Colorado · Cross-country skiing · Near Clifton

Forest Service Road 118

Forest Service Road 118Photo: Kimon Berlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.5 mi
distance
10,809 ft
high point
Easy
difficulty
Jun–Sep
best months

Is Forest Service Road 118 open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name Forest Service Road 118, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Forest Service Road 118 is a short, flat stretch of Forest Service road in the Grand Valley Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests in western Colorado. The route is easy, with no elevation gain over its 0.49 miles, and it sits at about 10,800 feet. Winter is the natural season for cross-country skiing here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show January highs around 26°F and lows near 6°F, and December and January highs near 26°F. That station sits roughly 950 feet lower, so temperatures on the road run cooler than those figures. Scales Glade, a cross-country ski area, lies about 0.1 mile away, and the Tower mountain biking trail is about 0.3 mile off. Island Lake Campground is about 1.1 miles away, and Little Bear Campground is about 1.6 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Island Lake Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 1.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Slopeside cafe

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 7 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)

More in Clifton

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Forest Service Road 118

    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.

    1. Jan

      26° / 6°

    2. Feb

      27° / 4°

    3. Mar

      34° / 12°

    4. Apr

      40° / 17°

    5. May

      49° / 27°

    6. Jun

      62° / 37°

    7. Jul

      68° / 42°

    8. Aug

      64° / 40°

    9. Sep

      57° / 34°

    10. Oct

      45° / 24°

    11. Nov

      34° / 14°

    12. Dec

      26° / 5°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bonham Rsvr, CO, 8 mi away at 9,852 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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.

Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive

Scales GladePhoto: Kimon Berlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Scales Glade

Next door

1.11-mile glade ski trail in Colorado with 144 ft of elevation gain.

Kannah CrossingPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Kannah Crossing

~1 min drive

Kannah Crossing is a 1.14-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 177 feet of elevation gain.

Summit TrailPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Summit Trail

~3 min drive

Summit Trail is a 1.48-mile route in Colorado with 206 feet of elevation gain.

Rhubarb TrailPhoto: NASA, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rhubarb Trail

~1h 9m drive

Rhubarb Trail is a 1.47-mile route in Colorado with 310 feet of elevation gain.

Powderhorn Ski AreaPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Powderhorn Ski Area

~12 min drive

Powderhorn Ski Area in Colorado has 5 lifts and 49 runs with 1,653 ft of vertical drop.

SKI

Shark Park

~47 min drive

Short, beginner-friendly Colorado ski route ideal for quick winter outings.

ArroyoPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Arroyo

~3 min drive

0.54-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 46 ft of elevation gain.

Vista ValleyPhoto: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Vista Valley

~1 min drive

1.78-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 314 ft of elevation gain.

SKI

Sp Tie in - Stevens Gulch Both

~42 min drive

26.24-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 1,048 ft gain.

Tower TrailPhoto: NASA, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Tower Trail

~1h 10m drive

2.46-mile route in Colorado with 304 ft of elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors