Horsetooth Mountain & Horsetooth Rock Trail is a 4.4-mile out-and-back in Horsetooth Mountain Open Space near Horsetooth Heights, CO. The route reaches Horsetooth Mountain at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It climbs 1,482 ft, with sections as steep as 32% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 24/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi5,748 – 7,248 ft · steepest grade: 32%4.9 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Red Cliff Road 40.52264, -105.18166
Nearest town Horsetooth Heights, CO
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Horsetooth Mountain & Horsetooth Rock Trail
4.4 mi · ▲ 1,482 ft · 2 hr 12 min
Elevation 5,750–7,248 ft
Out & Back · Horsetooth Mountain Open Space
Trailhead: Red Cliff Road · 40.52264, -105.18166
Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 91°F / low 66° · precip 5% · wind 8 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.
- 0.9 miBear left onto South Ridge Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Horsetooth Rock Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.4 miReach Horsetooth Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto South Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Horsetooth Rock Trail, heading SE.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto South Ridge Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Horsetooth Rock Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto South Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Red Cliff Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto South Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Red Cliff Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto South Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Red Cliff Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 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
96% dirt4% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 91°F66°
Precip5%Wind8 mphUV7Humidity30%
Hourly temperature
95°65°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:30 PM
Sun
87°61°
Mon
88°67°
15%
Tue
86°59°
20%
Wed
88°60°
22%
Thu
83°64°
18%
Fri
90°59°
18%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~85 min). Leave by 5:45 PM for the 7:30 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:35 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
- Herrington Trail–Horsetooth Rock Trail, 3 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,005 ft
- Audra Culver Trail–Carey Springs Trail, 8 sights 6.6 mi · ▲ 1,622 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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Hikes near Horsetooth Heights, Colorado