Buffalo Mountain

Mountain · 1 route

Buffalo Mountain

12,779 ft · Colorado

Photo: kelley.tara, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Summit
12,779 ft
Routes
1 way up
Season
Year-round
Managed by
Forest Service

Route up Buffalo Mountain

  1. Buffalo MountainHardFrom Buffalo Cabin Trailhead (about 9,998 ft) · about 2,552 ft of climbing3.9 mi round tripSee the route
Map of the route up Buffalo Mountain, with each route's start numbered and the summit marked
Buffalo MountainMap © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap contributors

About Buffalo Mountain

Buffalo Mountain is a summit in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, part of the Dillon Ranger District of the White River National Forest in Colorado. The Forest Service manages the land, and the nearest town is Frisco, about 4 miles away. Summer is the mildest time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Climax weather station run to highs around 67°F with lows near 40°F in July, and temperatures on the summit run cooler still, since the peak sits well above that station. Close by are the Buffalo Cabin Trail and the Buffalo / S. Willow Connect mountain bike route, both just over a mile away. Frisco Boulders and Heaton Bay Campground sit a few miles farther.

Forecast on Buffalo Mountain

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.

Questions about Buffalo Mountain

How tall is Buffalo Mountain?

12,779 ft (3,895 m).

How many routes go to the summit of Buffalo Mountain?

One: Buffalo Mountain.

Where do the routes up Buffalo Mountain start?

Buffalo Mountain starts at Buffalo Cabin Trailhead (about 9,998 ft).

When is the best time to climb Buffalo Mountain?

Year-round.

Mountains nearby

More mountains in Colorado

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Jun–Aug. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 61–67°F and lows of 34–40°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Climax, CO weather station, 17 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.

  1. Jan27° high3° low15 days with snow
  2. Feb29° high3° low15 days with snow
  3. Mar35° high8° low14 days with snow
  4. Apr40° high15° low13 days with snow
  5. May49° high25° low8 days with snow
  6. Jun61° high34° low2 days with snow
  7. Jul67° high40° low
  8. Aug64° high39° low
  9. Sep58° high32° low2 days with snow
  10. Oct47° high21° low7 days with snow
  11. Nov35° high11° low12 days with snow
  12. Dec27° high3° low15 days with snow

The station sits about 1,400 ft lower than this spot, so expect it to run cooler up here.

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
Frisco, Colorado · 3.8 mi
Managed by
Forest Service

Source: Wilderness.net boundaries; USFS EDW boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for White River National Forest as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

Is Buffalo Mountain open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in White River National Forest. It doesn't name Buffalo Mountain, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Buffalo Mountain

No month here meets our mild-weather rule. 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

    27° / 3°

    15 wet · 15 snow

  2. Feb

    29° / 3°

    15 wet · 15 snow

  3. Mar

    35° / 8°

    14 wet · 14 snow

  4. Apr

    40° / 15°

    13 wet · 13 snow

  5. May

    49° / 25°

    10 wet · 8 snow

  6. Jun

    61° / 34°

    8 wet · 2 snow

  7. Jul

    67° / 40°

    13 wet

  8. Aug

    64° / 39°

    15 wet

  9. Sep

    58° / 32°

    11 wet · 2 snow

  10. Oct

    47° / 21°

    9 wet · 7 snow

  11. Nov

    35° / 11°

    12 wet · 12 snow

  12. Dec

    27° / 3°

    15 wet · 15 snow

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Climax, CO, 17.4 mi away at 11,344 ft. The station sits about 1,400 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.