Wise Mountain–American Gulch Road, 4 sights
13.5 mi · ▲ 2,813 ft · 5 hr 54 min
Wise Mountain–American Gulch Road, 4 sights is a 13.5-mile out-and-back near Lincoln, CO. The route reaches Wise Mountain at the turnaround, 6.8 miles in. It climbs 2,813 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade. It scores 82/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Wise Mountain–American Gulch Road, 4 sights
13.5 mi · ▲ 2,813 ft · 5 hr 54 min
Elevation 9,898–12,048 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: American Gulch Road · 39.49464, -105.94830
Weather Sep 4: 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.
- 1.1 miSharp left onto Colorado Trail (Segment 6), heading NE.
- 2.5 miSharp right onto North Fork Swan Road, heading W.
- 0.8 miBear right onto North Swan Road, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Garibaldi Gulch Road, heading NE.
- 1.4 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miReach Wise Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto North Swan Road, heading NW.
- 0.6 miBear left onto North Fork Swan Road, heading W.
- 0.8 miSharp left onto Colorado Trail (Segment 6), heading W.
- 2.5 miSharp right onto Middle Fork Of The Swan Road, heading E.
- 1.1 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto South Fork Swan Road, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn left onto American Gulch Road, heading NW.
- 100 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 6.3 mi in (~207 min). Leave by 3:45 PM for the 7:32 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:31 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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