Colorado · Hiking

Moonlight

MoonlightPhoto: blt04, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.6 mi
round trip
1,627 ft
climb
9,062 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Moonlight open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District. It doesn't name Moonlight, 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.

Moonlight is an easy hike of about 1.6 miles on natural surface in the Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest in Colorado. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is rated easy with a one-way climb of about 467 feet. The route is an out-and-back that starts near 9,026 feet and reaches a high point of about 9,062 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about 0.58 miles in, with a grade of about 28 percent. Bikes are allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Spicer weather station, which sits a few hundred feet lower, show July highs around 77°F with lows near 42°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. The Elkhead and Vista Nature Trail mountain biking trails are both about 0.1 mile away. Blob Rock, a climbing area, is about 2.5 miles off, and Granite Campground is about 5.1 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Moonlight

    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

      28° / 7°

      8 wet

    2. Feb

      31° / 9°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      40° / 15°

      8 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 23°

      9 wet

    5. May

      59° / 30°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      71° / 36°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      77° / 42°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      76° / 40°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 34°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 25°

      7 wet

    11. Nov

      39° / 16°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      29° / 9°

      8 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Spicer, CO, 16.9 mi away at 8,385 ft. The station sits about 700 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

Storm Peak ChallengePhoto: Flyinace2000, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Storm Peak Challenge

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4.40-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 1,312 ft elevation gain.

ElkheadPhoto: Greg Younger from Parker, Colorado, USA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Elkhead

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Mountain ViewPhoto: Greg Younger from Parker, Colorado, USA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mountain View

~2 min drive

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Pete's Wicked TrailPhoto: blt04, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Pete's Wicked Trail

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5.77-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest with 1,237 ft gain.

Vista Nature TrailPhoto: John Holm from Leadville, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Vista Nature Trail

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Fish CreekPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Fish Creek

~4 min drive

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SunshinePhoto: blt04, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Sunshine

~2 min drive

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Spur RunPhoto: blt04, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Spur Run

Next door

2.14-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 471 ft gain.

HIKE

Pioneer

~2 min drive

7.05-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest with 1,038 ft gain.

ThunderheadPhoto: oc14me, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Thunderhead

~2 min drive

3.9 mi · Moderate