Pearl Creek Trail

Way out on the far northwest edge of Larimer County, where the Laramie River threads its long green valley between the Medicine Bows and the Rawahs, Pearl Creek Trail slips off the valley floor and heads for the high country. It runs about two and a half miles on a dirt tread through the Canyon Lakes Ranger District, gaining ground steadily as it climbs west — the kind of unhurried, lesser-traveled path where you're more likely to share the morning with elk and camp robbers than with other boots.

COTREX has it open to hikers, mountain bikers, and stock, so it's a friendly stretch for a family walk, a saddle ride, or a mellow ride on two wheels. This is remote, high, seasonal country on the shoulder of the Rawah Range, and conditions swing hard with the calendar — snow lingers late and comes early up here. Before you go, check current trail and road conditions with the Canyon Lakes Ranger District, carry water and layers, and let someone know your plan; cell service out along the Laramie River is thin to none.

Trail Facts

Getting There

Pearl Creek is up in the Laramie River valley on the far northwest edge of the county, off the Laramie River Road (Larimer CR 103 / FSR 190) in the Canyon Lakes Ranger District. It's a long, mostly gravel drive — confirm the trailhead on the map before you set out, and check with the Canyon Lakes Ranger District on current road and trail status, since access is seasonal and the high country holds snow well into spring.

Know Before You Go

• Open to hikers, bikes, and stock. COTREX lists Pearl Creek as allowing hiking, mountain biking, and horses on a dirt tread — a versatile little trail for the family, the saddle, or a mellow pedal.
• Part of the upper Laramie River network. This is remote USFS ground on the edge of the Rawah Range, managed by the Canyon Lakes Ranger District — big, quiet country far from the nearest town.
• High and seasonal. Snow lingers late and returns early up here; the access road and trail are best mid-summer through fall. Always check current conditions before you drive out.
• Come prepared and self-reliant. Carry water and layers, watch the afternoon sky for storms, and don't count on cell service along the Laramie River.