Colorado · Cross-country skiing · Near Leadville

Upper Turks

Upper TurksPhoto: QKC, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.6 mi
distance
132 ft
climb
10,360 ft
high point
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Upper Turks 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.

Upper Turks is a short, low-elevation cross-country ski route in Colorado, set at the edge of the Upper French Gulch area within the Dillon Ranger District of the White River National Forest. The land is managed by county authorities, and the route covers about 0.6 miles, rising from a low point of 10,224 feet to a high of 10,360 feet. The climb is gentle overall, with a total gain of 132 feet. The steepest stretch comes early on, at about 0.11 miles in, where the grade reaches 9 percent. Because the route is so short, it works well as a quick addition to a day on the surrounding trails. The most comfortable months for a visit are July and August, when typical highs reach the low 70s and lows sit in the low 40s, based on averages from a nearby weather station at Fairplay. Winter is far colder, with typical highs around 31 degrees and lows near 10 degrees from December through February. The Wire Patch Trail starts about 0.2 miles away, and Mount Guyot is just 0.1 mile off. The Swan River, about 3 miles away, offers canoeing, and Michigan Creek Campground, about 7 miles away, is a nearby place to stay.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Breckenridge Area

    Campground

    Campground · 3.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Traverse Restaurant and Bar

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 3 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Jeremy Olson, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

More in Leadville

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Upper Turks

    Best months: June–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.

    1. Jan

      31° / 10°

    2. Feb

      31° / 9°

    3. Mar

      38° / 16°

    4. Apr

      45° / 22°

    5. May

      55° / 29°

    6. Jun

      66° / 37°

    7. Jul

      71° / 42°

    8. Aug

      68° / 41°

    9. Sep

      62° / 35°

    10. Oct

      51° / 26°

    11. Nov

      39° / 17°

    12. Dec

      31° / 10°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Fairplay S Park Rd, CO, 18.1 mi away at 9,995 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive

TurksPhoto: QKC, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Turks

Next door

Short, beginner-friendly Colorado ski trail perfect for quick winter outings.

Southern Cross TrailPhoto: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Southern Cross Trail

~3 min drive

Southern Cross Trail is a 0.94-mile route in Colorado with 407 feet of elevation gain.

Hoo Doo Voo DooPhoto: Pbritti, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hoo Doo Voo Doo

~5 min drive

1.67-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 472 ft of elevation gain.

Prize BoxPhoto: xpda, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Prize Box

~6 min drive

0.87-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 54 ft of elevation gain.

Mount Baldy RoadPhoto: QKC, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mount Baldy Road

~2 min drive

Moderate 2.74-mile road-based ski tour in Colorado with steady climbing.

BreckenridgePhoto: 좀비 브렌다, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Breckenridge

~9 min drive

Breckenridge is a ski area in Colorado with 35 lifts, 128 runs, and 3,256 ft vertical drop.

Forest Queen RoadPhoto: QKC, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Forest Queen Road

Next door

1.06-mile route in Colorado with 525 ft of elevation gain.

Preston Way RoadPhoto: Pbritti, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Preston Way Road

~4 min drive

Preston Way Road is a 0.68-mile route in Colorado with 148 feet of elevation gain.

Shock HillPhoto: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0 au (via Wikimedia Commons)

Shock Hill

~7 min drive

0.61-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 215 ft of elevation gain.

Troll ForestPhoto: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0 au (via Wikimedia Commons)

Troll Forest

~7 min drive

1.01-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 75 ft of elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors