Little Scraggy Loop Hike Guide
Little Scraggy Loop is a 12.7 mile loop located in Bailey, Colorado. This loop is very popular with mountain bikers but also makes an excellent trail run or hike. Due to this hike’s location, it can be hiked almost year round and is an option for winter hikers looking to get some snowshoeing in. This hike is located in the eastern portion of the Buffalo Creek Recreation Area and offers views of 14er Pikes Peak and a number of other Front Range mountains along the way. This hike offers mostly rolling hills with one big climb about halfway through the trail.
Little Scraggy Loop Quick Facts
Little Scraggy Loop Rating: ★★★ (3/5 Stars)
Distance: 12.7 Miles RT
Elevation Start: 7,844ft
High Point: 8,700ft
Total Elevation Gain: 1,900ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 4-5 Hours RT
Difficulty: Moderate What does this mean?
Class: Class 1 – What does this mean?
Season: Year Round – Expect Snow December- March
Directions to the Little Scraggy Loop
Trailhead: Little Scraggy Trailhead
Getting Here: Take 285 to Pine Junction and turn left on Jefferson County Rd 126 (Pine Valley Road) and continue through the towns of Pine and Buffalo Creek. From Pine Junction, the trailhead is 16.8 miles on the left. Once you are near the trailhead, look for FS Rd 550, take this for .1 miles to reach the parking area.
Parking: If you are looking for the official parking lot, it’s located about 50 yards off Pine Valley Road on the right. There is a large parking lot that can fit over 30 cars. This is where the fee area starts and you are required to pay in order to park here. The trail starts at the south end of the parking lot, just across FS Rd 550. However, if you are looking for another option to park, simply park along Pine Valley Road and walk to the start of the Little Scraggy Loop. There are non-plumbing restrooms located at the start of this trail.
Fee: $8
Summary
Dogs: This is a dog friendly hike and a great one for active dogs.
Camping: Little Scraggy Loop connects with the Colorado Trail Segment 3 for a brief period of time and needless to say, camping options are very easy to come by. If you are looking to camp along the trail or near the TH – camping spots here are all over the place. Your best bet for car camping is along FS Road 550 after the trailhead (just keep driving down the road to find a variety of spots).
Hike Xfactor(s): Mountain Bikes
I am all for sharing the trail with different types of recreators but it’s worth noting that this hike is EXTREMELY popular with mountain and gravel bikers. For those that follow trail yielding, let you know how many are in their party and follow basic trail etiquette it can be annoying but absolutely part of sharing nature. For those that do not – it can make the loop tiring to deal with the constant flow of bikers and having to keep your head on a swivel to make sure you aren’t being run over – especially on weekends.
Hike Tip(s):
- Hit this trail early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid hoards of bikers. Better yet, tackle this one on a weekday.
- You can hike this loop in either direction, but for some reason both times I have done it, I started clockwise.
- There are a number of trails in the area, be sure to be prepared to navigate a handful of intersecting trails by having a GPX file to follow or at the very least a map to reference.
Best Views: My favorite views on the Little Scraggy Loop are when you are able to see Pikes Peak around 6 miles into the hike. I also love the unique rock formations that are scattered throughout the entire hike.
Make it a Loop: The Buffalo Creek Recreation area where Little Scraggy Loop is located has countless options to make this hike longer. Hop onto Segment 3 or Segment 2 of the Colorado Trail or make your day even longer with another large loop. There are so many hikes in this area, it’s really up to you on how many miles you want to add.
Little Scraggy Loop Hike Route
*Note that I added on some extra mileage after I completed (and before starting) the loop. This is not required at all if you are just looking to tackle this hike.
Gear Needed
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Women’s)
- Backpack (Winter)
- Backpack (Summer)
- Food & Water
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Hiking Poles – 120CM
- Optional: Headlamp/Flashlight
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, GoPro 360
- Optional: Drone
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
Little Scraggy Loop Pictures
