Colorado · National Monument trail

Harpers Corner Trail Stop 12

in Colorado

Don’t build a house where you see trees like this one. Soil on this steep slope tends to slip downward and the movement would eventually topple a wall, telephone pole, or other nonliving object. A tree however, if the sliding is slow enough, keeps trying to straighten up as it grows resulting in a curved trunk.

If you look around, you may notice many of the trees in this area have bent trunks near their base. While trees may slow erosion, they cannot stop it on a slope like this.

States: Colorado
Trail type: National Monument trail
Centroid nearest city: Salt Lake City, UT · 152 mi · ~4 hr drive
Centroid coords: 40.5326°, -109.0087°

About Dinosaur National Monument

National Monument

This trail is inside Dinosaur 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/harpers-corner-trail-stop-12.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/dino/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 Harpers Corner Trail Stop 12 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.