Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · Colorado

Deer Creek

5.9 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 6223 · trail class 1 · typical grade 12-20% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse

Begins at the forest's mile 0, 38.2281, -107.5856 - no trailhead mapped Drive to where the trail begins

Deer Creek #568 the Forest Service's write-up

season May to October

The Deer Creek Trail #568 begins at the end of Deer Creek Road, FSR #582 off of West Brush Creek Road, FSR #738.2A and ends at Forest Service Road #956 about half a mile from Gothic Road, County Road 317. This trail faces south, southwest and is at a relatively moderate elevation, so it opens earlier in the spring. At the end of Deer Creek Road, which can be pretty rough, the Deer Creek Trail is very distinct and easy to follow. There are a couple of creek crossing before the trail begins a steady steep climb. At the top the views of the upper East River valley and the back of Crested Butte Mountain are spectacular. Continue along the flanks of Whiterock Mountain where there are several descents and ascents. There are great views of Gothic Mountain in the open meadows. Near the end of the trail it veers left to avoid private property and is well signed. It comes to an end at a double track which will take you back to the Gothic Road.

Restrictions Open to Hiking, Horseback, and Mountain Bike

This hike on fs.usda.gov

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About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.