Turtle Mountain
Turtle Mountain Trail is a 56.7-mile trail in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3 to 4, developed to highly developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle and e-bikes.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Pike and San Isabel 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 | 39.2005° N, 105.0684° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 39.3247° N, 105.0871° 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 3 segments.
The trail
| Length | 56.7 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed; 4, highly developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 5-8 percent |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 0770, 0770.E |
| Forest | Pike and San Isabel National Forests (unit 0212) |
| 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.
Trailheads
Flat Rocks Trailhead No season published The following restrictions apply to the Rampart Range Motorized Recreation Area: A Colorado OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) registration or current license plate with OHV permit is required to ride on the trails. Contact Colorado State Parks at 303-866-3437 for OHV registration information. A current license plate and valid driver’s license are required to ride on the roads. Only vehicles 50” or less in width can be on trails. Ride on designated trails only. All vehicles must have a U.S. Forest Service approved Spark Arrestor. | 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
- PrescribedRainbow Gulch Rx
20 mi from the trail midpoint · 912 acres
- PrescribedO'Brien 2 Broadcast Rx
22 mi from the trail midpoint · 267 acres
- PrescribedHarris Park Broadcast Rx
26 mi from the trail midpoint · 390 acres
- PrescribedRoad Gulch 2 Rx
28 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
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Turtle Mountain Trail?
The Forest Service records 56.7 miles under this name in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, the sum of 3 segments.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Turtle Mountain 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 Turtle Mountain Trail start?
The line begins at 39.2005° N, 105.0684° W and ends at 39.3247° N, 105.0871° W. The nearest recorded trailhead is Flat Rocks Trailhead, 0.2 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Turtle Mountain 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 Turtle Mountain Trail?
Flat Rocks Campground (0.2 mi), Devils Head Campground (1 mi) and Platte River (3.4 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 8 with site counts and booking links.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Turtle Mountain Trail?
Trail class 3 to 4, which the Forest Service describes as developed to highly 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 Turtle Mountain Trail?
The typical grade is 5-8 percent.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Turtle Mountain 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 Turtle Mountain Trail?
Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Forest Service unit 0212. The trail is in Colorado.
Is there a fire near the Turtle Mountain Trail?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rainbow Gulch Rx at 20 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named Turtle Mountain in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0212. 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.