Colorado · Hiking

Pinkham Mountain Loop

5.0 mi
loop
417 ft
climb
9,018 ft
high point
Loop
route
Jun–Aug
best months

Is Pinkham Mountain Loop open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Pinkham Mountain Loop is a 5-mile loop in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, within the Parks Ranger District. The trail is managed by the Forest Service and rated hard, with a total elevation gain of 417 feet from the low point at 8,558 feet to the high at 9,018 feet. The trailhead is named Pinkham Mountain Trailhead, and parking is available there. The route is a loop, so it starts and ends at the trailhead. It is a natural-surface trail, and bikes are allowed. The trip takes about two hours. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs around 80°F in July, with lows near 42°F. That station sits about 1,200 feet lower than the loop's high point, so temperatures on the mountain run cooler. Camp Creek Loop and Core are both about 0.1 mile away, and Camp Spur is about 0.4 mile away. For an overnight stay, Boswell Creek Campground is about 6.7 miles off.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Pinkham Mountain Loop

    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

      35° / 7°

      8 wet

    2. Feb

      36° / 8°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      44° / 16°

      9 wet

    4. Apr

      52° / 21°

      10 wet

    5. May

      62° / 29°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      74° / 36°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      80° / 42°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      78° / 39°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      71° / 31°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      57° / 23°

      7 wet

    11. Nov

      44° / 15°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      34° / 7°

      8 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Hohnholz Rch, CO, 13.4 mi away at 7,797 ft. The station sits about 1,200 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.