Colorado · Hiking

Sluice Box

Sluice BoxPhoto: jikatu, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.1 mi
round trip
10 ft
climb
9,235 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun–Jul
best months

Is Sluice Box 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.

Sluice Box is an easy hike of about a mile in the Dillon Ranger District of White River National Forest in Colorado, where the Forest Service manages the land. The trail is an out-and-back with a total elevation gain of about 10 feet, so it's a short walk with no real climb to plan for. The high point is 9,235 feet, and the low point is 9,224 feet. The route is a natural-surface trail, and the Forest Service allows both biking and horses on it. The trip is year-round, and parking is at the Old Dillon Reservoir Trailhead. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. At a nearby weather station in Dillon, typical July averages are a high of 75°F and a low of 38°F, and winter highs stay around 30°F. Upper Salt Lick is a hike just 0.1 mile away. The Sunrise mountain biking area is about 0.2 mile off, and Heaton Bay Campground and Old Dillon Reservoir #87 are both about 0.8 mile away.

Go with a guide

  • Best time to go · Jun–Jul

    Best time to visit Sluice Box

    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, 3.1 mi away at 9,065 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Upper Salt LickPhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Upper Salt Lick

Next door

3.33-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 626 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Leopold

~2 min drive

3.65-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado managed by White River National Forest.

Trail near Old Dillon ReservoirPhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Trail near Old Dillon Reservoir

Next door

0.80-mile out-and-back trail near Old Dillon Reservoir in Colorado

USL ConnectorPhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

USL Connector

Next door

0.12-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 36 ft of elevation gain.

So-uv TrailPhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

So-uv Trail

Next door

0.57-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado with 228 ft gain.

Teva TrailPhoto: jikatu, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Teva Trail

Next door

0.23-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado with 96 ft of elevation gain.

Trail near Old Dillon ReservoirPhoto: jikatu, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Trail near Old Dillon Reservoir

Next door

0.36-mile out-and-back trail near Old Dillon Reservoir, Colorado

Sunrise TrailPhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Sunrise Trail

Next door

0.92-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado with 35 ft of elevation gain.

Nah-Oon-KaraPhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Nah-Oon-Kara

Next door

1.19-mile loop in Colorado's White River National Forest with 162 ft gain.

CreekPhoto: jikatu, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Creek

Next door

1.1-mile out-and-back trail following a creek in Colorado's White River National Forest.