Colorado · Cross-country skiing

Coal Train Trail

Coal Train TrailPhoto: Sheila Sund from Salem, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.5 mi
distance
41 ft
climb
8,990 ft
high point
Jun–Aug
best months

Coal Train Trail is a short cross-country ski route in Colorado, about half a mile long and rising just 41 feet from its low point of 8,942 feet to a high of 8,990 feet. The nearest town is Mount Crested Butte, about 3 miles away. The trail is a gentle, low-elevation outing. The steepest stretch comes at about 0.37 miles in, with a grade of 6 percent, and the route as a whole has a total loss of 112 feet, so it works well as a connector or a break between longer ski routes. Winter is the natural season for cross-country skiing here. Typical averages from the Crested Butte weather station, about 3.7 miles away, show January highs around 26°F with lows near -7°F, while June runs warmer at about 70°F. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the route run slightly cooler. Slate River Road and Gunsight Pass Road 585 both lie about 0.1 mile away, and Oh Be Joyful Campground is about 0.4 mile off. The Slate River, a canoeing spot, is about 2 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Coal Train 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.

    1. Jan

      26° / -7°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      29° / -2°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      38° / 7°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      47° / 19°

      9 wet

    5. May

      58° / 28°

      8 wet

    6. Jun

      70° / 34°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      76° / 40°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 38°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 31°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 22°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      39° / 9°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      27° / -4°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Crested Butte, CO, 3.7 mi away at 8,867 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive

Slate River RoadPhoto: Sheila Sund from Salem, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Slate River Road

Next door

7.70-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 1,369 ft of elevation gain.

Gunsight Pass Road 585Photo: Sheila Sund from Salem, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Gunsight Pass Road 585

Next door

0.67-mile route in Colorado with 86 feet of elevation gain.

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Inner Magic Meadows 3

~3 min drive

0.49-mile route in Colorado with 74 feet of elevation gain.

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Pooch'S Paradise

~5 min drive

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Washington Gulch RoadPhoto: Sheila Sund from Salem, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Washington Gulch Road

~3 min drive

Short, beginner-friendly road ski in Colorado's Washington Gulch.

Woods WalkPhoto: Nick Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Woods Walk

~5 min drive

Easy, short forest loop in Colorado ideal for beginner cross-country skiers.

Crested Butte Mountain ResortPhoto: Draconrex, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Crested Butte Mountain Resort

~8 min drive

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Oh-Be-Joyful RoadPhoto: Sheila Sund from Salem, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Oh-Be-Joyful Road

~1 min drive

0.38-mile route in Colorado with 13 ft of elevation gain.

Gunsight Pass Road RoadPhoto: Sheila Sund from Salem, United States, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Gunsight Pass Road Road

Next door

0.22-mile route on Gunsight Pass Road Road in Colorado with 142 ft of elevation gain.

Middle EarthPhoto: Helimedic39, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Middle Earth

~7 min drive

Middle Earth is a 1.23-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 310 feet of elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors