Poso Campground
Campground
Campground · 2.6 mi from the trail
Colorado · Hiking · Near South Fork
North Carnero
- 11.4 mi
- round trip
- 946 ft
- climb
- 9,791 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun
- best months
Is North Carnero open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Rio Grande National Forest. It doesn't name North Carnero, so check the source for the area it covers.
Closures and dangerous conditions on roads, bridges, and trails from flooding
Agency closure covering Rio Grande National Forest · USFS · Rio Grande National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Rio Grande National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
North Carnero is a hard out-and-back hike in the Saguache Ranger District of Colorado's Rio Grande National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail runs about 11.4 miles, with a one-way elevation gain of 946 feet, from a low point of 8,845 feet to a high of 9,791 feet. The route is natural-surface and open to both horses and bikes, and it is not an accessible trail. It is a year-round trip, and the nearest town is Creede, about 30 miles away. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Creede weather station, which sits at a similar elevation, show July highs around 78°F with lows near 43°F, while August and September bring more frequent wet days. Poso Campground and Storm King Campground are both within about 3 miles, and Carnero Guard Station is about 4.4 miles away. For more time on foot, La Garita Creek Trail lies about 6 miles off.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Two Rivers BBQ
Restaurant
On your way back · 22 miIf it rains Rio Grande County Museum
Museum
Museum · 18 mi from South Fork
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors
More in South ForkLocal outfitters
- Blue Creek Lodge25 mi away
- San Luis Valley Campground31 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Poso CampgroundCamping2.6 mi
- Storm King CampgroundCamping3 mi
- Carnero Guard StationCamping4.4 mi
- La Garita Creek TrailHiking6.1 mi
Carnero CreekCanoeingPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)6.1 mi- LA GARITA CREEKHiking6.2 mi
Rock GardenRock climbingPhoto: Michael C. Rael, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)7.7 mi- Sidewinder CanyonRock climbing7.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Wild Horse LoopHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: s_mestdagh, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- La Garita Creek TrailHiking · ~11 min drive
- La Garita Creek Cut-Off TrailHiking · ~14 min drive
- Embargo TrailHiking · ~24 min drive
- Ute LoopHiking · ~15 min drivePhoto: s_mestdagh, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
- LA GARITA CREEKHiking · ~11 min drive
- Perry Creek TrailHiking · ~16 min drive
- La Garita Sd. TrailHiking · ~28 min drive
- La Garita Creek Cut-Off TrailHiking · ~11 min drive
- LA GARITA CREEK CUT-OFFHiking · ~14 min drive
Best time to visit North Carnero
Best months: June. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
37° / 6°
5 wet
Feb
42° / 9°
6 wet
Mar
50° / 16°
7 wet
Apr
56° / 24°
7 wet
May
65° / 30°
6 wet
Jun
75° / 36°
8 wet
Jul
78° / 43°
15 wet
Aug
76° / 42°
18 wet
Sep
70° / 34°
13 wet
Oct
61° / 26°
9 wet
Nov
49° / 14°
6 wet
Dec
38° / 5°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Creede, CO, 29.8 mi away at 8,852 ft. The station sits about 900 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
