Onyx Mine
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 0.3 mi
- distance
- 36 ft
- climb
- 6,965 ft
- high point
- Moderate
- difficulty
- May–Sep
- best months
Onyx Mine is a cross-country ski route in Howelsen Park, a city-managed parcel in Colorado's Steamboat Springs area. It is a short outing, just 0.26 miles long, with a low point of 6,922 feet and a high of 6,965 feet, so it is best described as a small climb rather than a full trail. The route starts at 6,934 feet, and the steepest stretch occurs about 0.06 miles in, where the grade reaches 4%. That makes it a moderate route rather than an easy one. Winter is the natural season for skiers. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Steamboat Springs show January highs around 29°F with lows near 5°F, while June is the warmest month, with highs around 76°F and lows near 39°F. The station sits close to the same elevation as the route, so those figures are a fair guide to conditions here. Howelsen Meadow, another cross-country ski route, lies about 0.2 miles away, and Mile Run, a mountain biking trail, is about 0.1 miles off. Butcher Knife, a climbing area, is about 1.1 miles away, and Steamboat Springs KOA, a campground, is about 2.7 miles away.
Local outfitters
- Rancho Del Rio42 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May–Sep
Best time to visit Onyx Mine
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, 0.9 mi away at 6,866 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
Photo: Ranugad, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Howelsen Meadow
Next door
0.49-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 46 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: CarTick at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Steamboat Ski Resort
~7 min drive
Steamboat Ski Resort in Colorado has 20 lifts and 193 runs with 31 easy, 73 intermediate, 78 advanced, and 8 expert routes.
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Blackmer Drive
Next door
Blackmer Drive is a 1.88-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 677 feet of elevation gain.
SKI
Bottle Creek Ski Trails
~1h 23m drive
2.31-mile out-and-back ski trail in Wyoming with 498 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Notchcode, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Howelsen Meadows
Next door
Howelsen Meadows is a 0.28-mile trail in Colorado with 62 ft of elevation gain.
SEE
Howelson Hill Ski Area
Next door
Howelson Hill Ski Area in Colorado has 4 lifts and 14 runs with 1,069 ft vertical drop.
Photo: Notchcode, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Emerald Meadows Trail
Next door
0.21-mile route in Colorado with 45 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: Notchcode, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Lupine Trail
Next door
Lupine Trail is a 0.17-mile route in Colorado with 33 feet of elevation gain.
Photo: Notchcode, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Emerald Meadows Trail;Lupine Trail
Next door
0.13-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 73 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: Notchcode, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Bluffs Loop Trail
Next door
0.79-mile loop with 275 ft gain in Colorado.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
