La Junta to El Arco Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Commonly Backpacked · Fishing · Geological Significance · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall

Hiking sticks highly recommended to keep out of the mud and balance on the some of the precarious bridges.

Lots of mud and precarious footing

The biggest challenge of this trail is it's back country nature and the deep erosion from cattle passing through the area.

If the weather is dry, this is a cruise along a beautiful, emerald green river. Occasionally the trail opens into green pastures that provide huge views of the surrounding valleys.

After the river crossing at the Rio Valverde (around half way), you begin to head uphill a bit and pull away from the river.

You'll be in mature Alerce forest with endless green landscape.

Finally after you make you final major crossing at the Rio Del Arco. A little after this crossing you come to the El Arco Shelter deep in the forest.

Alerce trees