Coal Creek Basin Trail #703

Dogs Off-leash

Features Fall Colors · Spring · Views · Wildlife

This trail can be hot in the summer! It thaws early in spring due to its south-facing slope. If you can run this whole trail then you are an animal! This is the crux of the Grand Mesa 100 course, around 60 miles in.

Starting from the Kannah Creek parking area, the trail starts a couple hundred yards up the paved road at the green gate. Head up Coal Creek Basin Trail #703. This trail is a steep uphill! Part of the trail is in an old burn so sun exposure is high. You'll cross a stream once about halfway up over a wooden bridge; be sure to get water here if you need it. At about 4.5 miles the trail will end at a junction with Coal Creek Trail #702 where you can take a left to reach the Switchback Trail #705 for another mile of running to reach the top of Grand Mesa.