Trail news, conditions, and maps for Fremont County, Cañon City, and the Royal Gorge Region
Trail conditions are at the bottom of this page...
Yes, we'd like you to scan the news items below on your way down.
Contact:
Please feel free to contact Fremont Adventure Recreation at [email protected] or the Lower Arkansas Mountain Bicycling Association (LAMBA) at [email protected].
To submit a trail report, please email [email protected] of comment in the most recent Facebook trails report. We appreciate your help in reporting accurate trail conditions to our trail users. There are 70+ miles of trail in Fremont County, and your assistance is vital!
Yes, we'd like you to scan the news items below on your way down.
Contact:
Please feel free to contact Fremont Adventure Recreation at [email protected] or the Lower Arkansas Mountain Bicycling Association (LAMBA) at [email protected].
To submit a trail report, please email [email protected] of comment in the most recent Facebook trails report. We appreciate your help in reporting accurate trail conditions to our trail users. There are 70+ miles of trail in Fremont County, and your assistance is vital!
Suspicious Activities:
If you see anything suspect or dangerous (ex. loose dogs or trash dumping) while out enjoying public lands in the Royal Gorge region we encourage you to provide basic information to local law enforcement. The non-emergency numbers for local law enforcement are:
- Fremont County Sheriff 719-276-5555
- Cañon City Police 719-276-5600
- BLM 719-269-8500 (Royal Gorge Field Office)
- BLM 833-215-1917 (BLM's Rocky Mountain District Tip Line to report a natural resource crime - such as garbage dumping, graffiti, or unlawful use of public land for residential purposes)
- for any emergency please call 911
Information may also be provided to FAR and we will forward to the appropriate agencies - [email protected].
Royal Gorge Park Trails - Parking:
The lower (though now above the Point Alta Vista parking) County Road 3A parking lot is small. If using this lot please park head-in on the north side of the lot. This lot has no toilet - if you need a toilet, please continue up the road to the main County Road 3A parking and trailhead where there is a vault toilet. There is also day parking in the East Ridge Campground near the vault toilet there.
Royal Gorge Park Trails - Camping:
The East Ridge Campground is now $20/night and by reservation only (+$2 service fee) April 1 through October 31.
To reserve a camp site use the following web page: https://secure.rec1.com/CO/canon-city-co
From November 1st through March 31st, the reservation system is closed and campsites are first come, first served but still $20/night.
Oil Well Flats trails - Toilet:
Please remember that there is a BLM vault toilet on Red Canyon Road approximately 0.5 miles south (towards Cañon City) of the Oil Well Flats turnoff. There are no facilities - toilet, trash, or water - at the Oil Well Flats trailheads or dispersed camping, please plan and act accordingly.
Oil Well Flats trails - Camping:
Camping at Oil Well Flats is quickly becoming a problem. Please follow standard low impact camping practices including:
- camp only in existing sites - sites are now numbered 1 through 22
- use an existing fire ring or better yet, bring and use a fire pan for any camp fires
- bring your own firewood - do not cut trees or expect to be able to gather downed limbs
- make sure any campfires are dead out prior to leaving the site
- respect local fire bans that may be in place
- have and use a portable toilet system for all human (and dog) waste (ex. wag bags)
- do not let dogs run off-leash if cows or wildlife are in the area
- pack out all trash
- mind the food crumbs, or the site will be infested by ants next time you try to camp
- if you see a trashy camp, vicious loose dogs, or a squatter that has been in a site
for more than 14 days, please contact us ASAP with details ([email protected]).
If you see anything suspect or dangerous (ex. loose dogs or trash dumping) while out enjoying public lands in the Royal Gorge region we encourage you to provide basic information to local law enforcement. The non-emergency numbers for local law enforcement are:
- Fremont County Sheriff 719-276-5555
- Cañon City Police 719-276-5600
- BLM 719-269-8500 (Royal Gorge Field Office)
- BLM 833-215-1917 (BLM's Rocky Mountain District Tip Line to report a natural resource crime - such as garbage dumping, graffiti, or unlawful use of public land for residential purposes)
- for any emergency please call 911
Information may also be provided to FAR and we will forward to the appropriate agencies - [email protected].
Royal Gorge Park Trails - Parking:
The lower (though now above the Point Alta Vista parking) County Road 3A parking lot is small. If using this lot please park head-in on the north side of the lot. This lot has no toilet - if you need a toilet, please continue up the road to the main County Road 3A parking and trailhead where there is a vault toilet. There is also day parking in the East Ridge Campground near the vault toilet there.
Royal Gorge Park Trails - Camping:
The East Ridge Campground is now $20/night and by reservation only (+$2 service fee) April 1 through October 31.
To reserve a camp site use the following web page: https://secure.rec1.com/CO/canon-city-co
From November 1st through March 31st, the reservation system is closed and campsites are first come, first served but still $20/night.
Oil Well Flats trails - Toilet:
Please remember that there is a BLM vault toilet on Red Canyon Road approximately 0.5 miles south (towards Cañon City) of the Oil Well Flats turnoff. There are no facilities - toilet, trash, or water - at the Oil Well Flats trailheads or dispersed camping, please plan and act accordingly.
Oil Well Flats trails - Camping:
Camping at Oil Well Flats is quickly becoming a problem. Please follow standard low impact camping practices including:
- camp only in existing sites - sites are now numbered 1 through 22
- use an existing fire ring or better yet, bring and use a fire pan for any camp fires
- bring your own firewood - do not cut trees or expect to be able to gather downed limbs
- make sure any campfires are dead out prior to leaving the site
- respect local fire bans that may be in place
- have and use a portable toilet system for all human (and dog) waste (ex. wag bags)
- do not let dogs run off-leash if cows or wildlife are in the area
- pack out all trash
- mind the food crumbs, or the site will be infested by ants next time you try to camp
- if you see a trashy camp, vicious loose dogs, or a squatter that has been in a site
for more than 14 days, please contact us ASAP with details ([email protected]).
Trail Conditions
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If you have trail conditions reports please use the Trailforks app/web or send them to [email protected]
If you are reading this page you likely don't need to be told, but as a friendly reminder to everyone else - DO NOT USE MUDDY TRAILS! If the trail is sticking to your feet, tires, or animal feet/hoofs, or if you are leaving deep ruts, foot or hoof prints, you need find something else to do while the trails dry out. Don't be the person that causes months of trail damage because you couldn't wait until the trails were dry - and we are dry often so you'll get your chance. |
Special note to equestrian users: These reports are written for human powered users (i.e. 100-250 pound humans which are walking/hiking/running or may be riding 20-30 pound bicycles - both of which have a generally soft rubber interface with the trail). Please realize that as trails dry out there is a period of time when human powered users will not cause trail damage but a 1000+ pound animal (in addition to the rider's weight) while interfacing the trail with a stiff horseshoe will cause trail damage. For this reason, additional drying time is often necessary for equestrian use. Thank you for considering your impact to trail conditions and the experience of other user groups. You may also find this page a worthy read: http://www.joinfar.org/equestrian-trail-use.html
Trail Conditions as of 09/26/2024
Oil Well Flats
Dry
South Cañon / Section 13
Dry
Hogbacks
Dry
Royal Gorge
Dry
Note: Royal Cascade is back open following the June and July bighorn sheep lambing season. Starting September 1st through October 31st, Royal Cascade will be open to all recreational use from 9am to 5pm only. Licensed hunters may use Royal Cascade at any time during their hunting season. Do note that access to Royal Cascade via Tunnel Drive or the Royal Gorge park trails do have typical timing restrictions. This seasonal timing restriction on Royal Cascade is to provide for early morning and evening bighorn sheep hunting usage.
River Trails / Tunnel Drive
Dry
E-Bike Information
E-bike use is determined by the land manager of each individual trail system. Use is allow or disallowed based on safety, trail type, and use patterns. The following information is current as of last update.
E-BIKES ALLOWED:
City / County / State roads: open to approved motorized use.
Seep Springs (BLM): open to motorized use.
Tanner/Stultz/Bear/Lions (USFS): open to motorized use.
Penrose Commons (BLM): open to motorized use.
Texas Creek (BLM): open to motorized use.
The Bank (BLM): some routes open to motorized use.
Oil Well Flats (BLM): Roads are open to motorized use.
E-BIKES NOT ALLOWED:
Riverwalk / Tunnel Drive (City/CCRD): no motors, including any class of e-bike.
Hogbacks (City): no motors, including any class of e-bike.
Royal Gorge Park (City): no motors, including any class of e-bike.
Oil Well Flats (BLM): singletrack trails are non-motorized, including any class of e-bike.
South Cañon (BLM/CCRD/City): no motors, including any class of e-bike.
E-bike use is determined by the land manager of each individual trail system. Use is allow or disallowed based on safety, trail type, and use patterns. The following information is current as of last update.
E-BIKES ALLOWED:
City / County / State roads: open to approved motorized use.
Seep Springs (BLM): open to motorized use.
Tanner/Stultz/Bear/Lions (USFS): open to motorized use.
Penrose Commons (BLM): open to motorized use.
Texas Creek (BLM): open to motorized use.
The Bank (BLM): some routes open to motorized use.
Oil Well Flats (BLM): Roads are open to motorized use.
E-BIKES NOT ALLOWED:
Riverwalk / Tunnel Drive (City/CCRD): no motors, including any class of e-bike.
Hogbacks (City): no motors, including any class of e-bike.
Royal Gorge Park (City): no motors, including any class of e-bike.
Oil Well Flats (BLM): singletrack trails are non-motorized, including any class of e-bike.
South Cañon (BLM/CCRD/City): no motors, including any class of e-bike.
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Local trail maps for mountain biking and hiking in Cañon City, directions to trailheads, and general descriptions of the the best trails in the Cañon City and Royal Gorge region can be found in the FAR Adventure Guide.
Stand alone maps for Oil Well Flats, Section 13, Hogbacks, Royal Gorge Park, and South Cañon can be downloaded from the links below. Please note that these PDF versions can lag (way) behind in regards to new trail construction. At this point these are historic relics and should only be viewed for entertainment or as part of a history lesson. For the most up to date information use the Trailforks webpage (https://www.trailforks.com/) or phone app (and be sure to refresh the Colorado data set if using the app). Alternatively Colorado's CoTrex app is another option for web or phone app trail information that is generally up to date (https://trails.colorado.gov/). |
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