Main Fork
Main Fork Trail is an 18.8-mile trail in Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV and e-bikes. It enters Mount Zirkel Wilderness.
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 | 40.9968° N, 106.8156° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 40.8312° N, 106.7825° 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 5 segments.
The trail
| Length | 18.8 miles |
| Trail class | 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 | 1152.1 |
| 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 year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed 06/15 to 12/01 (month/day) |
| ATV | Allowed 06/15 to 12/01 (month/day) |
| E-bikes | Allowed 06/15 to 12/01 (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.
Wilderness
- Mount Zirkel WildernessFS · about 74% 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
Encampment Tie Hack Trailhead No season published Review wilderness regulations before recreating in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. | under 0.1 mi |
Encampment Trailhead No season published Review wilderness regulations before recreating in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. | 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.
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 Main Fork Trail?
The Forest Service records 18.8 miles under this name in Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, the sum of 5 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Main Fork Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV and e-bikes are allowed. 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 Main Fork Trail start?
The line begins at 40.9968° N, 106.8156° W and ends at 40.8312° N, 106.7825° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Encampment Tie Hack 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 Main Fork Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Mount Zirkel Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Main Fork Trail?
Hog Park Campground (3.2 mi), Seedhouse Campground (4.1 mi) and Seedhouse Group Site (4.7 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 3 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Main Fork 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 Main Fork Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Main Fork Trail?
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Forest Service unit 0206. The trail is in Colorado.
Source
This page is built from 5 segments named Main Fork 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.