Piedra River Trail No. 596

Trail Conditions as of 6/08/2023: Trail cleared 100%  11 miles

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Piedra River Trail Map

Hiking Northeast to Southwest

Length:  10.8 miles one way. 

Elevation Stats: North to South – Altitude Loss (577′) (7,710′ to 7,133′) with (Ascent 1,987′ and 2,564′ Descent.)

Trailhead Facilities:  None

Allowances:  Open to hiking, biking, foot traffic and horses. No motorized vehicles.

Trail Description: One of the more popular trails in the Pagosa area. This is an excellent trail any time of the year offering something for every type of outdoor enthusiast. The trail journeys through a great mix of river canyon, meadows, and forest. Wildlife viewing, whitewater rafting, fishing, backpacking, bird watching, wildflowers and ample photographic opportunities are to be found along this trail.

The upper trailhead is easily reached right off county road  600 and can be very busy during weekends of the peak summer season. You can do the entire length as a long day hike, or nice overnighter by shuttling a car to the opposite trailhead, or more popular is several short down and back hikes of varying lengths from the upper trail head. It serves as an excellent access trail for fishing the Piedra River and is also the beginning of the trail to Ice Cave Ridge.

If attempting the full length trip be aware that there are several hills in the middle taking you up and around a series of box canyons along the river, so though the total elevation gain from trailhead to trailhead is only about 500 ft. you will end up doing close to 2,000 ft. of gain when traveling from the lower to upper trailhead and even going down, from upper to lower will have a gain near 1000 vertical.

The shortest out and back, and a nice family hike, is from the upper trailhead down to where you access the river in a deep rock canyon with sheer walls at approximately ½ mile down trail. As you go down you may notice climber’s pitons on the walls and may encounter climbers during the summer months. Another ½ mile down the trail will take you over a small hill and then bring you back down to the river at the corner that sends the river west. If you continue on for another mile you will come to the “First Bridge” which spans Williams Creek. This is a nice open meadow area and serves as a great 3-4 mile RT hike if you turn back here. Another mile down trail will bring you to a trail junction for the Piedra Stock trail which goes north and south and you will be able to see the “2nd Bridge” crossing the Piedra on your left (South). If continuing on to do the entire river trail, stay right and do not cross that bridge. Continuing another ½ mile past the 2nd bridge will take you up hill to a nice vantage point where there is also a trail leading North to Weminuche Creek. Over this hill you will switch back down a steep hill to where the Weminuche meets the Piedra and will cross the last bridge. Most down and back hikers do not go beyond the hill.

In winter the upper trails are still accessible but snowshoes or cleats are recommended due to packed Ice conditions. Most years at the ½ mile river access a large Ice formation appears from the cliff face right down into the river which is a popular destination.

Piedra Trailhead Directions: Drive North on Piedra Road (CR 600/FS 631) 16-miles crossing Piedra River on a bridge and to the parking area immediately after on the west side of the road. The parking area is large and no bathrooms are available, though across the street up the river is a day use area that does of have  a toilet.

Driving Directions to Trailhead

Interactive Map to Trailhead

Hiking Southwest to Northeast

Length: 12.2-miles (one-way)

Trailhead Facilities: None

Short Trail Summary: The eastern terminus of the Piedra River Trail overlooks rafters, ice caves and otherwise grand landscape and will be busier in the summer season. The western terminus is more difficult to reach, thus quieter.

This is an excellent trail any time of the year offering something for every type of outdoor enthusiast. The trail journeys through a great mix of river canyon, meadows, and forest. Wildlife viewing, whitewater rafting, fishing, backpacking, bird watching, wildflowers and ample photography opportunities are to be found along this trail.

Passing through aspen groves – take time to enjoy the scenic view in all directions before descending into the river canyon, walking along sheer cliffs, past overhangs, and under tall trees. Soon, reach the level of the river bank where the trail will begin to change more dramatically and with difficulty as the trail turns somewhat from the river.

Several trails will come in from the north permitting more lengthy backpacking opportunities, but your route will continue in the river tread, eventually reaching the tight Second Box Canyon where the river grows in width to the westernmost trail terminus.

First Fork Trailhead Directions: Drive West on Hwy 160 for 22 miles and turn north onto First Fork Road (FS 622). From here the road is gravel and you will follow it for 12 miles to the road’s end.  This is a shared trailhead.  Access the trailhead furthest east across the bridge over the Piedra River.

Interactive Map to Trailhead

7 thoughts on “Piedra River Trail No. 596

  1. Hiked from the east to the second bridge on 8-23-21 (i.e. approximately 3.5 miles in). No downed trees. Trail is a bit overgrown the final mile or so of the stretch I hiked, but it was easy to follow the trail – might be worth wearing pants / long-sleeves if you react to vegetation scrapes. Loved the “canyon” early on and later appreciated the wonderful views – the forest in this area is so healthy — Just say no to beetles!

  2. Trail was in great shape to sand creek from the upper trailhead. Musk thistles are overhanging the trail in the meadows below Williams confluence, above and below trail creek, and the meadow above the stock trail bridge (but not as bad as the lower weminuche meadow at little sand creek…need a crop duster to remediate that section). Hopefully the piedra won’t have the same fate.

  3. 7/26/20: We hiked part of this trail today and it was very pleasant. Very worthwhile to make a day trip of it! No trail blockages, at least on our section. We went down to the second bridge, and then back up.

    Just one thing: My GMC odometer says it is about 16.3 miles to the parking area. Even the US Forest Service flyer says “16.2 miles, plus an additional 300 yards”. If you only go 16 miles you will see parking pull-offs to the left, cliffs in view, scanty trails … but these are rock climbing areas, and not the Piedra River Trailhead itself. Please be sure to drive on until you get to the fork in the road right after crossing the Piedra River bridge — where there is a brown Forest Service sign that says ” Piedra Picnic Area” with an arrow pointing to the road that goes off to the right — do not turn here… This very same sign also reads Williams Lake, and Bridge Campground ahead — so stay straight here (or to the left) — and follow this fork ahead and continue up the hill about 300 yds. or so… where there is a big marked parking lot on the left. This is the correct Piedra River Trailhead Parking area.

    Happy Trails,

    TD

  4. Hiked the entire trail yesterday and there are two trees across the Piedra Trail, below the junction with the Stock Trail. 5/31/20

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