Colorado · Hiking · Near Red Feather Lakes

Molly Moon

4.2 mi
round trip
136 ft
climb
8,544 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Molly Moon open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Canyon Lakes Ranger District.

As of · Source: USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Molly Moon is a 4.2-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises from 8,209 feet to 8,544 feet, a gain of about 335 feet over the course of the trip, and is rated moderate. The trail is open year-round, and its natural surface makes it suitable for horses and bikes. The route's gentle climb is broken into a straightforward profile, with the high point roughly in the middle of the out-and-back. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July highs reach about 78°F with lows near 47°F, according to averages from a nearby weather station at Rustic. That station sits about 840 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run a little cooler. Nearby, Elkhorn Creek offers mountain biking about 0.4 miles away, and the Elkhorn Cowpath hike is about half a mile off. For an overnight stay, Bellaire Lake Campground is about 1.6 miles away and West Lake Campground about 2 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Bellaire Lake Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 1.6 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    Homestead Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 14 mi from Red Feather Lakes

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Red Feather Lakes

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Molly Moon

    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

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      44° / 20°

      6 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 25°

      8 wet

    5. May

      59° / 32°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 40°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      78° / 47°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      76° / 46°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      69° / 38°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      56° / 29°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      44° / 21°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      36° / 15°

      5 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Rustic 9wsw, CO, 7.9 mi away at 7,700 ft. The station sits about 800 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.