Colorado · Trail 1961

Capitol Creek

Capitol Creek Trail is an 8.4-mile trail in White River National Forest, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The White River National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.

Map

One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.

One end39.1495° N, 107.1046° W · Directions ↗
Other end39.2109° N, 107.0857° W · Directions ↗

The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 3 segments.

The trail

Length8.4 miles
Trail class3, developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityNot evaluated
Trail numbers1961
ForestWhite River National Forest (unit 0215)
StatesColorado
Detail publishedmanagement level, with uses

Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Capitol Creek Trail20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 1.05 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.90 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.03 inches of precipitationApril: 1.80 inches of precipitationMay: 1.52 inches of precipitationJune: 0.88 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.64 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.48 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.43 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.33 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.04 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.82 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 21.7°F averageFebruary: 25.2°F averageMarch: 33.5°F averageApril: 41.3°F averageMay: 50.0°F averageJune: 59.6°F averageJuly: 65.2°F averageAugust: 63.3°F averageSeptember: 56.1°F averageOctober: 44.4°F averageNovember: 32.0°F averageDecember: 21.8°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Aspen Pitkin Co AP, 12 miles from the trail midpoint at 7,720 feet, station USW00093073 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 15 inches a year. The station sits about 3,300 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day)

A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.

Wilderness

Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.

Trailheads

Capitol Creek TH #1961
No season published
Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness regulations protect this special place: Overnight permit required for overnight stays within the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Overnight Permit Zones. Food, trash and any scented items must be stored in an IGBC approved bear resistant container. Human food habituated bears are a threat to human safety. Visitors without approved bear resistant containers will be ticketed and required to leave. You must have a plan for human waste. Human waste bags (WAG) bags are highly recommended and are available free of charge at the Conundrum Creek and Snowmass Lake trailheads. WAG bags must be packed out. Learn more about how to use a WAG bag. If a WAG bag is not used, visitors are required to deposit solid human waste in holes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet (70 paces) from water, camp and trails. Group size is limited to 10 with no more than 15 stock animals in one group. Large groups multiply impacts to the wilderness and disrupt the solitude of others. Dogs are prohibited in the Conundrum Creek Valley from Silver Dollar Pond to Triangle Pass, including the hot springs. Everywhere else, dogs must be leashed. Campfires are prohibited at all designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs, Capitol Lake, Crater Lake and above 10,800 feet including Snowmass Lake. Campfires consume wood, accumulate trash, kill fragile alpine vegetation, sterilize the soil and scar the land. Lightweight camp stoves are recommended. Campers must camp in designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs, Copper Lake, Crater Lake, Geneva Lake, Capitol Lake and Thomas Lakes. Everywhere else campers should set up more than 100 feet from lakes, streams and trails and use previously impacted campsites. Camp out of sight of others and away from fragile areas.
under 0.1 mi
Capitol Ditch Trailhead #1963
No season published
The following regulations apply to the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and are in place to protect this special area: Overnight permit required for overnight stays within the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Overnight Permit Zones. Food, refuse and any scented items must be stored in an IGBC approved bear resistant container. Human food habituated bears are a threat to human safety. Visitors without approved bear resistant containers will be ticketed and required to leave. You must have a plan for human waste. Human waste bags (WAG) bags are highly recommended and are available free of charge at the Conundrum Creek and Snowmass Lake trailheads. WAG bags must be packed out. Learn more about how to use a WAG bag. If a WAG bag is not used, visitors are required to deposit solid human waste in holes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet (70 paces) from water, camp and trails. Group size is limited to 10 with no more than 15 stock animals in one group. Large groups multiply impacts to the wilderness and disrupt the solitude of others. Dogs are prohibited in the Conundrum Creek Valley from Silver Dollar Pond to Triangle Pass, including the hot springs. Everywhere else, dogs must be leashed. Campfires are prohibited at all designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs, within ¼ mile of Crater Lake and above 10,800 feet. Campfires consume wood, accumulate trash, kill fragile alpine vegetation, sterilize the soil and scar the land. Campers must camp in designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs, Copper Lake, Crater Lake, Geneva Lake, and Capitol Lake. Everywhere else campers should set up more than 100 feet from lakes, streams and trails and use previously impacted campsites. Help provide a feeling of solitude, camp out of sight of others and fragile areas. As with all designated Wilderness, motorized and mechanized equipment is prohibited including bicycles, motorbikes, chainsaws, ATVs, carts, drones, hang gliders and paragliders.
under 0.1 mi

Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.

Trails nearby

Camping nearby

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Willow

    35 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,359 acres · 92% contained

  • Prescribed
    Main Mesa Piles Rx

    43 mi from the trail midpoint · 366 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Guidebooks for Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and Colorado

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Hiking Colorado's Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness
    Erik Molvar, 2020
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Colorado's Western Slope
    Bill Haggerty, 2025
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Dog Hikes Colorado
    Emma Walker, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Capitol Creek Trail?

The Forest Service records 8.4 miles under this name in White River National Forest, the sum of 3 segments.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Capitol Creek Trail?

Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Where does the Capitol Creek Trail start?

The line begins at 39.1495° N, 107.1046° W and ends at 39.2109° N, 107.0857° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Capitol Creek TH #1961, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Capitol Creek Trail in a wilderness area?

Yes. It enters Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.

Source: Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Capitol Creek Trail?

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.

Source: White River National Forest official page

How developed is the Capitol Creek Trail?

Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

How steep and how wide is the Capitol Creek Trail?

The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Capitol Creek Trail?

White River National Forest, Forest Service unit 0215. The trail is in Colorado.

Source: White River National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Capitol Creek Trail?

The interagency feed shows 2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Willow at 35 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 3 segments named Capitol Creek in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0215. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.