Sterns Trail at Cedar Mountain

Sterns Trail at Cedar Mountain

Cedar Mountain, in Craig, is a nice open space that has activities available for most people. The mountain is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and is available for hiking, bird watching, biking and hunting in season. The Sterns trail at Cedar Mountain is one of the more popular hiking trails that combines a bit of elevation with some of the most spectacular views of the area around.

Getting Started

The Cedar Mountain complex is located just north of Craig and off of county road 7. I found the main parking lot up the dirt road. A few trails seemed to start at the parking lot and that is where I found the Sterns Trail. It led me through the lower sections and up a short incline to the inside of what felt like a small mountain bowl. From there the hike really took off and heady up the hill to the top of the mountain but the lower section is also really pretty!

The Bowl

One of my favorite parts of the hike is the inner bowl that is about a third of a mile into the hike. This isn’t a traditional bowl in the deep mountains but more of a center of a circular hill that actually reminded me a lot of the base in Capulin Volcano. When you find yourself in the bowl you are surrounded with about 270 degree views of steep hill all around you and it is really cool to just do a little spin and see the walls of grass and shrubs.

From the bowl you will have some of the most intense inclines of the hike as you switchback your way up to the top of the ridge. The inclines don’t really get above the 9% range but felt a bit steeper. Once you make it to the top of the hill, the inclines are mostly over so I would say this is the most challenging part of the hike.

Also, when you make it to the top of the hill the views really start to be something special. From the top you can see the surrounding area and if you are lucky some goods birds hunting and floating on the air above the ridge.

Ridge and Cedar Mountain

Once you clear the switchbacks you spend most of the rest of the hike on top of the hill. This includes a really nice section walking along a ridgeline. As someone who is pretty terrified of heights, I found this both really pretty and a little terrifying.

Not all of the hike on the top of the hill comes so close to the edge like the above picture, but there is a good stretch up there. For a big portion of the hike up top, it is really just walking along a flat hilltop. The views are pretty good and the trail is relatively easy to follow although they aren’t really marked up here. On top of the hill, the hike is extremely exposed with a lot of lower bushes but not many tall trees once you get towards the middle of the hill. It is a really cool place to be up at though.

As you can see from the pictures the winds picked up and the weather blew in when I made it up to the ridgeline and I had to start to move down the hill. I actually missed the Cedar Mountain Peak. Not so much because of the storm but because I didn’t see the trail that led me there. I did end up circling the top of the mountain and then making my way down the service road to complete the loop.

Video of the Sterns Trail at Cedar Mountain

I have created a time-lapsed video of the Yampa State Park Nature Walk to give you a feel for what it is like. I call these time lapsed versions of the hikes my hikers edits. If you enjoy the video, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel. It is free to subscribe and you will get the latest updates.

Distance and Elevation

If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 2.94 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 492 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 7,474 feet. I was also moving for a total of 1 hour and 5 minutes.

I am a Pro member of AllTrails and love it. If you are interested in the platform, please consider using my affiliate link for AllTrails. It gives me a small commission with no extra cost to you.

Effort

While most of the hike at Cedar Mountain isn’t too challenging, there is a section hiking to the top of the bowl that has inclines up to a 20% grade. That makes it a bit challenging for most. The other difficulties are some narrow trails and high wind possibilities. For those reasons I am going to list this hike a moderate hike.

Terrain

The trail at Cedar Mountain is a bit of a mix between narrow, single file dirt trials and wide service roads. For the most part the trail is pretty exposed to the elements with no tall trees for shade. Make sure to have plenty of sun and wind protection for the hike. As I found out, the weather can move in quick and get you in some danger.

Access to the Sterns Trail at Cedar Mountain

The Sterns Trail trailhead is located off of Moffat County Road 7 just north of the town of Craig. There is parking for about a dozen cars and a few different trails you can take.

Wrap up of the Sterns Trail at Cedar Mountain

Sterns Trail at Cedar Mountain was a really enjoyable hike. I loved the views from the top of the mountain and the ridge. Although the ridge did get my hackles up a bit when it came to heights. I also almost got caught in a fast moving storm that was moving in and had to hustle my way down the mountain as it did not look like a good spot to be stuck with lightning.

The trail is a moderately hard. It is shorter but a bit steep at points but the views are worth it. I think most people will be able to handle this trail. And if it is too much there are some easier trails along the mountain. Overall, a really nice place to hike in Craig.

I have added this hike and all of my hikes to my interactive map page that you can find here. If you have a suggestion or comment you can email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. Or follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!

Gallery of Sterns Trail at Cedar Mountain