Pike and San Isabel National Forests · Colorado

Rainbow

100 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 1336 · trail class 3 · typical grade 12-20% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, bike, motorcycle, e-bike, atv · motorized use allowed

Trailhead Rainbow Trail (#1336) at Bear Creek trailhead Drive there

Alvarado Trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

Day-use fee of $10 is charged for those not registered as campers. 

The Alvarado Trailhead is located in the Alvarado Campground and accesses the Rainbow Trail #1336 . From the Rainbow Trail #1336, several trails access the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness including the Cottonwood Trail #1344 , Comanche Trail #1345 , Goodwin Trail #1346 and Venable Trail #1347 .

The Rainbow Trail #1336 is a motorized trail open to ATV and motorcycle use and runs along the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. Trails that lead into Wilderness areas are open to non-motorized/non-mechanize use only and Wilderness regulations apply

No additional fee is charged for registered campers.

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Rainbow Falls Motorized Routes the Forest Service's write-up

There is no fee to use this area, however, a <a href="https://cpw.state.co.us/register-off-highway-vehicle">State of Colorado OHV Registration</a> (or an OHV Permit ) is required for all OHVs ($25.25 purchased through Colorado Parks &amp; Wildlife).

The Rainbow Falls area offers many motorized roads and trails for four-wheel drive and off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts. This area contains several motorized trails open to motor vehicles 50 inches, or less, in overall width. The roads and trails in this area connect to the North Rampart Range OHV riding area as well. The North Rampart Range riding area is managed by the South Platte Ranger District. Be sure to consult with the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for offical Forest Service routes that are open to motorized vehicles. Free Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) are available at your local Forest Service Ranger District office. Please pick up a MVUM before you head out. These maps identify the designated Forest Service roads, and the designated motorized trails, that are open to motorized use. They also and identify what types of vehicles are allowed on the different types of routes that are displayed on the MVUM.

Restrictions Do not ride around camping areas or parking areas on an OHV. Ride only to and from the trails to avoid conflict.

This hike on fs.usda.gov

Rainbow Trail (#1336) at Bear Creek trailhead the Forest Service's write-up

This trailhead is located east of Salida, off of County Road 101 and accesses the Rainbow Trail (#1336) which travels east from the Poncha Springs area along the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. The Rainbow Trail is over 100 miles in length and travels south from the Salida area into the Wet Mountain valley and terminates near the Great Sand Dunes National Park. This trail is open to motorcycles, mountain bikers, horse and foot traffic but closed to ATV's and 4-wheeled vehicles.

Accessibility <p>This site is not universally accessible.</p>

This trailhead on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in Pike and San Isabel National Forests

All 592 trails in Pike and San Isabel National ForestsFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.