The Rainbow Trail runs along the range just below the wilderness

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.