Colorado · Hiking

Hunter Valley

Hunter ValleyPhoto: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
2.8 mi
round trip
299 ft
climb
8,766 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Hunter Valley 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.

Hunter Valley is an easy out-and-back hike in Colorado's White River National Forest, within the Aspen Ranger District and Emilee Benedict Park. The trail is about 2.8 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 299 feet, and it starts at the Hunter Creek Trailhead, which is open year round. The route runs on natural surface and is open to both horses and bikes. It rises from a low point of about 8,470 feet to a high of about 8,766 feet, so it's a short, gentle climb that works well as a quick outing or a way to stretch your legs before or after another trip in the area. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Aspen show July highs around 76°F with lows near 48°F, while winter highs stay around freezing. Smugglers Cutoff and the BTS Trail both lie about 0.4 miles away. Climbers can head to East Face, about 2.2 miles off, and Difficult Group Campground is about 4.7 miles away for an overnight stay.

Go with a guide

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Hunter Valley

    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

      32° / 10°

      13 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 13°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      43° / 20°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 27°

      12 wet

    5. May

      60° / 35°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      71° / 42°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      76° / 48°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      73° / 47°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 40°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 30°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 19°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      32° / 10°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Aspen 1sw, CO, 2.2 mi away at 8,175 ft. The station sits about 600 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.

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HIKE

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