Bears Ears
Bears Ears Trail is a 51.2 miles trail in Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2 to 3, moderately developed to developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, atv and e-bikes.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest 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 | 40.7616, -107.1350 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 40.8107, -107.1319 · 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 12 segments.
The trail
| Length | 51.2 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed; 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 1144.1 |
| Forest | Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest (unit 0206) |
| 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 01/01 to 12/31 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed 01/01 to 12/31 (month/day) |
| Motorcycle | Allowed 07/01 to 10/01 (month/day) |
| ATV | Allowed 07/01 to 10/01 (month/day) |
| E-bikes | Allowed 07/01 to 10/01 (month/day) |
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.
Trailheads
No season published Vehicles on trail must be 50" wide or less. | 0 mi |
Open July Vehicles on trail must be 50" wide or less. | 0.2 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
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Bears Ears Trail?
51.2 miles, the sum of the 12 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Bears Ears Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, atv and e-bikes. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Bears Ears Trail start?
The line begins at 40.7616, -107.1350 and ends at 40.8107, -107.1319. The nearest recorded trailhead is South Fork Slater Trailhead #1144, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Bears Ears Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Bears Ears Trail?
Sawmill Creek Campground (0.5 mi) and Freeman Reservoir Campground (0.7 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
How developed is the Bears Ears Trail?
Trail class 2 to 3, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed to 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 Bears Ears Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Bears Ears Trail?
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Forest Service unit 0206. The trail is in Colorado.
Source
This page is built from 12 segments named BEARS EARS in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0206. 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.