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Alpenstock is an outdoor gear retailer owned in Colorado, specializing in curated day hike equipment for Front Range and Rocky Mountain trails.

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Rio Grande National Forest

Big Meadows Loop

USFS trail 843

The route in 3D

Fly this trail over real terrain

USGS and partner elevation data build the terrain, and the US Forest Service centerline draws the route.

1.5 mi · Typical grade 12 to 20%

About 50 ft between the route's high and low points. An estimate from USGS elevation data, computed 2026-07-10; not measured in the field.

Trail facts

Length: 1.5 mi mapped
Grade: Typical grade 12 to 20%
Surface: native material
USFS-managed hiker season: May 1 through October 31
USFS-managed uses: Hiking
Motorized status: Non-motorized (USFS designation)

Designation

National trail designation

National forest

Rio Grande National Forest

Length is the trail as the Forest Service maps it, not a trip distance. Hike out and back and you will cover it twice; check the shape of the route before you count on the figure.

This record is a snapshot of U.S. Forest Service data retrieved on 2026-07-09. It does not reflect current closures, conditions, or seasonal orders. Check with the local ranger district before you go.

Elevation

High point: About 9,250 ft
Low point: About 9,200 ft

Estimates, derived from USGS elevation data sampled along the USFS-mapped route, computed 2026-07-10. We have not measured these figures in the field.

Access points

Listed on Recreation.gov and matched to this trail by name and location, retrieved 2026-07-10. We have not visited or verified these access points.

Big Meadows/archuleta Trailhead
Big Meadows Trailhead

Set your ZIP or use your location for drive times to these access points.

Plan a day on this trail

A day here means a typical grade of 12 to 20%, inside a managed hiker season that runs May 1 through October 31. Tell the Trip Builder where you are headed and it assembles a day-specific kit with weather, daylight, and terrain in mind.

Data: U.S. Forest Service, retrieved 2026-07-09.

Big Meadows Loop — Colorado · Alpenstock

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