Switzerland North

Total Miles
11.5

Elevation

2,743.25 ft

Duration

1.5 Hours

Technical Rating

8

Difficult

Best Time

Summer, Fall

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Switzerland North 5

Trail Overview

This trail is basically the more difficult portion of The Switzerland Trail. The easier section of the trail basically dead ends, at which point you take a left up a very steep, very rocky hill. This part of the route offers an obstacle called Cliffhanger 2.0. This can be bypassed. If you can get there, the camping at the top is unrivaled. There are parking areas on both ends of the trail. It is open all year.

Photos of Switzerland North

Switzerland North
Switzerland North
Switzerland North

Difficulty

Difficult. The flat portion of the route is easy; however, it is narrow in spots with scratchy tree branches. Road 461 is steep and rocky in places,but a high-clearance, aggressive SUV can do it with an experienced driver. Cliffhanger 2.0 (not to be confused withbetter-known 'Cliff Hanger' in Moab) is extremely steep with loose, moderatesized rock. Aggressive tires, lockers and very high clearance are recommended.

Technical Rating

8

Status Reports

Dave W
Apr 07, 2024
2017 Jeep Wrangler
Open
Snow/Ice
Lots of slushy snow on trail section facing North- tough to grip but the snow probably makes the trail less technical overall as it levels out the terrain.
Kaven Dewey
Mar 13, 2024
2006 Subaru Forester
Open
Snow/Ice
Drove down from gold hill to four mile canyon during snowstorm in a stock subaru forester. The snow has likely filled in many of the difficult obstacles, as we faced no issues getting through. Looking at the ratings after the fact, we realize this may have been a bad idea.
Jack Sankey
Sep 28, 2023
4x4
Open
Rough/Deteriorated
Asel Zakirova
Sep 02, 2023
4x4
Open
Normal

Access Description

This trail starts across C.R. 52 from the end of Switzerland Trail #29. From Boulder, take MapletonAvenue west. It becomes Sunshine Canyon Road, C.R. 52. Follow this road about 10 miles to Gold Hill and continue another 2.7 miles to start of trail on right (see photo above).

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