Come learn about the Rainbow Trail.
Dating from 1912 and currently 113-miles long, the Rainbow Trail is one of oldest long-distance thru-hikes in the country. It was originally part of a system of Sangre de Cristo abandoned mining roads and trails developed by the newly formed U.S. Forest Service to provide access to cattle and sheep grazing allotments.
By 1930 it was completed to the Bear Creek Trailhead near Salida. During the 80’s it was extended beyond the Sangre’s into the Sawatch Mountain Range and now connects with the Colorado and Continental Divide Trails. It currently spans five Colorado counties and three Ranger Districts.
It has become a sought after day and thru-hiker outdoor recreation destination, and combined with the Colorado Trail it forms a majestic 325-mile Southern Colorado, East-West thru-hike from the Town of Westcliffe to City of Durango.