South Bench
- 18.2 mi
- round trip
- 482 ft
- climb
- 8,663 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is South Bench open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name South Bench, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).
Gold Mountain Wildfire Roads and Trails Closure Order v 4.0
Agency closure covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
Ophir Pass Road Closure
Agency closure covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
Potter Basin and Beaver Park Roads Emergency Closures
Agency alert covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
TERMINATION OF ORDER - FIRE RESTRICTIONS
Agency alert covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
Dallas Area Closure order
Agency alert covering Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests · USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
As of · Source: USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
South Bench is a hard hike in the Grand Valley Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. The route is an out-and-back of about 18 miles, with a one-way climb of roughly 480 feet from a low point of about 6,680 feet to a high of about 8,660 feet. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows horses, but bikes are not permitted. That makes it a good fit for riders on horseback or for hikers who want to move at a slower pace. Kelso Mesa lies about a mile away, and Atkinson, Atkinson Bench and Short Point are all within about 4 miles.
Local outfitters
- CampV21 mi away
- Cedar Creek RV Park and Lodging38 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
HIKE
Kelso Mesa
~2 min drive
9.83-mile out-and-back trail on Kelso Mesa in Colorado, 207 ft elevation gain.
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Atkinson
~5 min drive
4.00-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 212 ft elevation gain
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Bear Pen Spur 1B
~6 min drive
1.86-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 295 ft of elevation gain.
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LONG CANYON
~15 min drive
19.88-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 3,670 ft elevation gain.
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Atkinson Bench
~6 min drive
8.14-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 470 ft elevation gain.
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Short Point Bench
~7 min drive
5.47-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 625 ft elevation gain.
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Long Point
~9 min drive
6.18-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado managed by Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests.
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BLM 052/053 (McCarty Trail)
~19 min drive
24.28-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 2,987 ft elevation gain and loss.
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North Kelso
~9 min drive
13.47-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 808 ft gain and 8,879 ft max elevation.
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South Bear Pen Gulch
~8 min drive
5.55-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 878 ft elevation gain.
