West Slopes and South Ridge

Overview

Redcliff stands just north of Coxcomb Peak above the West Fork of the Cimarron. With 4WD to the trailhead, it is the easiest summit in the area and a good family hike.

You follow Trail 226 for a bit under two miles, then head southeast up a side drainage to the saddle between Coxcomb and Redcliff. Rock bands guard both peaks, but there is a gap just below the saddle. From the saddle, a tundra ridge turns to rubble near the top. It is Class 2.

The round trip is about 6 miles with 2,900 feet of gain. Without 4WD it is longer but still a fair day. Coxcomb can be added from the saddle, and the ridge north to Fortress Peak is crumbly.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

From US 550, take County Road 10 east toward Owl Creek Pass. The turn is 1.8 miles north of the stoplight at Ridgway. Stay on County Road 10 until County Road 8 joins (from Montrose, County Road 8 is a shortcut), then follow County Road 8 past a ranch and over Cow Creek. The road climbs through scrub oak into the national forest, where it is Forest Road 858 and gets rougher, though careful cars can go on. Plan on about 45 minutes to the pass. From US 50, turn south toward Silverjack Reservoir 2.7 miles east of Cimarron, drive the long graded road past the reservoir, turn right to cross the creek, and stay on Forest Road 858 toward the pass.

Less than half a mile east of Owl Creek Pass (about 6.5 miles from the creek crossing if you come from the reservoir, just after a big switchback), turn south on Forest Road 860. It is usually good and has many camp spots. About 1.7 miles in is the Courthouse trailhead. Cars must stop just past it, where parking is limited. From there it adds about 1.4 miles each way and 350 feet of gain.

With 4WD and good clearance, keep going: a steep, rocky climb, then big potholes. After about 0.75 mile the road dips and turns sharply left to ford the West Fork, which can run high early in summer; use good judgment. The road ends about 0.7 mile past the ford; park where you can. Camping is at the meadow west of the pass, on top of the pass, along Forest Road 860 (busy on weekends), and at the Forest Service campgrounds north of Silverjack Reservoir. The 2026 Gold Mountain Fire closed some campgrounds and trailheads on the Cimarron side. Check current Forest Service closures before you go.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   West Fork trailhead 10,750' · 0 mi

   Hike south on Trail 226, the trail toward the pass west of Coxcomb.

2. 2

   Creek junction 11,400' · 1.8 mi

   Near where two main creeks meet, leave the trail and head southeast up the drainage toward the Coxcomb-Redcliff saddle. A faint use trail may help.

3. 3

   Bench 12,100' · 2.2 mi

   Keep high on the drainage's north side, through open trees to tundra and scree. Get around a lower rock band to a small bench.

4. 4

   Gap below the saddle 12,900' · 2.6 mi

   Climb a scree slope, with tundra on its lower half, to the gap in the upper cliffs.

5. 5

   Coxcomb-Redcliff saddle 13,000' · 2.7 mi

   Step onto the tundra saddle and turn north.

6. 6

   Summit 13,648' · 3 mi

   Walk the crest north. It narrows for a moment, then turns to rubble and embedded rock to the top.

Getting down

Return the same way.

If things go wrong

From the saddle, the drainage leads straight back to the trail.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Redcliff we list, with its class.

• Redcliff West Slopes & South Ridge this routeClass 2 6 mi