South Fork
South Fork Trail is a 23.9-mile trail in Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Arapaho and Roosevelt 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 | 39.7907° N, 106.0247° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 39.7936° N, 106.0203° 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 | 23.9 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately 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 | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 21 |
| Forest | Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests (unit 0210) |
| 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 06/01 to 11/15 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 06/01 to 11/15 (month/day) |
| 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.
Trailheads
Williams Fork Trailhead No season published | under 0.1 mi |
South Fork Trailhead No season published Practice Leave No Trace principles. Dogs must be under control at all times. Unless seasonal restrictions are in effect, campfires must be attended at all times and cold to the touch with the bare hand before being abandoned. Collection of dead and down wood is allowed; do not break branches from standing trees for firewood. | 0.2 mi |
Boardwalk Trailhead No season published | 0.2 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
- PrescribedHarris Park Broadcast Rx
27 mi from the trail midpoint · 390 acres
- WildfireWillow
43 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,359 acres · 92% contained
- PrescribedFront Country Broadcast Rx
49 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 South Fork Trail?
The Forest Service records 23.9 miles under this name in Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the South Fork Trail?
Hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the South Fork Trail start?
The line begins at 39.7907° N, 106.0247° W and ends at 39.7936° N, 106.0203° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Williams Fork 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 South Fork 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 South Fork Trail?
Sugarloaf Campground (under 0.1 mi), South Fork Group Site (under 0.1 mi) and South Fork Campgound (0.2 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 South Fork 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 South Fork Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the South Fork Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the South Fork Trail?
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Forest Service unit 0210. The trail is in Colorado.
Source: Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests official page
Is there a fire near the South Fork Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Harris Park Broadcast Rx at 27 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named South Fork in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0210. 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.