Horn Fork Basin
Horn Fork Basin Trail is a 5.4-mile trail in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Pike and San Isabel 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 | 38.8708° N, 106.2662° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 38.9076° N, 106.3186° W · 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 7 segments.
The trail
| Length | 5.4 miles |
| Trail class | 3, 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 | 1449 |
| Forest | Pike and San Isabel National Forests (unit 0212) |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| 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
- Collegiate Peaks WildernessFS · about 90% 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
North Cottonwood Trailhead No season published · There are no universally accessible facilities at this site. Wilderness regulations apply within Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. For group size restrictions contact the Salida Ranger District at 719-539-3591. | under 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.
Trails nearby
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.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedNorth Trout Creek Rx
13 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedNorth Endor Piles Rx
21 mi from the trail midpoint · 5 acres
- PrescribedCo Fire Camp Rx
23 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedRx -Salida Fire Camp
23 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Horn Fork Basin Trail?
The Forest Service records 5.4 miles under this name in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, the sum of 7 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Horn Fork Basin Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Horn Fork Basin Trail start?
The line begins at 38.8708° N, 106.2662° W and ends at 38.9076° N, 106.3186° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is North Cottonwood Trailhead, under 0.1 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Horn Fork Basin Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Collegiate Peaks Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Horn Fork Basin Trail?
Collegiate Peaks (4.2 mi) is within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists it with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Horn Fork Basin Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as 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 Horn Fork Basin Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Horn Fork Basin Trail?
Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Forest Service unit 0212. The trail is in Colorado.
Is there a fire near the Horn Fork Basin Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest North Trout Creek Rx at 13 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 7 segments named Horn Fork Basin in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0212. 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.