Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests · Colorado · Trail 21

South Fork

South Fork Trail is a 23.9 miles 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 end39.7907, -106.0247 · Directions ↗
Other end39.7936, -106.0203 · 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

Length23.9 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers21
ForestArapaho and Roosevelt National Forests (unit 0210)
StatesColorado
Detail publishedmanagement 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

HikingAllowed 06/01 to 11/15 (month/day)
Horse and pack stockAllowed 06/01 to 11/15 (month/day)
Mountain bikingAllowed 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

No season published · listed none
0 mi
No season published · listed none
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 b
0.2 mi
No season published · listed none
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. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.

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

  • Wildfire
    Willow

    43 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,389 acres · 80% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the South Fork Trail?

23.9 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the South Fork Trail?

hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. 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, -106.0247 and ends at 39.7936, -106.0203. The nearest recorded trailhead is Williams Fork Trailhead, 0 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 (0 mi), South Fork Group Site (0 mi) and South Fork Campgound (0.2 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.

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?

1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Willow at 43 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 September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.