Rainbow Trail
- 11.0 mi
- distance
- 2,345 ft
- climb
- Difficult
- difficulty
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Rainbow Trail open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 7 alerts for Pike and San Isabel National Forests.
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
Turquoise Lake Road (County Road 4) Closure
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Food Storage Prohibitions on Pike-San Isabel National Forests
Agency alert covering Pike and San Isabel National Forests · Order 02-12-00-23-07 · USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests
As of · Source: USFS · Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Rainbow Trail is a mountain biking route in Colorado's Pike and San Isabel National Forests, within the Salida Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail starts at about 8,880 feet and climbs to 10,253 feet, for a total gain of 2,345 feet over 11 miles. The route also descends about 2,722 feet, so riders should plan for a long outing with elevation change on both ends. July is the warmest month, with typical highs around 76°F and lows near 41°F, while winter brings highs near freezing. These are typical averages from a nearby weather station at a lower elevation, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. The steepest stretch comes around mile 8.1, where the grade reaches about 31%. For riders who want more trail, the Double Rainbow Trail is about 2 miles away, and the Pot O Gold hike is about a mile off. Riverside RV Park and Four Seasons RV Park both sit within about 5 miles for overnight stays.
Local outfitters
- Four Seasons RV Park5 mi away
- Monarch Spur RV Park11 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Pot O GoldHiking1 mi
- Double Rainbow TrailMountain biking2.2 mi
- GutzHiking2.3 mi
- Riverside RV ParkCamping4 mi
Four Seasons RV ParkCampingPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)5.1 mi- Salida EastCampingPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)5.3 mi
- Ohaver LakePier fishing6.1 mi
South Arkansas RiverCanoeingPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)7.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Pot O GoldMountain biking · ~2 min drive
- Salida Bike ParkMountain biking · ~9 min drive
- Double Rainbow TrailMountain biking · ~4 min drive
- BLM 5669Mountain biking · ~5 min drive
- Skull TrailMountain biking · ~5 min drive
- Spartan WestMountain biking · ~5 min drive
- Spartan EastMountain biking · ~5 min drive
- Little RainbowMountain biking · ~5 min drive
- rainbow trailMountain biking · ~5 min drive
- Sol Train WestMountain biking · ~5 min drive
Also worth it near here
- Four Seasons RV ParkCamping · ~9 min drivePhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Pole Line TrailHiking · ~9 min drivePhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Salida East Recreation Site Boat LaunchBoat launch · ~9 min drive
- Shavano PondLake fishing · ~10 min drive
Best time to visit Rainbow Trail
Best months: June–August. 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
32° / -4°
4 wet
Feb
34° / -1°
4 wet
Mar
42° / 10°
5 wet
Apr
49° / 19°
6 wet
May
59° / 27°
7 wet
Jun
70° / 34°
7 wet
Jul
76° / 41°
11 wet
Aug
73° / 39°
12 wet
Sep
67° / 30°
7 wet
Oct
55° / 19°
5 wet
Nov
42° / 9°
4 wet
Dec
32° / -2°
4 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Antero Rsvr, CO, 37.3 mi away at 8,939 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
