Muckey Lake
- 2.2 mi
- round trip
- 458 ft
- climb
- 8,908 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Sep
- best months
Is Muckey Lake open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Limited parking at Snowmass Creek Trailhead
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Grizzly Creek Trail Closure
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · Order 2026-02 · USFS · White River National Forest
Ruedi Marina Day Use area Dump Station is CLOSED
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Asbestos safety closure - Camp Hale
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Muckey Lake is an easy hike of about 2.2 miles on a natural-surface trail in the Eagle Ranger District of Colorado's White River National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back, with a low point of about 8,577 feet and a high of about 8,908 feet, and it gains roughly 458 feet in elevation one way. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Meredith, which sits well below the trail, put July highs around 81°F with lows near 40°F, and temperatures on the trail run cooler. The Sundell and Red Creek hikes are both within a mile. Antones, a lake fishing spot, is about 4.6 miles away, and Little Maud Campground is about 7.7 miles off.
Go with a guide
- Mineral Belt Trail Guided WalkRoamze · $25 per person · 34 mi away
- Maroon Bells Guide and Outfitters22 mi away
Best time to go · Jun–Sep
Best time to visit Muckey Lake
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.
Jan
34° / 4°
Feb
36° / 6°
Mar
43° / 13°
Apr
51° / 21°
May
63° / 28°
Jun
75° / 34°
Jul
81° / 40°
Aug
80° / 39°
Sep
71° / 32°
Oct
61° / 23°
Nov
45° / 13°
Dec
34° / 5°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Meredith, CO, 10.5 mi away at 7,825 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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
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Mount Thomas
~15 min drive
4.81-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 2,300 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: Melissa Johnson — CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Old Fulford Trail No 419
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Red Creek
~1 min drive
14.93-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 2,371 ft gain and 11,188 ft max elevation.
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Yates Gulch
~3 min drive
8.72-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 2,490 ft elevation gain.
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Antones
~11 min drive
5.38-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 953 ft gain.
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Sundell
Next door
2.01-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 121 ft gain.
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Lost Lake
~6 min drive
8.24-mile out-and-back trail to Lost Lake in Colorado, 1,720 ft gain.
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TAYLOR CREEK
~6 min drive
15.8-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 5,165 ft gain/loss.
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Mill Creek
~17 min drive
3.46-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 184 ft gain.
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Miller Gulch
~6 min drive
2.15-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 624 ft gain.
