Huston Park Trail

Huston Park Trail is a long-through hike in Huston Park Wilderness on the Continental Divide. In the Medicine Bow–Routt National Forests, it runs as an undeveloped segment of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, staying largely primitive and marked with rock cairns, tree blazes, and CDT signs.

Expect high-elevation, wilderness terrain: alpine bogs, spruce-fir, lodgepole pine, and aspen, broken up by open “parks” and brushy meadows. Much of the route follows a north–south axis through country that stays wild rather than improved.

Navigation is part of the job. In forested sections the tread can be easier to follow, but in grassy meadows it may fade, so route-finding skills matter. Stay alert to the cairn/blaze/CDT-sign system and don’t assume the line will stay obvious everywhere.

The trail’s length is commonly planned as about 12 miles for this segment. It’s high-country travel with an average elevation around 9,750 ft and a wilderness floor that rises beyond roughly 10,500 ft.

Because Huston Park is designated wilderness, keep your travel impact low: use durable surfaces when possible and be prepared to camp where allowed while following Leave No Trace. Motorized equipment and bicycles are prohibited in the wilderness, and group/permit requirements can apply for organized parties entering the area.

Classic access for reaching the Huston Park Wilderness/trail system is via the Pipeline Trailhead, Red Mountain Trailhead, and Green Mountain Trailhead. This trail is one of the main ways people move through the area, with side trips possible on nearby undeveloped pathways.

More information: Visitor information, Huston Park: Parks and High Point, Huston Park Wilderness