wildernet

Leadville Ranger District

Quick Facts

Mt. Oxford

Beginning Elevation:	9,640 Feet (3005.0 Meters) Missouri Gulch Trailhead
Difficulty:	Moderate
Elevation Gain:	5,300 Feet (1652.1 Meters) Mt. Oxford
Ending Elevation:	14,153 Feet (4411.8 Meters) summit Mt. Oxford
Length, One-way:	5.2 Miles (8.67 Kilometers)
Other Maps:	Trails Illustrated 129 Buena Vista, Collegiate Peaks
USGS Maps:	Mt. Harvard, Winfield

General Description

Follow the Missouri Gulch Trail for two miles and then follow the northwest ridge to the right (southwest) of the prominent coulior. In 1995 and 1996 a single route was established along this ridge. Restoration effort continue. Please stay on the established route; rare and sensitive plants are known to exist in this area.

From Mt. Belford's summit, Mt. Oxford is one mile to the northeast, via a climber's trail, with a 700 foot loss of elevation. From Oxford, do not be tempted to descend northwest into Belford Gulch; this will lead to a steep, treacherous gully. Backtrack over Belford, following the ascent route down.

Directions from Leadville: From Leadville, travel south on US Hwy 24 to Clear Creek Reservoir. Travel west on Chaffee County Road 390 for eight miles. Watch for the Missouri Gulch trailhead on the south side of the road. Trail #1462, Missouri Gulch, will lead you to Mt. Belford and Mt. Oxford.

Seasonal Information:
Normally Accessible: May through September (NOTE: Trail may be obstructed due to snow in the Spring and Fall months.) .

Current Conditions & Trip Reports

Add your own trip Report! Newly re-released feature. One of the most popular features on Wildernet, trip reports allow you to share your experiences with others. This is an invaluable resource for determining what to expect on your outdoor adventure, so please participate! To prevent spamming, you must be a registered user of Wildernet in order to submit a trip report

No trip reports filed to date. Please be the first one to do so!

Recreation Opportunities

Activity		Remarks	On Site
	Hiking & Walking	Mt. Oxford Trail, #1456	Yes
	Horseback Riding	Mt. Oxford Trail, #1456	Yes
	Mountain Climbing	Mt. Oxford	Yes

Related Activities

Clear Creek Road - Clear Creek Road is passable by most two-wheel drive vehicles. Many recreation opportunities are accessible from this road including hiking, fishing, viewing scenery, touring historic sites, mountain biking and four-wheel driving.

Missouri Gulch Trail - This area is extremely popular with climbers with access to Mt. Belford, Mt. Oxford and Missouri Mountain. To experience solitude, plan your trip for a week day.

Missouri Mountain - This is a popular trail through high alpine terrain that exists above tree line to the 14,067' summit of Missouri Mountain. No well defined or marked trail exists on all three routes above tree line to summit.

Mt. Belford - Mount Belford reaches a height of 14,197' and is one of many fourteeners in the Sawatch Mountain Range west of Buena Vista.

Vicksburg Historic Site - Vicksburg became a mining camp during the last decades of the Nineteenth Century. It's prosperity didn't last long and most of the residents moved from the area for more profitable mining.