Holy Cross Ranger District

Copyright: USDA Forest Service Mount of the Holy Cross

The Holy Cross Ranger District surrounds the towns of Vail, Minturn and Avon. It includes the northern reaches of the Sawatch Range and the western flank of the Gore Range.

The Holy Cross District has 225 miles of Forest Service trails. These trails offer a variety of opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and, in winter, cross-country skiing.

Recreation opportunities abound on the Holy Cross Ranger District. The district is home to the well known ski resorts of Vail and Beaver Creek. Roughly 35 percent of the district is designated Wilderness and includes major portions of the Holy Cross and Eagle's Nest Wildernesses. Five huts operated by the Tenth Mountain Hut Association along with their associated trail systems are found on the district. Camp Hale, a World War II winter training site now on the National Register of Historic Places, is situated toward the south end of the district.

Attractions - Recreation opportunities abound on the Holy Cross Ranger District. The district is home to the well known ski resorts of Vail and Beaver Creek. Roughly 35 percent of the district is designated Wilderness and includes major portions of the Holy Cross and Eagle's Nest Wildernesses. Five huts operated by the Tenth Mountain Hut Association along with their associated trail systems are found on the district. Camp Hale, a World War II winter training site now on the National Register of Historic Places, is situated toward the south end of the district.

Recreation - The Holy Cross District has 225 miles of Forest Service trails. These trails offer a variety of opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking and, in winter, cross-country skiing.

Six developed campgrounds are located on the district. These campgrounds offer varying levels of services. Backcountry and dispersed camping opportunities also exist. Be sure to follow the backcountry and dispersed camping regulations, and Leave No Trace principles to ensure the next forest visitor an equal experience.

Downhill skiing is overwhelmingly the most popular winter recreation activity on the district. The other very popular winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. The Tenth Mountain Hut System provides a hut-to-hut trail system for cross-country skiing. Great snowmobiling exists in many of the non-wilderness portions of the area. The Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area includes many of the most heavily used snowmobile and cross-country ski trails.

Climate - Elevations range from 7,200 feet, in the valleys, to 14,005 feet, on Mount of the Holy Cross. Vegetation includes sagebrush meadows at lower elevations, aspen and lodgepole pine at intermediate elevations, Engelmann spruce/subalpine fir forests above about 10,000 feet and alpine tundra at the highest elevations.

In the valley bottoms, around the towns of Vail and Minturn, summer high temperatures extend into the low 80s, with cool evenings that can often dip into the 30s. Winter lows occasionally dip to minus 35 degrees, though daytime temperatures are often in the 20s to 30s. The relative humidity is quite low throughout the year. The average annual precipitation is about 30 inches and much of it comes in the form of winter snow. In the higher elevations, significantly lower temperatures and more precipitation can be expected. Afternoon summer thunderstorms are common. Snow is possible at any time of year in the highest elevations. The high-elevation roads and trails are often not clear of snow until mid-July.

Location - The Holy Cross District lies on the northern extent of the Sawatch Mountain Range and the western flank of the Gore Range, about 100 miles west of Denver. It includes the forest areas surrounding the towns of Vail, Minturn, Red Cliff and Avon. To the north, the district takes in much of the Piney River and Sheephorn Creek drainages.