Colorado · Hiking

Meadow Mountain

Meadow MountainPhoto: wka, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
10.8 mi
round trip
423 ft
climb
9,792 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 18 h ago

Is Meadow Mountain 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.

Meadow Mountain is a hard hike in Colorado's White River National Forest, within the Holy Cross Ranger District. The trail is an out-and-back that climbs from about 7,744 feet to 9,792 feet, a gain of 423 feet over a route of about 10.8 miles. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round with parking at the Meadow Mountain trailhead. The route is natural-surface and allows both horses and bikes. That makes it a flexible option for riders and pack animals, though the climb is a steady one over the full length of the trip. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Vail, which sits about 1,500 feet lower, show July highs around 77°F with lows near 42°F. At the mountain's summit, temperatures run cooler. Whiskey Creek lies just 0.1 mile away, and Full Nelson is about a mile off. Beaver Creek Ski Resort and Beaver Lake are both within about 2.6 miles.

Go with a guide

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Meadow Mountain

    Best months: June–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

      29° / 7°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      33° / 9°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 17°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 24°

      9 wet

    5. May

      60° / 31°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      71° / 36°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      77° / 42°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 41°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 34°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 25°

      7 wet

    11. Nov

      38° / 15°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      28° / 7°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Vail, CO, 7.3 mi away at 8,304 ft. The station sits about 1,500 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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Full Nelson

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West Grouse Creek

~5 min drive

17.31-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 2,440 ft gain and 12,000 ft max elevation.