Saddle
- 2.2 mi
- round trip
- 18 ft
- climb
- 7,609 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Is Saddle open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District. It doesn't name Saddle, so check the source for the area it covers.
Area Closure for the Fishhook Fire - Routt National Forest
Agency closure covering Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District · Order 02-06-03-26-222 · USFS · Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District
Access Impact: Big Creek Lakes Dam Project
Agency alert covering Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest · USFS · Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest
Trail & Access Impact: Stillwater Reservoir Project
Agency alert covering Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest · USFS · Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest
Snowy Range - 2026 Active Vegetation Operations
Agency alert covering Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest · USFS · Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Saddle is an easy hike on natural surface in Colorado's Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, within the Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District. It covers about 2.2 miles out and back, rising from a low point of 7,155 feet to a high of 7,609 feet, with only 18 feet of elevation gain. The Forest Service manages the land. The trail is open year-round, and the route is rated easy. Bikes and horses are both allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Steamboat Springs show July highs around 83°F with lows near 46°F, and September highs around 74°F. That station sits about 740 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the Saddle climb run cooler. Saddle Cutoff Trail starts just 0.2 miles away, and Red Dirt is about a mile off. Paddlers can head to Mad Creek, about 2 miles away. For overnight stays, Steamboat Springs KOA is roughly 6 miles from the trail.
- Saddle Cutoff TrailHiking0.2 mi
- Red DirtHiking1 mi
- Mad CreekCanoeing2 mi
- Steamboat SpringsRock climbing5.7 mi
- Big CreekCanoeing5.8 mi
- Steamboat Springs KOACamping6 mi
- Dry Lake CampgroundCamping6.5 mi
- Wax MuseumRock climbing6.9 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Bear CreekHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Tatanka TrailHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: bjwhite66212, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Ditch TrailHiking · ~13 min drivePhoto: bjwhite66212, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Flash of Gold TrailHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: bjwhite66212, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Spring CreekHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: bjwhite66212, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Ricky's RidgeHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: supercraigtalbert, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Red DirtHiking · ~2 min drive
- Panorama TrailHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: bjwhite66212, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Lupine TrailHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: supercraigtalbert, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Swamp ParkHiking · ~4 min drive
Best time to visit Saddle
Best months: May–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° / 5°
14 wet
Feb
34° / 8°
13 wet
Mar
45° / 18°
11 wet
Apr
54° / 27°
12 wet
May
65° / 34°
12 wet
Jun
76° / 39°
9 wet
Jul
83° / 46°
9 wet
Aug
82° / 44°
11 wet
Sep
74° / 36°
10 wet
Oct
59° / 26°
9 wet
Nov
43° / 16°
11 wet
Dec
30° / 6°
14 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Steamboat Springs, CO, 7.8 mi away at 6,866 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.
