Bristlecone Loop Trail

The Bristlecone Loop sits at the park's highest point, starting from Rainbow Point at just over 9,100 feet. It's an easy mile of forest walking through spruce, white fir, and Douglas fir, with none of the amphitheater's exposed switchbacks or crowds. The payoff is the bristlecone pine grove along the loop's edge, where some trees are close to 1,800 years old and twist into the wind-sculpted shapes bristlecones are known for.

Good to know

• Trailhead at Rainbow Point or Yovimpa Point, at the south end of the park's scenic drive
• About 200 feet of elevation change over the mile-long loop, roughly 1-2 hours
• Views stretch toward the Table Cliff Plateau and, on clear days, into the Four Corners region
• Snow can close this section well into spring given the elevation; pets are not allowed on the trail