Colorado · Cross-country skiing

Rio Grande Trail

Rio Grande TrailPhoto: redlegsfan21 from Vandalia, OH, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
14.9 mi
distance
778 ft
climb
7,838 ft
high point
Easy
difficulty
May–Sep
best months

The Rio Grande Trail is a 14.9-mile cross-country ski route in Colorado, set on county land within the W/J Area "D"/Jaffee Park. It is an easy outing, with a total elevation gain of 778 feet and a total loss of 1,192 feet over the course of the trip. The trail starts at about 7,549 feet and reaches a high point of 7,838 feet before descending to a low of 6,877 feet. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at a similar elevation show January highs around 35°F with lows near 9°F, while June and July run warmer, with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. Jaffe Park sits just 0.1 mile away, and the Cozyline Trail is about 0.7 mile off. Climbers can head to the Southwest TR and West Side - Lower Buttress, both about 3 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Rio Grande Trail

    Best months: May–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

      35° / 9°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      38° / 12°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 21°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      55° / 28°

      11 wet

    5. May

      65° / 35°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 42°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 48°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 47°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 40°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      60° / 29°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      45° / 19°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      34° / 9°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Aspen Pitkin Co Ap, CO, 2 mi away at 7,720 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors