Colorado · Hiking

Red Dirt

12.9 mi
round trip
1,670 ft
climb
9,000 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Red Dirt open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District. It doesn't name Red Dirt, 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.

Red Dirt is a hard hike in the Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest in Colorado, about 1.2 miles from the town of Mad Creek. The route is an out-and-back that gains about 1,670 feet of elevation over a total distance of roughly 12.9 miles, with the low point at about 6,757 feet and the high at about 9,000 feet. The trail has a natural surface, and horses are allowed. That makes it a viable option for riders as well as hikers. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Spicer weather station, at a similar elevation, show July highs around 77°F with lows near 42°F. Winters there are severe, with January highs near 28°F and lows around 7°F. The Saddle Cutoff Trail and the Saddle hike both sit about a mile away. Mad Creek, a canoeing spot, is roughly 2.9 miles off. For an overnight stay, Steamboat Springs KOA is about 5.5 miles away.