Pole Creek

Trail Overview

Pole Creek is an epic single track in the Rio Grande National Forest near Lake City, Colorado. From south to north, it is a steady incline the whole way, with several small creek crossings that range between rocky and pretty smooth. Some sections have embedded small rocks in the trail. Other sections are rockier with bigger boulders. There are shelfy side hill sections on a gradual slope, and it gets into a high tundra with incredible views. You can make a really cool loop with West Lost Trail and Stony Pass. Being a high-elevation trail in Colorado, weather can start to get poor in early fall, and you can also run into snow packs still in early summer. The trail gains 1,900 feet over 7 miles, getting all the way up to 12,500 feet. Come prepared for high elevation and sudden changes in weather.