Find the top rated hiking trails in Steamboat Springs, whether you're looking for an easy short hiking trail or a long hiking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a hiking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Quiet and no foot traffic at all! Saw lots of wildflowers, moose, deer prints & scat. Looks to me like 517 from the east is no longer viable. Have to enter from either Albany or Fox. Going back again today. Bicycled the entire thing with 2 of my kiddos many years ago. Camped at Pelton CG at the end back then. Love that my coworker can follow/meet me in the car for most of it. This helps me accomplish my full break-off-work. Plan to bring my tiny grandson in a jogger stroller on my days off. Eager to hike the entire thing: as part of the MedicineBow 100.
I rode the full length of the trail, from north to south and back. As noted, the north-end trailhead isn't easy to find (head down road 517G, at the sign that says No Outlet). Including the navigation around Fox Park (be certain to pause and read the sign) my Strava recorded the full ride at 45.36 miles and an elevation gain/loss of 922 ft (gotta love railroad grades).
The trail is very remote and exposed, so bring plenty of water and good snacks. I did not see anyone else on trail or in the vicinity, with the exception of a few folks fishing at Lake Owen.
The north end of the trail has sections of loose gravel and a few trees over the path, so you get to practice your cyclocross skills. I was running 42cm tubeless on my gravel bike, which was a perfect setup. Heading south, trail is more tame and seems to be better maintained.
It's a beautiful ride both ways and bring your camera, as there are so many wonderful images to be had. Don't worry about Strava records as you'll be stopping every few minutes to take pictures.
While the ravages of the fire are very evident, it's amazing to see how nature rebuilds and the carpets of wildflowers will leave you in awe, as will the reflections off the many beaver ponds. At times, it smelled like I was at a florist, the flowers were in all their glory.
Do this ride, do it slowly and enjoy!
(I would have posted pictures but couldn't figure out how to do that here.)
Trail first of all was very hard to find Drove from Saratoga and thought would at least see some indication there was a trail . Did about 15 miles total on trail peaceful and pretty in some spots . Hard to ride if don’t have mountain bike almost wiped out with a bike with pretty wide tires. Would do again on a day with better weather and would definitely bring bear spray . You never know !
The Medicine Bow Rail Trail is remote and wild. We rode from Lake Owen to the southern end - about 38 miles round trip. There were no other riders on the trail so we were able to "get away from it all." The trail is very well maintained and clear of debris. There is a slight incline coming out of the campground and then an even 300 foot decline to the southern terminus. Easy. Be aware - while we were riding a fast moving wet and windy storm blew through and trees were falling all around us as we rode the area burned in a previous forest fire. There is no water but there are restrooms at the few trail heads. All in all, a wonderful ride.
Starting from Owen Lake we rode south to the end and back. Each trail head had a vault outhouse that was in clean condition. Didn't see another biker (yay), though saw cows and some ATVers on the parallel road. Trail surface was a mixture of packed crushed gravel, somewhat overgrown gravel with grasses and wildflowers, and coarse gravel. Some soft spots, some thicker gravel as you rode around Fox park. I rode on 700x32c tires and would recommend larger than 35c tires. There is ZERO WATER, so bring enough, and only some shade if you ride early. I had a quality filter but accessing the swampy areas is tough at best, add to that the bovine factor. The area is very exposed and dry. Recent burn area appeared open so we rode through the sad destroyed area. Owen Lake has many overgrown and exposed campsites plus a few nicer ones with some shade. The lake is super pretty. Water was off there too.
I did the lower half of the trail in a 20 mile out and back from Pelton Creek on a hybrid on a beautiful fall day.
The first 4 or 5 miles suffered from animal traffic, mostly cattle, which have left their embedded tracks and other calling cards (some of the trail here is on private land). The trail surface was much improved after that.
There were some pretty stretches, but this part of Wyoming is really beautiful, and it didn't feel like the trail (at least this part of it) captured that beauty, which is no fault of the volunteers and others who manage the trail.
The trailheads were well-marked and the signage explaining the history of the area was well-done and interesting.
I didn't see another soul.
Two friends and I rode from the Woods Creek Trailhead to Pelton Creek and back the last weekend of October 2016. The weather was crisp and the trail was deserted - we saw one woman walking her dogs over our 24 miles on the trail. I had not been on the Medicine Bow Rail Trail for many years and was worried that the beetle infestation of a few years back might have caused deforestation around the trail making it an ugly or boring ride. To the contrary, while many trees were killed and some still stand, many have been removed. This has opened up the forest around the trail to regrowth. When I rode a section many years ago near Owen Lake, it was a corridor through thick lodgepole pine - rather bland and uninteresting after a few miles. Now, at least in the section we rode, stands of aspen are growing in and there are views opened up both by fire as well as beetle kill. Nature knows how to rejuvenate. Since the leaves had already fallen this year, I can't wait to return to the trail next fall during the height of aspen leaf season, it should be even more beautiful. We rode a combination of mountain bikes and cyclocross bikes (fitted with non-knobby tires) and the trail surface was well-packed. Even a hybrid or commute bike tire would do well. We stopped for a hot drink and some appetizers at the WyoColo lodge just off the trail, and it was cozy and friendly. This would be a great trail for beginners, families and anyone who is looking for peace and solitude and a great workout.
This trail is a gravel trail. It's 21 miles offer various forest views, loads of wildflowers and if you're lucky you may see some wildlife. We have seen a variety of riders this summer. Volunteers are helping improve the trail from conditions brought by wildfire near Lake Owen and beetle kill a couple of years ago. The forest is regenerating. Aspen will soon be showing their beautiful fall colors. A fun, enjoyable ride for bikers of all ages.
This trail is a gravel trail. It's 21 miles offer various forest views, loads of wildflowers and if you're lucky you may see some wildlife. We have seen a variety of riders this summer. Volunteers are helping improve the trail from conditions brought by wildfire near Lake Owen and beetle kill a couple of years ago. The forest is regenerating. Aspen will soon be showing their beautiful fall colors. A fun, enjoyable ride for bikers of all ages.
This trail is amazing for an easy day! You can tube down the Yampa River, walk or ride to the free Yampa Botanic Park or to downtown Steamboat Springs!
Steamboat isnt easy to get to, but if you want a scenic getaway, throw your bikes on the car, and make a day of it (or you can rent there). The trail is mostly flat and concrete. It runs along the Yampa River. In the summer there are tons of people inner tubing down the river/stream (several places rent tubes and shuttle you back upstream). This makes for fun scenery along the way. There are several parks that offer parking, rest rooms etc, and the trail runs close to downtown which is worth a diversion. Also, take a few minutes to walk around the botanical garden - impressive. The trail so far is only 7mi long, but theres a lot to see and do in that short distance. Only 4 stars because of the short length (so far) and the length of the trip to get there.
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