Dowdy Lake Campground
Campground
Campground · 3.2 mi from the trail
Colorado · Hiking · Near Red Feather Lakes
North Fork
- 18.8 mi
- round trip
- 1,680 ft
- climb
- 9,144 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun, Sep
- best months
Is North Fork open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Canyon Lakes Ranger District.
Salt Cabin Prescribed (RX) Fire Closure
Agency alert covering Canyon Lakes Ranger District · Order 02-10-05-26-11 · USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests · USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
West Crystal A - Mechanical Fuelbreak Area and Road Closure
Agency alert covering Canyon Lakes Ranger District · Order 02-10-05-26-04 · USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District
Cameron Peak Fire Road Closures
Agency alert covering Canyon Lakes Ranger District · Order 02-10-05-26-01 · USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Canyon Lakes Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
North Fork is a hard hike in the Canyon Lakes Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado, about 19 miles long with a one-way elevation gain of 1,680 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is an out-and-back that starts at a low point of about 7,700 feet and reaches a high of about 9,140 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 74°F with lows near 43°F, while winter highs there hover around 31°F. The trail begins close to Frog Pond Trail and Pearl Creek, both about a tenth of a mile away. Red Feather Lakes, a climbing area, sits about 2 miles off, and Dowdy Lake Campground is roughly 3 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after If it rains Homestead Museum
Museum
Museum · 17 mi from Red Feather Lakes
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors
More in Red Feather LakesLocal outfitters
- Alpine Lodge at Red Feather Lakes5 mi away
- Wildcat Mountaineering42 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun, Sep
Best time to visit North Fork
Best months: June and 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
31° / 11°
9 wet
Feb
33° / 10°
9 wet
Mar
40° / 15°
10 wet
Apr
45° / 20°
10 wet
May
55° / 28°
10 wet
Jun
68° / 36°
10 wet
Jul
74° / 43°
13 wet
Aug
72° / 41°
14 wet
Sep
65° / 34°
10 wet
Oct
51° / 25°
8 wet
Nov
39° / 18°
9 wet
Dec
31° / 11°
9 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Hourglass Rsvr, CO, 16.5 mi away at 9,520 ft. 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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7.98-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 667 ft elevation gain.
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14.70-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado managed by Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
Photo: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Frog Pond West Loop Trail
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
