Colorado · Cross-country skiing

Plantation Alley

2.1 mi
distance
246 ft
climb
8,400 ft
high point
Hard
difficulty
May–Oct
best months

Is Plantation Alley open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name Plantation Alley, 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.

Plantation Alley is a cross-country skiing route in the Ouray Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 2 miles long and climbs roughly 250 feet from its starting point of about 8,250 feet to a high point near 8,400 feet. The route is rated hard, and the steepest stretch comes at about 1.7 miles in, with a grade of around 10 percent. For a skiing trip, winter is the natural season. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation show January highs around 31°F and lows near 14°F. June and July are the warmest months, with highs in the low to mid 70s, and September cools to about 67°F with fewer wet days. The trail sits close to several other routes. The Plantation Alley Ski and Dewdrop Ski mountain biking trails are each about 0.1 mile away. Watermark Boulder, a climbing area, is about 8 miles off, and Silesca Cabin, a campground, is about 8.3 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Plantation Alley

    Best months: May–October. 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

      31° / 14°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      34° / 17°

      11 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 23°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 29°

      11 wet

    5. May

      61° / 38°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 47°

      6 wet

    7. Jul

      78° / 53°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      75° / 51°

      9 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 44°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 33°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 23°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      31° / 15°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Montrose 11 Ene, CO, 22.9 mi away at 8,402 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive

Middle LoopPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Meadow LoopPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Telluride Ski AreaPhoto: Murray Foubister, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Silver Pick RoadPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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North FourtyPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Parking Access TrailPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors