Hike Description:

The Salida Mountain Trails System is a network of trails in the foothills surrounding the Town of Salida that are comanaged by the Bureau of Land Management and Colorado Mountain Trails, a non profit company.  The trails south of Salida are part of the Methodist Mountain Trail System and perched at the northern base of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains on the slopes leading up to Methodist Mountain.  

This trail gives a good taste of this system and is perfect for a cold winter’s evening hike where you need some fitness to keep yourself warm.  If you park at the first trail junction that you come to off of 5668, then I recommend that you head west from the trailhead along the Spartan West Trail.  This trail weaves through the scrub oak and juniper forest with intermittent views to the north and west.  Along the westernmost edge of the trail, you get some good views, when there are no clouds of the Collegiate Peaks leading up to Monarch Pass and Poncha Springs down below.  

As the trail turns back to the east you cross 5668 and stay on the Spartan West Trail on the other side of the road.  After a few minutes, you’ll come to the Little Rainbow Trail which will take you to the Skull Trail.  The Skull Trail descends down the slope for about half a mile.  This stretch of trail gives you some nice views to the south of the hills east of Salida and the beginning of the Arkansas River Canyon heading east.  At the intersection of the Spartan East trail, turn left and head west back to 5668 and your car. 

This is a great trail local to Salida and perfect for a quick fitness hike. My only regret is the cloud layer that hung in place all day and covered up the mountain views.  I don’t know for sure, but I imagine that they are pretty grand from the western portion of this hike. Oh well, another time perhaps…