Colorado · Hiking

Oh-Be-Joyful

Oh-Be-JoyfulPhoto: supercraigtalbert, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
9.2 mi
round trip
1,258 ft
climb
10,485 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 8 h ago

Is Oh-Be-Joyful open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name Oh-Be-Joyful, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Oh-Be-Joyful is a hard out-and-back hike in Colorado's Gunnison Ranger District, part of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. The trail runs about 9.2 miles, with a one-way elevation gain of 1,258 feet, from a low point of 9,223 feet to a high of 10,485 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trailhead sits about half a mile from Oh Be Joyful Campground. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Crested Butte, which sits roughly 1,600 feet lower, show July highs around 76°F with lows near 40°F. That station's July is also the wettest month of the year, with about 10 wet days. Winter is harsh, with January highs around 26°F and lows near -7°F. Oh Be Joyful Campground and the Gunsight Pass Road Road, a cross-country ski route, both lie about half a mile away. The GB Loop hike is 0.6 miles off, and the Slate River, a canoeing spot, is about 2.6 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Oh-Be-Joyful

    Best months: June–August. 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

      26° / -7°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      29° / -2°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      38° / 7°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      47° / 19°

      9 wet

    5. May

      58° / 28°

      8 wet

    6. Jun

      70° / 34°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      76° / 40°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 38°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 31°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 22°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      39° / 9°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      27° / -4°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Crested Butte, CO, 4.1 mi away at 8,867 ft. The station sits about 1,600 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.

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