Middle Alder
Middle Alder Trail is a 5-mile trail in Rio Grande 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.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Rio Grande 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 | 37.7186° N, 106.6454° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 37.7767° N, 106.6605° 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
| Length | 5 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent |
| Typical tread width | 36-48 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 797 |
| Forest | Rio Grande National Forest (unit 0209) |
| 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 |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed year-round |
| ATV | Allowed 05/01 to 12/01 (month/day) |
| E-bikes | 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.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
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
- PrescribedEast Bench Piles Rx
13 mi from the trail midpoint · 5 acres
- PrescribedWolf Creek Piles Rx
20 mi from the trail midpoint · 2 acres
- PrescribedBoogie Piles Rx
40 mi from the trail midpoint · 171 acres
- PrescribedSargents Mesa Piles Rx
41 mi from the trail midpoint · 116 acres
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 Middle Alder Trail?
The Forest Service records 5 miles under this name in Rio Grande National Forest, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Middle Alder 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 Middle Alder Trail start?
The line begins at 37.7186° N, 106.6454° W and ends at 37.7767° N, 106.6605° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Middle Alder 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 Middle Alder Trail?
Cathedral (4.4 mi) and Hansen Mill Dispersed Camping (4.9 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 2 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Middle Alder 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 Middle Alder Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent. The typical tread is 36-48 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Middle Alder Trail?
Rio Grande National Forest, Forest Service unit 0209. The trail is in Colorado.
Is there a fire near the Middle Alder Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest East Bench Piles Rx at 13 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Middle Alder in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0209. 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.