Rainbow trail in CO tracks?

Does anyone have a track log of the entire Rainbow trail that they would be willing to share? I am riding through CO in July and really want to ride this trail.

I've ridden all of the Rainbow Trail. A gps is really not required. The trail is signed pretty well. Once you're on it, there's really not all that many places where you can get off it, that you would want to anyway. A paper map will do you fine if you don't find a track file of it by the time you want to go. I wouldn't let not having a track file stop you from riding the trail.

Some winter runoff overflowing onto the trail:

Thanks for the info, have any more pics from the trail? This going to be a great addition to my TAT ride.

I have a few more pics in this album.

http://rides.webshots.com/album/353930623fbaZRO

Hi I live in Golden,and I do not know about the trail,could you direct me? thank you.....Bob Billen

Hi Bob,
The trail is about 100 miles long and runs along the east side of the Sangre De Cristo range between Salida and to just south of Westcliffe. Access to the trail can be made off Hiway 69 at several points. Most notably, Alvarado, Lake Creek(Lutheran CG), Hayden Creek. You can also get on it from Kerr Gulch and right out of Salida. Also from Hiway 285 just south of the road for Mears Junction. It's popular to park/camp near the mid point of the trail and ride north one day and south another day.

A couple of good maps are the #138 Trails Illustrated/National Geographic map and the Sangre De Cristo map by skyterrain.com.

Bump.

I'm looking for any gps data of the trail...anyone?

Thanks... Dan

Here's some GPS tracks from my newly found super seceret on-line free source. I like GPS Tracks. Edit: IB telles me that Monarch Crest/silver Creek/ and Rainbow tracks posted here are not the actual rainbow trail in full. I have never run this trail and have no decent topos of the route area. I think these tracks contain only a portion of the rainbow route.

Zach

The rainbow trail has an interesting history. It was constructed by the CCC in the 1930's as part of Roosevelt's efforts to get america back to work in the depression. I have ridden the entire length, plus other trips out of the Hayden campground and out of Salida. The most recent trip was out of Westcliff, where it has been so heavily used that it really getting rocky. It is primarily a single track trail, though it seems to be widening. I would be very reluctant to take anything bigger than the KTM 525 that is referenced. It is really a dirt bike trail, not a dual sport trail.
Riders need to be comfortable with shelf trails, which is a trail cut in the side of a hill. The trail is about two feet wide with the pitch of the hill above and below you. You don't want to go off the trail, cause the next stop is a long way down!

I rode the Westcliff end back in august on my XR600. It is a fairly tuff trail with lots of rocks. I have a GPS track of the part I did if you guys want it.

That was the question in the first post! Please provide tracks of what you rode. You could also use the draw tool to add what you didn't ride in another color if you know where it is.

Hmmm. Old thread, but same request- a .gpx of the Rainbow Trail, pls? Anybody got one?

Soon I'll be creating a new web page on my site which will have some GPS tracks/routes etc. For now, all I have is the following: http://www.rickramsey.net/GPSfiles/

Click on the ONLY file in the list and save it. The file is in GPX format and it works on National Geographic TOPO; it will probably work in other GPS applications as well.

The file has nine track segments and shows a short section of the Rainbow Tr from Sand Gul to Hayden Cr, plus connecting routes to Salida.

Check out my Rainbow Tr web pages for pictures and a map of the Salida area showing acces to the RBT: http://www.rickramsey.net/RB1.htm

Appearently Colorado riders have only graduated to digital cameras but don't yet comprehand GPS.

Trailryder 42 is absolutely right. You really don't need gps tracks for the Rainbow trail. There is several places to access it and once you get on it you can't get off of it accidentally. I know gps tracks are nice, I use them a lot. But don't pass up the Rainbow just because you don't have any tracks of it.

You don't seam to get it, I have no idea where it even is. Just post a track and I can drive right to the start or any of the access points!

Go to my private library on GPSXchange.com and you can see where thousands of miles of trails are located in CA/NV.

Just checked my track files and it looks like I didn't save it. If you can't get any tracks from anyone, I can tell you how to get to it. I normally access it from Salida. If you take 108 South right out of the center of Salida you will go several miles and you will see a sign on the right that says Rainbow Trail. If you turn right there it is only a short section of the trail that takes you over to Poncha Springs. It is really a spectacular ride though. If you continue on down 108 you will come to another Rainbow trail sign on the left. This is where the majority of the trail is. Turn left here and will take you all the way to the sand dunes where it ends or begins. It is an all day ride down there though. Hope this helps.

Heres some pics of Rainbow Trail.









enjoy

more pics here.

https://firstworks.smugmug.com/gallery/839486_6NFoK#P-1-12



firstworks

Great pics. Looks like you were there in the fall.

A guy just posted part of it on GPSXchange.com