Colorado · National Monument trail

Corkscrew Trail (Colorado National Monument)

in Colorado

Location: From the east entrance, proceed north on Monument Road 0.6 miles (1.0 km); turn left on South Camp Road. Drive 2.6 miles ( 4.2 km) to its junction with South Broadway. Turn left and go 0.5 miles (0.8).

Turn left onto Wildwood Drive and go 0.5 miles (0.8 km) and watch closely for a brown trailhead sign on the right at what appears to be driveway. Turn down this road to the trailhead. This trailhead is shared with Ute Canyon Trail and Liberty Cap Trail.

Mileage: 3.3 one way (5.3 km) Difficulty Level: Moderate to strenuous Elevation: 4,800 feet (1463 meters) Average time: 2 1/2 hours Usage: Hiking only. Horses prohibited. Description: Originally built by John Otto in 1909.

States: Colorado
Trail type: National Monument trail
Centroid coords: 39.0681°, -108.6603°

About Colorado National Monument

National Monument

This trail is inside Colorado National Monument, a national monument managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Entrance fee: $25 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/corkscrew-trail-colorado-national-monument.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/colm/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Corkscrew Trail (Colorado National Monument) and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

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Colorado