Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail
Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail is a 14.4 miles trail in White River National Forest, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The White River 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 | 39.5102, -106.1420 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 39.3621, -106.0631 · 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 5 segments.
The trail
| Length | 14.4 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| 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 | 39 |
| Forest | White River National Forest (unit 0215) |
| 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.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
| Mountain biking | Allowed 05/21 to 11/22 (month/day) |
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 Closed to motor vehicles. Open to Hike, Horse and Mountain Bike. | 0 mi |
No season published · listed none Closed to motor vehicles. | 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
- WildfireWillow
24 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 Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail?
14.4 miles, the sum of the 5 segments the Forest Service records under this name in White River National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Wheeler Nat. Rec. 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 Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail start?
The line begins at 39.5102, -106.1420 and ends at 39.3621, -106.0631. The nearest recorded trailhead is Wheeler National Recreation TH #39, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Wheeler Nat. Rec. 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 Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail?
Pennsylvania Creek Road TH #611 (1.5 mi), Indiana Creek Road TH #593 (4.1 mi) and Kite Lake Campground (4.2 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as 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 Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail?
The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail?
White River National Forest, Forest Service unit 0215. The trail is in Colorado.
Is there a fire near the Wheeler Nat. Rec. Trail?
1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Willow at 24 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 5 segments named WHEELER NAT. REC. TRAIL in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0215. 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.