Never Summer
Never Summer Trail is a 10.3-mile trail in Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes. It enters Never Summer 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 | 40.3796° N, 105.9470° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 40.3798° N, 105.9468° 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 4 segments.
The trail
| Length | 10.3 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 30-40 percent |
| Typical tread width | 12-18 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 1141.1 |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
| Motorcycle | Allowed year-round |
| 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.
Wilderness
- Never Summer WildernessFS · about 34% 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
Illinois River Trailhead No season published | 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
- PrescribedFront Country Broadcast Rx
22 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedSalt Cabin Broadcast Rx
30 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedMagic Feather Broadcast Rx
34 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
Park units nearby
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 Never Summer Trail?
The Forest Service records 10.3 miles under this name in Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, the sum of 4 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Never Summer Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Never Summer Trail start?
The line begins at 40.3796° N, 105.9470° W and ends at 40.3798° N, 105.9468° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Illinois River 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 Never Summer Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Never Summer Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Never Summer Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Never Summer Trail?
Rocky Mountain National Park Timber Creek Campground (3.7 mi) and Pines Campground (4.5 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 Never Summer 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 Never Summer Trail?
The typical grade is 30-40 percent. The typical tread is 12-18 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Never Summer Trail?
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Forest Service unit 0206. The trail is in Colorado.
Is there a fire near the Never Summer Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Front Country Broadcast Rx at 22 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 4 segments named Never Summer 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.