Rocky Mountain National Park Visitor's Guide



Horse and Llama Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park

260 miles of Park trails (about 80% of the Park's trails) are open for horse use. For details, download the Park's Rules of the Trail. These Park trails are recommended for horses, mules, ponies, llamas and burros. No goats allowed.

  • Big Meadows (9,400' starting elevation). Trailheads: Green Mountain, Onahu Creek and Tonahutu (Haynach Lake Trail is closed to all stock except llamas).
  • East Inlet Trailhead (8,391'): East Inlet.
  • Lawn & Ypsilon Lakes Trailhead (8,540'): Lawn Lake.
  • Lost Lake Trailhead (7,960'): Dunraven Glade, US Forest Service.
  • Thunder & Finch Lakes Trailhead (8,470'): Wild Basin; Finch Lake.
  • List of backcountry camp sites where stock is permitted:

Park Areas Closed to Stock:

East Side

  • Alluvial Fan trails.
  • Andrews Glacier Trail.
  • Bear Lake Area: Bear Lake Nature Trail; trail to Emerald Lake; trails to Lake Haiyaha; trail
  • between Loch/Mills Junction to and beyond The Loch; trail between Mills and Black Lakes.
  • Bierstadt Lake Trail to Park & Ride Shuttle Bus Parking Lot.Estes Cone Trail.
  • Fern Lake Area: Spruce Lake Trail.
  • Forest Canyon Overlook Trail.
  • Horsetooth Peak Trail.
  • Lily Lake Trail.
  • Longs Peak Area: Chasm Lake beyond hitchrack on Mills Moraine; beyond Boulderfield, from hitchrack.
  • Mummy Range Area: Trail beyond Lawn Lake hitchrack at east end of lake; trail beyond
  • Ypsilon Lake hitchrack at south end of lake.
  • North Fork Area: trail beyond Lost Lake hitchrack at east end of lake; area between Stormy Peaks Pass and Mummy Pass.
  • North St. Vrain Fire Trail (open to llamas to Aspen Knoll llama campsite).
    Sky Pond Trail.
  • Sprague Lake Area: Boulder Brook unimproved trail; Sprague Lake Nature Trail.
  • Ute Trail: Upper Beaver Meadows to Milner Pass, except Llamas can be used between Upper Beaver Meadows and Ute Meadows backcountry site.
  • Wild Basin: Beyond hitchrack at Bluebird Lake; Lion Lakes Trail from Thunder Lake Trail; Lookout Mountain trails.

West Side

  • Poudre River Trail: Between Chapin Creek to Milner Pass.
  • East Inlet Trail: Beyond west end of Lake Verna.
  • East Shore Trail: One mile north and south of Shadow Mountain Dam (use Ranger Meadows cutoff to avoid this section).
  • All trails above Grand Ditch, except Thunder Pass Trail
  • Haynach Lakes Trail: Beyond Tonahutu Creek Trail (open to llama use from Tonahutu Creek Trail to Haynack Lakes llama campsite).
  • Long Meadows Area: Between Onahu Creek and Timber Creek trails.
  • Paradise Park.
  • Poudre River Trail: Between Chapin Creek and Milner Pass.
  • Specimen Mountain Trail.
  • Willow Creek Area: Between Willow Creek drainage to Long Draw Reservoir (trail is non-maintained).

Roosevelt National Forest Riding Trails

Forest trails are open to horseback riders.

Trails in Boulder Ranger District, Roosevelt National Forest
(detailed trail info)

  • Arapaho Glacier
  • Arapaho Pass
  • Beaver Creek
  • Blue Lake
  • Bright
  • Bright Extension
  • Buchanan Pass
  • Ceran Saint Vrain
  • Coney Lake
  • Continental Divide Trail
  • Coulson Gulch
  • Crater Lakes
  • Devil's Thumb
  • Diamond Lake
  • Dry Saint Vrain
  • Forest Lakes
  • Heart Lake
  • Isabelle Glacier
  • James Peak Lake
  • Jasper Lake
  • Jean Lunning
  • King Lake
  • Lost Lake
  • Mitchell Lake
  • Mount Audubon
  • Pawnee Pass
  • Rainbow Lakes
  • Saint Vrain Glacier
  • Saint Vrain Mountain
  • Sourdough
  • South Boulder Creek
  • South Saint Vrain
  • Ute
  • Woodland Lake

Trails in Canyon Lakes District, Roosevelt National Forest
(detailed trail info)

Trails in Clear Creek District, Roosevelt National Forest
(detailed trail info) (map)
Mt. Evans Wilderness Trails (map)


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