North Crestone Trail

Just outside of the small town of Crestone, CO, the North Crestone Trail is a scenic singletrack leading 11.2 miles to North Crestone Lake and back. The trail offers numerous options for extended journeys and peak bagging along the crest of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The well-maintained and well-graded singletrack makes for fantastic trail running, as well as day-hiking and backpacking. If backpacking, please remember Leave No Trace Principles, and only camp on already-established sites. The trail begins at North Crestone Campground at the end of County Road 71U, which is easily accessible by any car, and the trailhead is managed by USFS Rio Grande National Forest.

The North Crestone Trail climbs gradually from around 8,500ft. to nearly 11,900ft., often following North Crestone Creek through stands of aspen and pine. At mile 2.5, the trail reaches a junction with trails #747 and #746, offering excellent options for a much more extended journey through the Sangre de Cristos. Our trail continues steadily upward before a quite steep push for the last half-mile before reaching North Crestone Lake. The lake is nestled below the crest of the Sangre de Cristos between Fluted Peak (13,543ft.) and Mount Adams (13,940ft.). For those wishing to continue the adventure up to Fluted Peak, skirt the north side of the lake and find the path of least resistance up through the boulder fields below the summit. 

As always, be prepared to encounter a full spectrum of weather even in the height of the Colorado summer. A note from the USFS site: “The high peaks accessed by this trail have experienced an increase in Search and Rescue incidents over the past several years. Trail users and mountain climbers are advised to use established routes and maintain extreme levels of situational awareness when accessing the high country from this trail.”