Jim Creek Campground
Campground
Campground · 2.5 mi from the trail
Colorado · Hiking · Near Idaho Springs
Riflesight
- 3.5 mi
- round trip
- 344 ft
- climb
- 10,948 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun, Sep
- best months
Is Riflesight open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests · USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Sulphur Ranger District · USFS · Sulphur Ranger District
Permanent Recreational Shooting Order
Agency alert covering Sulphur Ranger District · Order 02-10-00-25-02 · USFS · Sulphur Ranger District
As of · Source: USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Riflesight is a 3.5-mile out-and-back hike in the Sulphur Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises about 344 feet from a low point of 10,595 feet to a high of 10,948 feet, and it is rated moderate. The trail is open from June 1 to November 15, and the parking area is named Rogers Pass/Riflesight. Bikes and horses are both allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Boulder run to highs around 68°F in July and 66°F in August, with lows in the low 40s. That station sits about 1,120 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the ridge run cooler. Moffat and Broken Thumb, both mountain biking areas, are each about 0.8 miles away. B-Lot Boulder, a climbing area, is about 2.7 miles off, and Idlewild Campground is about 3 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after 
If it rainsUser:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHistoric house-museum in Georgetown, Colorado, United States
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)
More in Idaho SpringsLocal outfitters
- Camp Always Choose Adventures11 mi away
- Lostfork Basecamp31 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun, Sep
Best time to visit Riflesight
Best months: June and 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.
Jan
29° / 12°
15 wet
Feb
28° / 11°
16 wet
Mar
36° / 17°
16 wet
Apr
40° / 22°
17 wet
May
50° / 29°
16 wet
Jun
62° / 36°
12 wet
Jul
68° / 43°
14 wet
Aug
66° / 41°
13 wet
Sep
59° / 34°
10 wet
Oct
47° / 26°
10 wet
Nov
35° / 19°
12 wet
Dec
28° / 12°
15 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Boulder 14 W, CO, 12.9 mi away at 9,828 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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
Photo: Andrew Evans, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Broken Thumb Trail
~2 min drive
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Moffat
~1 min drive
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Photo: halseike, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Buck Creek
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Arapaho Lakes
~5 min drive
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~3 min drive
2.08-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 388 ft elevation gain.
Photo: halseike, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Challenger Trail
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Burnout Loop
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Photo: gregor_y, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Discovery Trail
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South Fork Loop
~5 min drive
5.56-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 242 ft elevation gain.
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