Colorado · Hiking · West Elk Wilderness

Sheep Lake

6.2 mi
round trip
868 ft
climb
10,554 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Sep
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 15 h ago

Is Sheep Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name Sheep Lake, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Sheep Lake is a 6.2-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's West Elk Wilderness, within the Paonia Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. The trail climbs from about 9,659 feet to 10,554 feet, a gain of 868 feet, and is rated hard. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is natural-surfaced, with horses allowed and bikes not. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Taylor Park weather station, which sits about 1,375 feet lower, show July highs around 72°F with lows near 42°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s and 30s. The station's figures are only a guide, and temperatures on the trail run cooler. The hike is open from July 1 to September 30. The closest neighbors are the Cliff Creek Cutoff 840.a and South Cliff Creek hikes, each about 0.6 miles away, and the Little Robinson hike at 1.1 miles. For an overnight base, Lost Lake Campground is about 6.7 miles off.

Local outfitters

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