American Gulch Road & Middle Fork Of The Swan Road

9.4 mi · ▲ 1,806 ft · 4 hr 2 min

American Gulch Road & Middle Fork Of The Swan Road is a 9.4-mile out-and-back near Lincoln, CO. It climbs 1,806 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 90/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi9,964 – 11,759 ft · steepest grade: 21%9.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: American Gulch Road 39.49464, -105.94830
Nearest town Lincoln, CO

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

American Gulch Road & Middle Fork Of The Swan Road

9.4 mi · ▲ 1,806 ft · 4 hr 2 min

Elevation 9,963–11,758 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: American Gulch Road · 39.49464, -105.94830

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 72°F / low 42° · precip 14% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 7:32 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on American Gulch Road, heading E.
  2. 250 ftTurn right onto South Fork Swan Road, heading SE.
  3. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  4. 0.1 miBear right onto Middle Fork Of The Swan Road, heading SE.
  5. 3.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
  6. 350 ftContinue straight onto Swandyke Road, heading E.
  7. 50 ftBear right onto Middle Fork Of The Swan Road, heading NE.
  8. 1 miReach American Gulch Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 1 miBear left onto Swandyke Road, heading NW.
  10. 50 ftContinue straight onto Middle Fork Of The Swan Road, heading NW.
  11. 3.5 miBear left, heading SW.
  12. 0.1 miTurn right onto South Fork Swan Road, heading SW.
  13. 150 ftTurn left onto American Gulch Road, heading SW.
  14. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

71% dirt29% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 72°F42°
Precip14%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity37%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
75°40°
Sunrise 6:36 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:32 PM
Sat 71°47° 20%
Sun 75°49° 33%
Mon 65°48° 42%
Tue 69°44° 25%
Wed 72°47° 43%
Thu 73°47° 46%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.7 mi in (~161 min). Leave by 4:31 PM for the 7:32 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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