Rainbow Trail (FS 1336)

Rainbow Trail (FS 1336) is a long hiking route running along the eastern base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado, with access to multiple 14,000-foot peaks and over a dozen alpine lakes along its length.

The route is a multi-use trail associated with USFS #1336 and spans Saguache, Chaffee, Fremont, and Custer counties as it heads south from the Salida/Poncha Springs area toward the Wet Mountain valley.

For practical planning, this route is typically done as segments by most hikers; the end-to-end Rainbow Trail is about 100 miles, so day-hike and multi-day combinations are common rather than committing to the full thru-hike.

Terrain profile is characterized by starts around 8,500 feet and a mix of rolling ground with several steeper climbs as you work across drainages and along the mountain base.

Use and restrictions vary by district and wilderness boundary: hiking is allowed, and horse riding and mountain biking can be allowed on non-wilderness sections, while motorized use is limited by area and wilderness rules.

Water can be sparse on some parts of the route, especially on ridges in the stretch between Poncha Pass and Bear Creek, so plan carry accordingly. The trail tread can also be quite rocky in places, and burn scars may be present in affected areas.

More information: Visitor information, Visitor information, Rainbow Trail, Sangre de Cristo Wilderness