Arapaho National Forest

Darling Creek Trail & Williams Fork Boardwalk Trail

12.4 mi · ▲ 3,230 ft · 5 hr 45 min

Darling Creek Trail & Williams Fork Boardwalk Trail is a 12.4-mile out-and-back in Arapaho National Forest near Leal, CO. It climbs 3,230 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi8,960 – 12,182 ft · steepest grade: 22%12.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Williams Fork Boardwalk Trail 39.79409, -106.02999
Nearest town Leal, CO

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Darling Creek Trail & Williams Fork Boardwalk Trail

12.4 mi · ▲ 3,230 ft · 5 hr 45 min

Elevation 8,959–12,184 ft

Out & Back · Arapaho National Forest

Trailhead: Williams Fork Boardwalk Trail · 39.79409, -106.02999

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 77°F / low 48° · precip 8% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 7:32 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead

  1. Start on Williams Fork Boardwalk Trail, heading E.
  2. 0.9 miBear left onto South Fork Trail, heading N.
  3. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Darling Creek Trail, heading N.
  4. 5.2 miReach Williams Fork Boardwalk Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  5. 5.2 miContinue straight onto South Fork Trail, heading SE.
  6. 0.1 miBear right onto Williams Fork Boardwalk, heading SW.
  7. 0.8 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail surface

96% dirt4% boardwalk

Weather

OvercastTemperature 77°F48°
Precip8%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity25%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
80°45°
Sunrise 6:36 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:32 PM
Sat 77°52°
Sun 77°53° 42%
Mon 67°52° 32%
Tue 74°47° 20%
Wed 76°50° 36%
Thu 75°51° 40%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.7 mi in (~216 min). Leave by 3:36 PM for the 7:32 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:05 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead