Colorado · Hiking

Pioneer

7.1 mi
round trip
1,038 ft
climb
9,052 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Pioneer open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District. It doesn't name Pioneer, so check the source for the area it covers.

As of · Source: USFS · Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Pioneer is a hard hike in the Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. The route is an out-and-back of about 7 miles, with a total elevation gain of 1,038 feet, taking you from a low point of 8,013 feet to a high of 9,052 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Spicer weather station, which sits about 667 feet lower than the high point, show July highs around 77°F with lows near 42°F, while winter highs there stay in the 20s. The trail is open year-round, and the Creekside hike and the Crekside Connector Trail both start within a quarter mile. Climbers can head to Blob Rock, about 1.5 miles away, and Granite Campground offers camping roughly 4.7 miles off.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Pioneer

    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.

    1. Jan

      28° / 7°

      8 wet

    2. Feb

      31° / 9°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      40° / 15°

      8 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 23°

      9 wet

    5. May

      59° / 30°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      71° / 36°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      77° / 42°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      76° / 40°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 34°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 25°

      7 wet

    11. Nov

      39° / 16°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      29° / 9°

      8 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Spicer, CO, 17.1 mi away at 8,385 ft. The station sits about 700 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

Tenderfoot TrailPhoto: oc14me, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Tenderfoot Trail

Next door

0.7-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 253 ft elevation gain.

Zig ZagPhoto: oc14me, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Zig Zag

~1 min drive

3.7 mi · Moderate

Fish CreekPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Fish Creek

~2 min drive

6.70-mile loop trail in Colorado with 2,603 ft elevation gain.

Tenderfoot TrailPhoto: John Holm from Leadville, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Tenderfoot Trail

Next door

1.42-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 564 ft elevation gain and loss.

Storm Peak ChallengePhoto: Flyinace2000, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Storm Peak Challenge

~2 min drive

4.40-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 1,312 ft elevation gain.

Mountain ViewPhoto: Greg Younger from Parker, Colorado, USA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mountain View

~3 min drive

12.48-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest with 1,062 feet of elevation gain.

Spur RunPhoto: blt04, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Spur Run

~1 min drive

2.14-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 471 ft gain.

ThunderheadPhoto: oc14me, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Thunderhead

~2 min drive

3.9 mi · Moderate

HIKE

Valley View

~1 min drive

6.12-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 1,013 ft gain.

Vista Nature TrailPhoto: John Holm from Leadville, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Vista Nature Trail

~1 min drive

1.70-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest with 63 ft of elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors