Colorado trails · North Inlet-Flattop Junction Trail
A 12.1-mile out-and-back in Colorado, with 3,753 ft of climbing, topping out at 12,223 ft. Reaches Cascade Falls. Managed by Rocky Mountain National Park.
The climbing leans toward the final third: 54% of the ascent falls between mile 8.0 and mile 12.1. It climbs almost continuously, with little descent to recover on.
North Inlet Trailhead — parking nearby, restroom, fee site. 40.25653, -105.81464 · directions
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:01 a.m., the sun rises at 6:29 a.m. and sets at 7:36 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:04 p.m. (MDT) — 13 h 07 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 24.1-mile round trip takes roughly 12 h 41 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 7:10 p.m. — 26 min before sunset.