Hiking
Rich Creek Trail - Rough and Tumble Creek Trail Loop
Buffalo Peeks Wilderness, Pike and San Isabel National Forest, Colorado
A lush meadow, beautiful scenery and a nice loop hike
09/2007 – by Dana Farnsworth, Outdoor Travels
Loop hikes, in my opinion the most desirable hike, can often be hard to find. Staying away from the major tourist parks this two-trail loop offers up some great scenery along a easily manageable 11.5-mile distance. From the Rich Creek trailhead, the Rich Creek Trail climbs slightly at the beginning with several stream crossings spanned with all sorts of log bridges as the elevation changes so does the terrain. After climbing through a hardwood forest, the canopy opens to reveal a vast beautiful meadow. A short climb back into the woods leads to the well-marked junction with Tumble Creek Trail. The meadow continues with great scenery and views of distant peaks.
Early on, we were getting dowsed with a typical Front Range mid-afternoon rain, which almost had us abandoning the hike (it really was not fun). Steady grey, rain. As we discussed our strategy under the cover of a Spruce tree, two day hikers heading back to the Rich Creek trailhead told us of the great views ahead. That was enough motivation to continue hiking. Good thing. Once we were in the meadow, the sky cleared and sun made a welcome appearance. Of note, there is one tricky navigational part in the meadow. In order to stay on Rich Creek trail, you need to cross at beaver dam on the left. It is definitely possible that the beaver dam could be gone at any point so if there is a point in the meadow where you can go left or right, make sure to always go left.
We hiked a little passed the marker for the trail junction with Tumble Creek and began looking for a good camp spot. Before dark we set up camp in a little grassy area that was well protected from the wind by a knoll. This Floridian pretty much froze his ass off as the temperature dramatically dropped after sunset. After a little wine, dinner and some shivering, I hung the food bag (which isn’t easy in the small limbed trees in Colorado) and we hit the hay. A night waiting for Elk wailing, turned out to be uneventful, that is unless me waking up in the middle of the night with bed slobber all over my face is uneventful. In morning, the drop in temp was evident with frozen water droplets on our tent. Once we got out, though the rising sun was warming things up quickly. Morning duties included filtering water (which there is plenty of along this route) and making a little breakfast. The Rough and Tumble Trail is mostly downhill with several short little climbs. The terrain was different than the day before, or at least the views were. Aspen forests, rocky trails, pine forests and more great views were the hallmark of the day. Although we had not seen much wildlife, we did spot a furry little rabbit trailside. I did learn a valuable lesson and that is - Never ever hiked without a trail map. This was my first and although it can be done on this easy loop, seeing a map helps a lot.
Official Information
Rich Creek Trail - Rough and TumbleCreek Trail
Rich Creek Trailhead provides access to the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness. Mechanized and motorized vehicles are not permitted within wilderness boundaries. This is a great starting and/or ending point for a backpacking trip. Access to several routes including Rough and Tumbling Creek, Rich Creek and Fourmile Creek Trails make loop hikes possible.
Water is available at the Weston Pass Campground and places in the backcountry. Check with the South Park Ranger District to verify water sources and trail conditions. Rough & Tumbling and Rich Creeks within the wilderness area offer fishing. In general, the terrain around Buffalo Peaks is moderately difficult. Cross-country travel is relatively easy, including bagging the peaks.
Rough and Tumbling Trail provides access to the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness Area. The trail is 11.3 miles long from Rich Creek Trailhead to Fourmile Trailhead. Good fishing may be found along Fourmile and Rough and Tumble Creeks in still and flowing water.
This is a good trail for backpacking as it links with Salt Creek and Rich Creek Trails to form long loops. The Rich Creek Trail loop is 11.5 miles round trip and the Salt Creek Trail loop is 25.7 miles. Water is available at the Weston Pass Campground and in the backcountry. It is always a good idea to check in with the South Park Rangers, before beginning a backpacking trip, to find out where you'll find the best water sources.
Trail Snapshot
Trails Hike: Rich Creek Trail to Rough and Tumble Creek Trail
Distance: 11.5 miles
Outdoor Travels Rating: 4 out of 5 backpacks
Thumbs Up
- Great scenery
- Less crowded than national parks in the area
- Loop hike
- Manageable 2-day hike - especially for small lunged sea level folks
Thumbs Down
- Not the "Sound of Music" Alpine scenry that some would expect
- Traffic getting there from Denver can at times be busy
Lessons Learned
- Make sure to have a trail map, even on easy hikes.
- It's hard to hang your food bag in Colorado. At elevation, the trees have tiny, short branches.
Nuts & Bolts
Location: Pike National Forest,COlorado
Beginning Elevation: 
9,900 Feet (3086.0 Meters) Rich Creek Trailhead
Ending Elevation: 11,100 Feet (3460.1 Meters) Intersection with Rough & Tumbling Creek Trail
Elevation Gain: 1,320 Feet (411.5 Meters)
High Point: 11,520 Feet (3591.0 Meters)
Seasonal Information:
Normally Open: Late May through Mid-October .
Directions: From Fairplay take Highway 285 south to County Road 5. Head west on County Road 22 (Weston Pass Road). Look for the trailhead just before the Weston Pass Campground. Park here and cross the stream, turn right, and follow the trail upstream.
Activities: Backpacking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding
Admission: None
Contact: South Park Ranger District, U.S. Forest Service, P.O. Box 219 , Fairplay, CO, 80440, Phone: 719-836-2031
Maps & Stuff
Trail Maps are tough to find online. Here is the best source we could find.
Trail Photos
Lots of great photos to give you a good idea of what the area is like!
