Colorado · Trail 1449

Horn Fork Basin

Horn Fork Basin Trail is a 5.4 miles trail in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Colorado. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Pike and San Isabel National Forests official page carries current alerts and closure orders.

Map

One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.

One end38.8708, -106.2662 · Directions ↗
Other end38.9076, -106.3186 · Directions ↗

The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 7 segments.

The trail

Length5.4 miles
Trail class3, developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityNot evaluated
Trail numbers1449
ForestPike and San Isabel National Forests (unit 0212)
StatesColorado
Detail publishedmanagement level, with uses

Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Horn Fork Basin Trail20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.33 inches of precipitation, 6.2 inches of snowFebruary: 0.44 inches of precipitation, 7.4 inches of snowMarch: 0.62 inches of precipitation, 8.2 inches of snowApril: 1.02 inches of precipitation, 8.1 inches of snowMay: 1.17 inches of precipitation, 3.2 inches of snowJune: 0.70 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 1.51 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 1.57 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.90 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowOctober: 0.80 inches of precipitation, 3.1 inches of snowNovember: 0.44 inches of precipitation, 5.1 inches of snowDecember: 0.43 inches of precipitation, 7.6 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 25.8°F averageFebruary: 28.1°F averageMarch: 35.8°F averageApril: 41.6°F averageMay: 51.1°F averageJune: 60.9°F averageJuly: 66.2°F averageAugust: 63.7°F averageSeptember: 56.8°F averageOctober: 45.6°F averageNovember: 34.6°F averageDecember: 25.7°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Buena Vista 2S, 10 miles from the trail midpoint at 7,954 feet, station USC00051071 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 10 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 49 inches a year on the same inches scale. The station sits about 3,000 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed year-round
Mountain bikingAllowed year-round

A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.

Wilderness

Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.

Trailheads

No season published · <p>There are no universally accessible facilities at this site.</p>
Wilderness regulations apply within Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. For group size restrictions contact the Salida Ranger District at 719-539-3591.
0 mi

Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date.

Camping nearby

Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.

Fire nearby

  • Wildfire
    Willow

    26 mi from the trail midpoint · 7,389 acres · 80% contained

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Horn Fork Basin Trail?

5.4 miles, the sum of the 7 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Pike and San Isabel National Forests.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Horn Fork Basin Trail?

hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Where does the Horn Fork Basin Trail start?

The line begins at 38.8708, -106.2662 and ends at 38.9076, -106.3186. The nearest recorded trailhead is North Cottonwood Trailhead, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Horn Fork Basin Trail in a wilderness area?

Yes. It enters Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.

Source: Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Horn Fork Basin Trail?

Collegiate Peaks (4.2 mi) is within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.

Source: Campsite Atlas

How developed is the Horn Fork Basin Trail?

Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

How steep and how wide is the Horn Fork Basin Trail?

The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Horn Fork Basin Trail?

Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Forest Service unit 0212. The trail is in Colorado.

Source: Pike and San Isabel National Forests official page

Is there a fire near the Horn Fork Basin Trail?

1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Willow at 26 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 7 segments named HORN FORK BASIN in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0212. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.