Black Bear Cabin
Campground
Campground · 5.8 mi from the trail
Colorado · Hiking · Near Clifton
Switchback
- 1.8 mi
- round trip
- 9,959 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Easy
- difficulty
- Jun–Sep
- best months
Is Switchback open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name Switchback, 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.
Switchback is a short hike in the Grand Valley Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests in Colorado. The natural-surface route covers about 1.8 miles as an out-and-back and is rated easy. It sits high, ranging between roughly 9,170 and 9,960 feet in elevation, and is open to bikes and horses as well as hikers. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. July brings typical highs around 68°F and lows near 42°F, based on averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation. The Dr. C's Classroom and Kaleidoscope Wall climbing areas are about 0.1 mile away. Coal Creek Basin is 0.4 mile off, and the Palisade Plunge lies about 1.3 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Reeder Mesa Vineyards
Brewery
On your way back · 8 mi
If it rainsJeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)
More in CliftonLocal outfitters
- RV Ranch at Grand Junction16 mi away
- Cedar Creek RV Park and Lodging40 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Dr. C’s ClassroomRock climbing0.1 mi
- Kaleidoscope WallRock climbing0.1 mi
- Coal Creek BasinHiking0.4 mi
- Coal CreekMountain biking0.4 mi
- Paleosol WallRock climbing1 mi
- Palisade PlungeHiking1.3 mi
- Moose Manor CabinCamping5.8 mi
Jumbo CampgroundCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain6 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Whitewater BasinHiking · ~5 min drivePhoto: iagoarchangel, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Glacier Springs Cutoff TrailHiking · ~9 min drivePhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Scales LakeHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Kannah Creek TrailHiking · ~6 min drive
West BenchHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: halseike, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Lost LakeHiking · ~10 min drivePhoto: halseike, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Kannah CrossingHiking · ~13 min drivePhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Mesa TopHiking · ~13 min drivePhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Crum Reservoir TrailHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- CheeversHiking · ~5 min drive
Best time to visit Switchback
Best months: June–September. 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
26° / 6°
Feb
27° / 4°
Mar
34° / 12°
Apr
40° / 17°
May
49° / 27°
Jun
62° / 37°
Jul
68° / 42°
Aug
64° / 40°
Sep
57° / 34°
Oct
45° / 24°
Nov
34° / 14°
Dec
26° / 5°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bonham Rsvr, CO, 16.8 mi away at 9,852 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
