and Williams Lake is about 0.7 miles away. Capitol Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 3.1 miles off, and Avalanche Campground is about 5.6 miles away.
Go with a guide
- Mineral Belt Trail Guided WalkRoamze · $25 per person · 43 mi away
- Maroon Bells Guide and Outfitters13 mi away
- Hell RoaringHiking0.2 mi
- Williams LakeHikingPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.7 mi
- Capitol CreekCanoeing3.1 mi
- Avalanche CreekCanoeing4.3 mi
- Carbondale AreaRock climbing5.2 mi
- Avalanche CampgroundCamping5.6 mi
- The WatchtowerRock climbing6.9 mi
- Redstone Family CampgroundCamping7.4 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Williams LakeHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Nickelson CreekHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Capitol Ditch TrailHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Capitol Peak: Approach to 12,100 ftHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
East Snowmass DitchHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: jofwooster, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Capitol CreekHiking · ~9 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Lower Capital TrailHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Willoughby MountainHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: jedisct1, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Maroon-Snowmass Trail 1975Hiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: jofwooster, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Hell RoaringHiking · Next door
Best time to visit Hardscrabble Lake
Best months: June–August. 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.
Jan
26° / -7°
12 wet
Feb
29° / -2°
11 wet
Mar
38° / 7°
10 wet
Apr
47° / 19°
9 wet
May
58° / 28°
8 wet
Jun
70° / 34°
7 wet
Jul
76° / 40°
10 wet
Aug
74° / 38°
12 wet
Sep
66° / 31°
9 wet
Oct
54° / 22°
8 wet
Nov
39° / 9°
9 wet
Dec
27° / -4°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Crested Butte, CO, 25.4 mi away at 8,867 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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.
