Natural Arch

Natural Arch is an easy, scenic 5.9-mile dirt road near Del Norte, Colorado, ideal for beginners, families, and high-clearance vehicles looking to access unique geological formations and hiking trails. Rising from 8,280 feet to a peak elevation of 8,810 feet, the route winds through rolling hills and valleys of the Rio Grande National Forest, offering gentle grades and a wide, two-vehicle-wide path. Most four-wheel-drive and high-clearance two-wheel-drive vehicles can easily navigate the mild terrain, which consists primarily of unpaved dirt and occasional rocky sections. This trail serves as a vital connector to numerous outdoor recreation opportunities, including backcountry campsites and scenic hiking trailheads, while showcasing beautiful volcanic rock outcrops along the way. Because the lower portion of the road traverses private property, visitors must remain on the designated route, obey posted signage, and refrain from camping or trespassing until entering public lands. There is no dispersed camping allowed along the private segments of this trail, so travelers should plan to camp further into the Rio Grande National Forest. At the end of the road, offroaders can park and take a short hike on the Natural Arch Trail to stand beneath the massive, naturally formed volcanic arch. The route is highly accessible during late spring through autumn, but winter snows can make the unpaved surface muddy and impassable without proper recovery gear.