White River National Forest · Colorado

Big Fish

6.6 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 1819 · trail class 3 · typical grade trail_grade · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse

Campgrounds

Along the way Himes Peak Campground

Trailhead Big Fish TH #1819 Drive there

Big Fish TH #1819 the Forest Service's write-up

The Big Fish Trail begins at the Big Fish Trailhead in the Himes Peak Campground . The trail crosses the White River on a narrow foot bridge, then enters the Flat Tops Wilderness where regulations apply. The trail follows Big Fish Creek .75 miles to Bessie's Falls, then continues another mile to Big Fish Lake. One-half mile beyond Big Fish Lake, the trail starts a twisting, two-mile climb onto the Flat Tops, where it joins Oyster Lake Trail #1825 .

Restrictions <ul><li style="font-size: 1em;"><a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/whiteriver/specialplaces/?cid=stelprd3825863">Flat Tops Wilderness Regulations</a>&nbsp;apply</li><li style="font-size: 1em;">This trail is used for multiple activities, including hiking and horseback riding.&nbsp; Please respect other users.</li><li style="font-size: 1em;">Domestic cattle may be grazing in the area.</li></ul>

This hike on fs.usda.gov

Boulder Lake TH #2262 the Forest Service's write-up

The Boulder Lake trail branches west off of the Big Fish Trail 1.25 miles from the Himes Peak Campground . Follow Big Fish Trail #1819 from the Himes Peak Campground. The Big Fish Trail crosses the White River on a narrow foot bridge, then enters the Flat Tops Wilderness . Turn west at Boulder Lake Trail #2262 . After crossing Big Fish Creek on a footbridge the Boulder Lake Trail climbs steadily for 2.25 miles and ends at Boulder Lake.

The trail passes through the burn area of the 2002 Big Fish Fire. High winds will bring down the standing dead trees or "snags;" use caution when traveling through this area.

Domestic cattle may be grazing in the area.

Restrictions <ul><li>Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport is prohibited.&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/whiteriver/specialplaces/?cid=stelprd3825863">Flat Tops Wilderness regulations</a> apply.</li></ul>

This hike on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in White River National Forest

All 729 trails in White River National ForestFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

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.