Colorado · Hiking · Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

North Fork Crystal River

North Fork Crystal RiverPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
16.6 mi
round trip
2,081 ft
climb
12,401 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is North Fork Crystal River open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

North Fork Crystal River is a hard hike in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, part of the Sopris Ranger District of White River National Forest in Colorado. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is a natural-surface out-and-back that climbs from about 9,900 feet to about 12,400 feet over roughly 16.6 miles, with a total elevation gain of about 2,081 feet. The route is rated hard, and it is not a place for bikes. Horses are allowed. Geneva Lake Trail and Hagerman Peak both sit within about half a mile of the trail, making them easy add-ons to a day in the area. For an overnight base, GC 15 and GC 14 campgrounds are about 5.4 miles away. Maroon Lake Scenic, a lake fishing spot, is about 7.9 miles off.

Go with a guide

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Hagerman PeakPhoto: The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company from Long Beach, California, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hagerman Peak

Next door

Route to the summit of Hagerman Peak (13,816 ft) from Geneva Lake Trailhead (Lead King Basin).

North LostPhoto: snowpeak, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

North Lost

~6 min drive

3.48-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 1,393 ft gain.

Capitol CreekPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Capitol Creek

~8 min drive

17.85-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 2,260 ft elevation gain.

Trail near Maroon PeakPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Trail near Maroon Peak

~11 min drive

0.40-mile out-and-back trail near Maroon Peak in Colorado with 269 ft elevation gain.

Treasury MountainPhoto: The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company from Long Beach, California, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Treasury Mountain

~5 min drive

Route to the summit of Treasury Mountain (13,386 ft) from Schofield Park Parking.

Schofield TrailPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Schofield Trail

~9 min drive

2.94-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 1,024 ft gain and 11,355 ft max elevation.

Trail RidersPhoto: GSEC, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Trail Riders

~9 min drive

14.78-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 845 ft gain.

Trail near Pyramid PeakPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Trail near Pyramid Peak

~12 min drive

0.38-mile out-and-back trail near Pyramid Peak in Colorado.

Precarious PeakPhoto: Jeffrey Pang from Berkeley, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Precarious Peak

~13 min drive

Route to the summit of Precarious Peak (13,104 ft) from Rustler Gulch Trailhead.

Capitol Peak RoutePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Capitol Peak Route

~10 min drive

1.32-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 956 ft gain.