Audra Culver Trail–Carey Springs Trail, 8 sights is a 6.6-mile out-and-back in Horsetooth Mountain Open Space near Horsetooth Heights, CO. It climbs 1,622 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 42/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi5,748 – 7,149 ft · steepest grade: 20%7.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Red Cliff Road 40.52264, -105.18166
Nearest town Horsetooth Heights, CO
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Audra Culver Trail–Carey Springs Trail, 8 sights
6.6 mi · ▲ 1,622 ft · 3 hr 1 min
Elevation 5,750–7,148 ft
Out & Back · Horsetooth Mountain Open Space
Trailhead: Red Cliff Road · 40.52264, -105.18166
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 90°F / low 61° · precip 4% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:30 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Red Cliff Road, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn right onto South Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Red Cliff Road, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto South Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Red Cliff Road, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto South Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Horsetooth Rock Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto South Ridge Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Horsetooth Rock Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Soderberg Trail, heading NW.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Spring Creek Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Soderberg Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Spring Creek Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Herrington Trail, heading NW.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Towers Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Spring Creek - Towers Connector, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Towers Trail, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Carey Springs Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Towers Trail, heading N.
- 1.5 miTurn right onto Westridge Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Westridge Connector, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Horsetooth Rock Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto South Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Audra Culver Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left onto South Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Horsetooth Rock Trail, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto South Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Red Cliff Road, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto South Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Red Cliff Road, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto South Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Red Cliff Road, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 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
98% dirt2% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 90°F61°
Precip4%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity19%
Hourly temperature
90°60°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:30 PM
Sat
89°68°
Sun
91°63°
20%
Mon
89°67°
21%
Tue
86°60°
16%
Wed
86°57°
26%
Thu
92°62°
30%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.3 mi in (~88 min). Leave by 5:41 PM for the 7:30 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Red Cliff Road Trailhead
- Horsetooth Falls–Horsetooth Falls Trail, 4 sights 2.9 mi · ▲ 678 ft
- Audra Culver Trail–Horsetooth Rock Trail, 3 sights 3.4 mi · ▲ 983 ft
- Horsetooth Mountain & Horsetooth Rock Trail 4.4 mi · ▲ 1,482 ft
- Herrington Trail–Horsetooth Rock Trail, 3 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,005 ft
- Arthurs Rock–Arthur's Rock, 9 sights 11.6 mi · ▲ 2,875 ft
- Lodgepole Drive Viewpoint–Horsetooth Reservoir, 10 sights 15.3 mi · ▲ 2,540 ft
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