South Derby
- 5.1 mi
- round trip
- 799 ft
- climb
- 11,652 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is South Derby open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Limited parking at Snowmass Creek Trailhead
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Grizzly Creek Trail Closure
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · Order 2026-02 · USFS · White River National Forest
Ruedi Marina Day Use area Dump Station is CLOSED
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Asbestos safety closure - Camp Hale
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
South Derby is an easy out-and-back hike in Colorado's Flat Tops Wilderness, within the Blanco Ranger District of the White River National Forest. The trail is about 5 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 800 feet, and it starts at the South Derby Trailhead, which is open year-round. The route is natural-surfaced and allows horses, so it works well for riders as well as hikers. Bikes are not permitted. The trail's low point sits at about 10,787 feet, and the high point reaches about 11,652 feet. Deer Lake Trail and Deer Lake are both about 0.7 miles away, and Island Lakes is about 0.8 miles off. For an overnight stay, Bucks Campground is about 6 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Flat Tops Wilderness Guides8 mi away
- Glenwood Canyon Resort26 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: Jim Morefield, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)North Derby
~12 min drive
4.35-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 757 ft gain and 11,197 ft max elevation.
HIKE
Deer Lake Trail
~1 min drive
7.60-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's White River National Forest with 695 ft gain.
HIKE
Turret
~5 min drive
6.62-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 887 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Luark
~8 min drive
2.56-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 221 ft gain.
HIKE
Island Lakes
~1 min drive
19.27-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 1,165 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
Derby Ridge
~8 min drive
7.14-mile out-and-back hike on Derby Ridge in Colorado's White River National Forest.
HIKE
Hooper Lake Trail
~9 min drive
1.3-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 241 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
W. Mountain
~3 min drive
4.62-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 286 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Arthur H. Carhart
~10 min drive
5.35-mile loop in Colorado's White River National Forest with 175 ft gain.
HIKE
Outlet Horse Trail
~11 min drive
0.31-mile lollipop trail in Colorado with 115 ft gain and 9,674 ft max elevation.
