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Wetterhorn Basin Trail

Wetterhorn Basin provides extraordinary views of Wetterhorn Peak (14,015 ft.) and Coxcomb Peak (13,656 ft.) as well as Cow Creek.

  • Distance: 5.8 to 9.3 miles
  • Duration: 4 to 8 hours
  • Elevation: 10,750 to 12,522 feet
  • Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
The Wetterhorn Basin Trail #226 begins at the end of Forest Service Road #860, West Fork Road, and ends at Forest Service Road #870. This trail is a popular and very scenic route leading into a remote part of the Uncompahgre Wilderness. The trail starts in open meadow surrounded by spruce/fir and ascends into an open basin in the upper West Fork. It then switchbacks, climbing steeply to the top of Wetterhorn Pass. After the first mile, the trail travels above timberline. There are specular views of Wetterhorn Peak rising 14,015 feet and Coxcomb Peak rising 13,656 feet as well as the Cow Creek drainage.

Image of columbine flowers in Wetterhorn Basin
Photo by: Hilary Lewkowitz