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
Getting there
Directions
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
- Start on American Gulch Road, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn right onto South Fork Swan Road, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Middle Fork Of The Swan Road, heading SE.
- 3.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Swandyke Road, heading E.
- 50 ftBear right onto Middle Fork Of The Swan Road, heading NE.
- 1 miReach American Gulch Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miBear left onto Swandyke Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Middle Fork Of The Swan Road, heading NW.
- 3.5 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto South Fork Swan Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto American Gulch Road, heading SW.
- 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
Weather
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.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from American Gulch Road Trailhead
- Georgia Gulch Road 3.1 mi · ▲ 964 ft
- South Fork Swan Trail 4.8 mi · ▲ 785 ft
- Farncomb Hill–American Gulch Road, 3 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 1,123 ft
- Missouri Gulch Trail & South Fork Swan Trail 5.2 mi · ▲ 817 ft
- Mineral Hill & Georgia Gulch Road 6.8 mi · ▲ 1,658 ft
- Mountain Guyot Loop East Road & South Fork Swan Trail 8 mi · ▲ 1,675 ft
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Hikes near Lincoln, Colorado