Colorado · National Monument trail

Sound of Silence Trail Stop 8

in Colorado

While native plants like the greasewood, rabbitbrush, and sage are important habitat, what about the rock walls themselves? The large cliff to the south has, in past years, been the nesting place of Peregrine Falcons. Once an endangered species, their numbers have now grown.

Thanks to a ban on the pesticide DDT, and protected nesting places like this cliff face in Dinosaur National Monument, you may see a Peregrine Falcon soaring overhead. Listen carefully for the highpitched “kak, kak, kak” call.

States: Colorado
Trail type: National Monument trail
Centroid nearest city: Salt Lake City, UT · 138 mi · ~4.0 hr drive
Centroid coords: 40.4480°, -109.2892°

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/sound-of-silence-trail-stop-8.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 Sound of Silence Trail Stop 8 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.