Rio Grande Trail:
Colorado
Trail Map
  • Get Personalized Driving Directions!
  • Find Trail Side Shops with Google Search!
  • See Users’ Geocoded Photos!
  • Get a Print-Friendly Map and Get Outdoors!
Description:
ADVISORY:To protect wintering wildlife, the Rio Grande Trail between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Bridge closes seasonally from 5 pm on November 30 until 5 pm on April 30. A detour route is noted at the Hooks Lane and Catherine Bridge trailhead parking lots during this time. The detour is along county roads. The closure applies to all trail users, including anglers and hunters. In addition, dogs are prohibited on this section of the trail year-round.

The Rio Grande Trail follows the course of the Roaring Fork River, between the river and Route 82, between Glenwood Springs and Carbondale, before heading east to continue paralleling Route 82 to Aspen. In Glenwood, the trail also connects to the equally awesome Glenwood Canyon Bike and Pedestrian Path. Trail users will find a scattering of picnic tables and benches along the route but there is no potable water. Vault toilets are found at various places. For those wishing to bike portions of the trail, you can also take an RFTA bus to and from various trailheads between Aspen and Rifle; bike racks on the buses are provided. You will have to pay a nominal fee ($2) to bring your bike in addition to the bus fare.

When winter snowfall exceeds 3 inches, the trail is plowed when between Glenwood Springs and Main Street in Carbondale. Certain other sections may be groomed for cross-country skiers. For more information visit the city of Aspen website.

The Rio Grande Trail is built upon the Aspen Branch of the former rail corridor of Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW). Trains stopped running between the 1960s and the mid-1990s, after which the corridor was purchased by a cooperative of local government entities and organizations. The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority was created in 2001 to, in part, help manage the trail.

For more detailed information about parking and access and the location of trail amenities and bus service routes, refer to the map & brochure link under Related Links to the right.

... Click to read more
Parking & Trail Access:
The Rio Grande Trail can be accessed from several places along its route. For more detailed information about the location of parking and access, including bus service routes, refer to the map & brochure link under Related Links to the right.

... Click to read more
Seasonal Restrictions:
There is a seasonal detour between the Catherine Bridge trailhead and Hooks Spur Road, from November 30 to April 30. The detour route is marked at these trailheads and uses county roads.

... Click to read more
Reviews: [1 trail ratings]
[View all reviews for this trail]
[register/login to Submit a Review of this Trail]
Absolutely beautiful and absolutely perfect!
By harpie84 in August, 2011
Having ridden many great trails, I cannot say enough about how great this trail is - it may be the most beautiful trail in Colorado. My husband and I rode it last Sunday and I could not have been more impressed. The ride along the Roaring Fork river is wonderful, and having a "Bicycling Friendly Community" (Carbondale) along the route made it all the better.

We made it to El Jebel, where mudslides have unfortunately taken out about a mile of the trail, but we look forward to getting all the way to Aspen sometime soon.
Trail extension
By rkokish in March, 2009
It's worth mentioning that in Glenwood Springs, near its northern end the Rio Grande trail connects to the older Glenwood Canyon trail running east about sixteen miles, It parallels I-70 and Amtrak through one of the most spectacular whitewater canyons in the county. The canyon is so narrow that in places the bike trail literally hangs off the freeway and above the water in a uniquely weird and beautiful blend of nature and technology. If you want to ride this trail one way, a Glenwood bike shop offers shuttle service back through the canyon.

One way from Aspen, the total ride is about sixty miles with the first 44 mostly a gentle down hill (vertical drop is around 2500 feet) and the last 16 a gentle uphill (vertical rise around 400 feet). Fortunately, the wind is often at one's back on that last 16 miles. Take the shuttle back to Glenwood and the RFTA bus back to Aspen and it's a great day trip for moderately experienced riders. If you want to stay overnight and ride back as well, the nearest shopping and lodgings are in Gypsum, another ten miles past the end of the Glenwood Canyon trail head. Better to park at the eastern trail head, ride to Aspen, where food and lodging are abundant (and expensive) and return to the trail head the following day.
New and Improved!
By keith.dickerson in June, 2008
This trail has grown! The trail is now 40 miles or so, stetching from Glenwood Springs, through Carbondale, then onto Basalt and Aspen. Paving with asphalt for the northern 30 miles or so has just been completed, with a Grand Opening ceremony later this month. The first couple of miles north of Carbondale and the 10 miles south from Carbondale are pristine, following the Roaring Fork river for much of the time, with very few road crossings. There is a gorgeous bridge crossing the Roaring Fork just north of Carbondale. I've ridden numerous rail-trails over the years, and this trail ranks right up there with the best of the best at this point!
Browse Trails by Activity: