Kinney Creek
Photo: jtsmmm, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 1.3 mi
- round trip
- 358 ft
- climb
- 9,070 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Jul
- best months
Is KINNEY CREEK open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests · USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Sulphur Ranger District · USFS · Sulphur Ranger District
Permanent Recreational Shooting Order
Agency alert covering Sulphur Ranger District · Order 02-10-00-25-02 · USFS · Sulphur Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Kinney Creek is an easy out-and-back hike of about 2.6 miles in the Sulphur Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. The trail starts at roughly 8,800 feet and climbs to about 9,070 feet, with a total gain of about 358 feet, before returning to the starting point. The steepest stretch comes around the 1-mile mark, where the grade reaches about 9%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation show July highs around 75°F with lows near 38°F, while winter highs stay in the low 30s. Ute Peak lies about 1.5 miles away, and the K & K Connection Trail and Kinney Creek Trail are each about 2.3 miles off. South Fork Campground is about 3 miles away.
Go with a guide
- Mineral Belt Trail Guided WalkRoamze · $25 per person · 42 mi away
- Camp Always Choose Adventures26 mi away
Best time to go · Jun–Jul
Best time to visit KINNEY CREEK
Best months: June–July. 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
31° / 1°
12 wet
Feb
33° / 4°
11 wet
Mar
41° / 10°
11 wet
Apr
47° / 18°
11 wet
May
58° / 26°
10 wet
Jun
69° / 33°
9 wet
Jul
75° / 38°
12 wet
Aug
73° / 37°
13 wet
Sep
66° / 30°
10 wet
Oct
54° / 21°
8 wet
Nov
41° / 11°
9 wet
Dec
32° / 3°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Dillon 1 E, CO, 14.3 mi away at 9,065 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: jtsmmm, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Williams Fork Boardwalk
~5 min drive
1.21-mile out-and-back boardwalk trail in Colorado's Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
Photo: jtsmmm, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Darling Creek
~5 min drive
10.47-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 3,181 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Ute Pass
~4 min drive
4.9 mi · Moderate
Photo: devriesm, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Upper Pioneer Creek
~14 min drive
1.29-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 355 ft elevation gain
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Ute Peak
~3 min drive
27.20-mile out-and-back to Ute Peak's 12,494 ft summit in Colorado.
HIKE
KINNEY CREEK
~5 min drive
3.18-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 1,088 ft gain and 10,399 ft max elevation.
HIKE
K & K Connection Trail
~4 min drive
0.76-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 352 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
South Fork
~6 min drive
23.93-mile loop trail in Colorado with 2,938 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
KEYSER RIDGE LOOP
~6 min drive
1.84-mile loop trail in Colorado with 987 ft gain and 1,225 ft loss.
HIKE
Kinney Creek Trail
~4 min drive
1.78-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 400 ft gain, follows a creek and crosses streams.
