Colorado Porch

Outdoors and wildfire - Mountains

The Rainbow Trail runs along the range just below the wilderness

The long Rainbow Trail traces the base of the Sangre de Cristo Range past Westcliffe, open to hikers, horses, bikes, and motorcycles but not full-size off-road vehicles.

Published June 10, 2026 - Last verified June 11, 2026

Not every trail near Westcliffe heads straight up a fourteener. The Rainbow Trail runs the other way, traveling along the base of the Sangre de Cristo Range rather than over it. It is a long route, more than 100 miles, that threads from the Salida area south past the Wet Mountain Valley and on toward the Great Sand Dunes.

What makes it useful is that it connects many of the side trails and creek drainages along the range, so you can pick a short out-and-back or link a longer loop. It also has a mix of uses that not every trail allows. The Rainbow Trail is open to hikers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, and motorcycles. It is closed to ATVs and full-size four-wheeled vehicles.

There is an important boundary to keep in mind. The trail skirts the edge of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness but does not go in. The moment a side trail crosses into the wilderness, bikes and motors are no longer allowed, and it becomes foot and horse travel only. Knowing where that line falls keeps you legal and keeps the peace among the different users.

For trailhead locations, current use rules, and which connecting trails enter the wilderness, check the Rainbow Trail information from the U.S. Forest Service.

Filed under: Outdoors and wildfire Custer County

Keep reading

Related Porch Notes

More notes from Custer County and nearby topics.

Outdoors and wildfire

The Sangre de Cristo Wilderness rises right above Westcliffe

The high peaks west of Westcliffe sit inside a designated wilderness in the national forest, where the rules are stricter than on ordinary forest land.

Read note ->

Outdoors and wildfire

South Colony Road climbs to the high peaks south of Westcliffe

The main Custer County approach to Humboldt Peak and the Crestones runs up Colfax Lane to South Colony Road, where the upper miles need four-wheel drive.

Read note ->

Outdoors and wildfire

DeWeese Reservoir near Westcliffe is a favorite Wet Mountain Valley fishing spot

DeWeese Reservoir is a beloved Custer County fishing and wildlife-watching spot near Westcliffe, managed as a State Wildlife Area where one easy thing to grab before you go is a license or SWA pass.

Read note ->

Outdoors and wildfire

Camping rules in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness keep lakes and streams clear

In the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness above Westcliffe, special rules limit group size and keep camps and campfires set back from lakes and streams.

Read note ->

Water and land

A pond on a Custer County parcel needs a water right behind it

In the Arkansas River basin, even a small pond can need its own water right, and a pond that has been there for years is not automatically in the clear.

Read note ->

History and culture

The Dark Sky Over Westcliffe: Why People Drive Here to Look Up

Westcliffe and Silver Cliff protected their night sky so well they earned Colorado's first International Dark Sky Community certification, and a free in-town observatory lets you see the result.

Read note ->

Sources and review

Where this information comes from

This note uses official or primary sources where practical. Local details can change, so confirm before acting.

Last reviewed
June 11, 2026