Arapaho Glacier
Arapaho Glacier Trail is a 8 miles trail in Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Indian Peaks Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 40.0107, -105.5716 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 40.0104, -105.6585 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 8 segments.
The trail
| Length | 8 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 905 |
| Forest | Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests (unit 0210) |
| States | Colorado |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Indian Peaks Wilderness WildernessFS · about 57% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
No season published · listed none · <p>The Rainbow Lakes Road is closed in winter near the Sourdough Trailhead and CU Mountain Research Station. The road is open when conditions permit: most often in June. Hiking conditions are best from July through September.</p> Indian Peak Wilderness restrictions apply: Motorized equipment and mechanized transportation are prohibited. Pets must be on a hand-held leash at all times. Campfires are prohibited year round. Campsites must be at least 100 feet away from water and trail | 0.1 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Explore
Park units nearby
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Arapaho Glacier Trail?
8 miles, the sum of the 8 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Arapaho Glacier Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Arapaho Glacier Trail start?
The line begins at 40.0107, -105.5716 and ends at 40.0104, -105.6585. The nearest recorded trailhead is Rainbow Lakes Trailhead, 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Arapaho Glacier Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Indian Peaks Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the Arapaho Glacier Trail?
Rainbow Lakes Campground (0.2 mi) and Pawnee Campground (4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Arapaho Glacier Trail?
Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Arapaho Glacier Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Arapaho Glacier Trail?
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Forest Service unit 0210. The trail is in Colorado.
Source: Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests official page
Source
This page is built from 8 segments named ARAPAHO GLACIER in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0210. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.