Big South Trail

The Big South follows the Cache la Poudre River the way a good conversation follows a thread — never straying far, always coming back to the water. From the trailhead just off CO-14, the path slips into a densely forested corridor and, within half a mile, crosses into the Comanche Peak Wilderness and the Big South Travel Zone. The river does the talking: roaring and white in late spring, mellowing to a summer murmur that pulls the heat out of the afternoon. It climbs gently overall — only about 881 feet net across nearly seven miles — but don't mistake gentle for easy, because the tread narrows to contour steep, rocky hillsides and crosses a talus slope where footing asks for your full attention.

Look closely and you'll see the hand-laid rock work of the Civilian Conservation Corps, who built this trail in the 1930s; the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers patched it back together after the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire swept through. That fire left its mark — some stretches are burned, though much of the corridor stayed green — and burned country carries its own cautions: trees that fall without warning, hidden stump holes, and flash flooding that can arrive from a rainstorm miles upstream. Moose browse the willows here, so give them a wide berth. Pack a head net for the mid-summer mosquitoes, treat the river water for giardia, and plan your turnaround at the Flowers Trail junction, where the old bridge to the west bank washed out decades ago.

Trail Facts

Getting There

From Ted's Place, drive 48.7 miles up CO-14 into the upper Poudre Canyon to mile marker 74.2. The parking area and trailhead are on the left (south) side of the highway, just before a bridge and the Big South Campground. There's room for a large stock trailer, and toilets are at the campground. The lot is often plowed in winter, though it's a lower priority than the Cameron Pass lots — snowshoes are usually needed, and the narrow, rocky side slopes with drop-offs can be dangerous when they hold snow.

Know Before You Go

• Burn country. This trail ran through the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire — watch for falling trees, hidden stump holes, rockslides, and flash flooding that can hit from a rainstorm far upstream.
• Wilderness rules. After 0.5 mile you're in the Comanche Peak Wilderness: no bikes, no wheeled or motorized use, group size capped at 12 people and stock combined.
• Grass Creek crossing. The unbridged crossing at mile 3.2 can be impassable or unsafe in spring high water, even if you're set to wade.
• Moose & bugs. Moose frequent the river willows — keep your distance; and pack a head net and repellent, as the corridor stays wet and buggy into mid-July.
• Water, but treat it. The river is right beside you nearly the whole way, but treat every drop — giardia is present.
• Dogs on leash. Dogs must be on a hand-held leash with hikers.
• Camping limits. No camping or fires within a quarter mile of the trailhead; inside the Travel Zone, stay 200 feet from water and trail, chemical stoves only, no fires.