Mill Creek Basin

This easy, but less popular trail travels through a wide, charming valley and framed above by the towering summits.

Plan Around Mill Creek Basin

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Mill Creek Basin Details

Paralleling Mill Creek to Mill Creek Basin, this easy, but less popular trail travels through a wide, charming valley lined with sagebrush, aspen, ponderosa, and lodgepole pines, and framed above by the towering summits of Longs and Hallett Peaks. The wide, generally smooth path contains a few moderate climbs, some of which rely on log and stone steps to ease the grade, and is often considered hugely underrated in light of its beauty. The trail is best in early summer, when the meadows and Basin are filled with wildflowers, beaver works, and a large variety of bird species. The Mill Creek Basin area, which forms the trails terminus, is also remarkably scenic, and is somewhat popular backcountry camping area (backcountry permit required).

Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

1.6 miles

Estimated time

2 hours

Region

N/A

Nearby Parks Around Mill Creek Basin

Compare nearby parks around Mill Creek Basin when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.

1.5 mi away

Rocky Mountain

National Park · CO

167.4 mi away

Black Canyon

National Park · CO

181.1 mi away

Great Sand Dunes

National Park · CO

246.4 mi away

Arches

National Park · UT

258.0 mi away

Mesa Verde

National Park · CO

261.3 mi away

Canyonlands

National Park · UT

Nearby Points of Interest Around Mill Creek Basin

Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Mill Creek Basin while the map context is still fresh.

0.1 mi away

Historic Moraine Park

The meadows of Moraine Park were where Arapaho Indians once made ceremonial pipes.

0.3 mi away

Moraine Park Visitor Center

Features a natural-history exhibit, a bookstore, and an information desk.

0.3 mi away

Moraine Park Visitor Center

Features a natural-history exhibit, a bookstore, and other tourist information.

0.3 mi away

Artist and Preservation

Before the age of color photography, it was up to painters to capture the beauty of landscapes.

0.6 mi away

Tuxedo Park

Daily service: May 27 to October 18 (15 passenger limit due to COVID-19). Every 30 minutes from 7 am to 7:30 pm. Times are approximate estimates based on frequency.