Colorado · Hiking

Placer

PlacerPhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.1 mi
round trip
112 ft
climb
9,284 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Jul
best months

Is Placer 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.

Placer is an easy out-and-back hike on natural trail in the Dillon Ranger District of White River National Forest in Colorado, about 1.1 miles long and climbing roughly 112 feet from a low of about 9,173 feet to a high of about 9,284 feet. The trail is managed by the Forest Service and sits within the Dillon Ranger District, about 2.6 miles from the Dillon 1 E weather station. The trail is open year-round and is listed as year-round in the trip notes. The Forest Service's trail records say it is natural surface, and the trail is open to both horses and bikes. The parking is at Salt Lick Trailhead. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical July averages from the nearby Dillon 1 E station run to a high of about 75°F and a low of about 38°F. Winters there are severe, with January highs around 31°F and lows near 1°F. The Crosscut hike and the Prospector mountain biking route both lie about 0.1 mile away. Old Dillon Reservoir #87 is about 0.8 mile off and Heaton Bay Campground is about 0.9 mile away.

Go with a guide

  • Best time to go · Jun–Jul

    Best time to visit Placer

    Best months: June–July. 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

      31° / 1°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      33° / 4°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      41° / 10°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      47° / 18°

      11 wet

    5. May

      58° / 26°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      69° / 33°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      75° / 38°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      73° / 37°

      13 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 30°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 21°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      41° / 11°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      32° / 3°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Dillon 1 E, CO, 2.6 mi away at 9,065 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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