Upper Salt Lick

Upper Salt Lick is an easy out-and-back hike in the Dillon Ranger District of Colorado's White River National Forest, about 3.3 miles long with a one-way elevation gain of 626 feet. The trail starts at the Salt Lick Trailhead and climbs from a low point of 9,249 feet to a high of 9,929 feet. The route is on natural surface and is open to both horses and bikes, so it works for riders and pack animals as well as hikers. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is open year-round. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Dillon run to highs around 75°F in July, with lows near 38°F. That station sits about 860 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. Sluice Box is just 0.1 mile away, and the Creek mountain biking area is 0.2 mile off. Heaton Bay Campground and Old Dillon Reservoir #87 are both within a mile.