3.7 mi of trail, end to end · Hike the Garita Trail: 7.6 mi round trip in the Service's write-up · about 1,800 ft of climbing · 8,555 ft–10,325 ft · native surface · bike, hiking, horse · seasonal: Winter seasonal closure dependent on current conditions
Hike the Garita Trail 7.6 mi round trip · the Park Service's write-up
3-5 Hours · no dogs · entrance fee applies · reservation required · Spring, Summer, Fall · season Valles Caldera's backcountry is closed to vehicular traffic from November 15 - May 14.
Start Garita Trail
The view from La Garita summit looking into Valles Caldera. Photo: NPS/C. Daly
This strenuous, 7.6-mile (12.2 km) out-and-back route climbs steeply up the north rim of the caldera to reach the northern boundary fence line and then terminates in a lovely high meadow with spectacular views of the entire preserve. This route gains almost 1,800 feet in just 3.8 miles.
Elevation: 8,556 - 10,335 feet
Accessibility This unpaved, natural surface trail has extremely steep grades. Service animals are permitted.
The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" 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 park's own site before you go.
