Skyline
Skyline Trail is a 34.7-mile trail in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters La Garita Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison 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 | 37.9789° N, 107.1703° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 38.1118° N, 106.7778° 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 | 34.7 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 8-10 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 9465 |
| Forest | Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests (unit 0204) |
| 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 |
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
- La Garita WildernessFS · about 78% 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
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
10 mi from the trail midpoint · 5 acres
- WildfireElk
25 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,257 acres · 90% contained
- PrescribedWolf Creek Piles Rx
34 mi from the trail midpoint · 2 acres
- PrescribedSargents Mesa Piles Rx
38 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 Skyline Trail?
The Forest Service records 34.7 miles under this name in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, the sum of 7 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Skyline Trail?
Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Skyline Trail start?
The line begins at 37.9789° N, 107.1703° W and ends at 38.1118° N, 106.7778° 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 Skyline Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters La Garita Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: La Garita Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Skyline Trail?
Deer Lakes (2.9 mi), Hidden Valley Tent Campground- Gunnison RD (4.2 mi) and Spruce Campground (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 Skyline 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 Skyline Trail?
The typical grade is 8-10 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Skyline Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Skyline Trail?
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Forest Service unit 0204. The trail is in Colorado.
Source: Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests official page
Is there a fire near the Skyline 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 10 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 7 segments named Skyline in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0204. 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.