Best Hiking Trails in Lost Creek Wilderness Area

Overview

The Lost Creek Wilderness Area is a high-altitude protected zone known for its unique domes and arches carved of pink Pikes Peak granite. The wilderness contains 105 miles of trail, from which you'll be able to spot plentiful wildlife, including bighorn sheep, elk, black bears, and bobcats. The wilderness is part of the South Platte River drainage, and is known for its fly fishing.

Lost Creek lies within Colorado's Pike and San Isabel National Forests, which means you can link up trail systems that wander in and out of the wilderness area's borders for even more adventure options.

Getting Started

You can access Lost Creek via a series of trailheads along either highway 285 (between Grant and Bailey, Colorado), County Road 56, or Highway 77 farther south. Dispersed campsites and established campgrounds alike are plentiful.

One of the most poplar trailheads is the Goose Creek Trailhead, from which you can launch an easy out-and-back along the Goose Creek Trail, or a multi-day backpacking loop that gives you a full sampling of all the wilderness has to offer.

The Colorado Trail crosses through the Lost Creek Wilderness Area, as well. You can build it into an out-and-back like this 14-miler, or link it up to other trails within the Lost Creek network for a 40-plus-mile loop.

Be sure to follow all posted regulations to keep this wilderness in its pristine, backcountry state.

When to Go

The wilderness area is open year round. It's most pleasant during the summer and early fall, when the snow has melted out. As the wilderness area sits above 8,000 feet in elevation, come prepared for mercurial mountain weather. Snow flurries and hailstorms are common, even in summer.

Permits

Wilderness permits are required but free. Grab one at the trailhead kiosk, fill it out, and take it with you on your hike.

Dog Info

Dogs must be on a leash at all times within the wilderness area.