Colorado · Hiking · Mount Zirkel Wilderness

Mica Basin

Mica BasinPhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
5.5 mi
round trip
1,359 ft
climb
10,459 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Is Mica Basin open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District. It doesn't name Mica Basin, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Mica Basin is a 5.5-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Mount Zirkel Wilderness, within the Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. The trail climbs from a low point of 9,087 feet to a high of 10,459 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,359 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced and open year-round. The most comfortable stretch for a visit runs from June through September. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at about 9,000 feet show July highs around 73°F with lows near 40°F, while temperatures at the high point run cooler. Winter is cold, with January highs near 29°F. Horses are allowed, and bikes are not. The Gilpin hike starts just 0.3 miles away, and the Wyoming Trail is about a mile off. For an overnight stay, the Seedhouse Group Site is roughly 2 miles away, and the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness climbing area is about 4.6 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Mica Basin

    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.

    1. Jan

      29° / 3°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      30° / 5°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      38° / 12°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      45° / 20°

      10 wet

    5. May

      55° / 27°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      67° / 33°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      73° / 40°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      72° / 38°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      64° / 31°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      51° / 22°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      38° / 12°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      30° / 4°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gould 4se Sfsp, CO, 41.5 mi away at 9,000 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.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Wyoming TrailPhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Wyoming Trail

~2 min drive

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Bear LakesPhoto: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Bear Lakes

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Red Dirt Pass

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Gold Creek LakePhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Gold Creek Lake

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Bighorn Lake Trail

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Lone Pine

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Three Island LakePhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Three Island Lake

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BIGHORN LAKE

~8 min drive

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Ute Pass Trail

~10 min drive

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GilpinPhoto: brewbooks, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Gilpin

Next door

12.06-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest with 2,317 ft gain.