South Apache
- 7.1 mi
- round trip
- 1,619 ft
- climb
- 9,375 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Oct
- best months
Is South Apache open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in San Carlos Ranger District. It doesn't name South Apache, so check the source for the area it covers.
East Bear Gulch NFST 1333 seasonal closure
Agency closure covering San Carlos Ranger District · Order 02-12-03-26-14 · USFS · San Carlos Ranger District
Reduced Aspen Acres Fire closure order
Agency alert covering San Carlos Ranger District · Order 02-12-03-26-43 · USFS · San Carlos Ranger District
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Interlaken Hotel Tree Hazards
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Sharpe Fire Update
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
As of · Source: USFS · San Carlos Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
South Apache is a 7.1-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness, within the San Carlos Ranger District of the Pike and San Isabel National Forests. The route rises from about 7,266 feet to a high point of 9,375 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,619 feet, and the Forest Service manages the surrounding land. The trail is rated moderate and is open year-round. The natural surface makes for a rugged outing in the backcountry, and the climb is spread across the full length of the route rather than concentrated in a single stretch. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the Sheep Mtn weather station, about 17 miles away, put July highs around 82°F with lows near 51°F. Winter brings highs around 41°F and a few snowy days each month from December through February. Apache Falls sits just 0.3 miles away, and the Santana and Bartlett hikes are within about 3 miles. Camp Joseph, a campground, is roughly 2.8 miles off.
- Apache FallsHiking0.3 mi
- SantanaHiking1.9 mi
- BartlettHiking2.7 mi
- Camp JosephCamping2.8 mi
- GreenhornHiking4.3 mi
Table Mountain RV ParkCampingPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)5.5 mi
Huerfano RiverCanoeingPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)5.5 mi- YMCA Camp JacksonCamping6.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Hogback Nature TrailHiking · ~31 min drivePhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Cuerno Verde TrailHiking · ~33 min drivePhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Lewis Creek TrailHiking · ~42 min drivePhoto: Kimaz2412, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Pole CreekHiking · ~20 min drive
- Medano PassHiking · ~43 min drive
Equestrian TrailHiking · ~32 min drivePhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Cisneros Trail 1314Hiking · ~17 min drive
- SantanaHiking · ~3 min drive
- Snowslide TrailHiking · ~15 min drive
- Cuerno Verde TrailHiking · ~32 min drivePhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Also worth it near here
- Apache FallsWaterfall · Next door
Greenhorn MountainSummit · ~4 min drivePhoto: Hogs555, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Table Mountain RV ParkCamping · ~9 min drivePhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Huerfano RiverCanoeing · ~9 min drivePhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
- Saint Charles ArchNatural arch · ~15 min drive
Best time to visit South Apache
Best months: May–October. 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
41° / 17°
3 wet · 3 snow
Feb
42° / 18°
4 wet · 3 snow
Mar
50° / 23°
4 wet · 3 snow
Apr
57° / 28°
5 wet · 2 snow
May
66° / 36°
5 wet · 1 snow
Jun
77° / 45°
5 wet
Jul
82° / 51°
9 wet
Aug
79° / 50°
9 wet
Sep
73° / 43°
6 wet
Oct
62° / 33°
4 wet · 1 snow
Nov
49° / 24°
4 wet · 2 snow
Dec
41° / 17°
3 wet · 3 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sheep Mtn, CO, 17 mi away at 7,744 ft. The station sits about 1,600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
