5.5 mi challenging hike through the magical rock formations that make up the Penitente Canyon region. You will travel through shallow, picturesque canyons, on and off trail, encountering class 2 and 3 boulder scrambling in a desert scrub and pine environment. Exploring encouraged with map provided and a GPS, but guided is recommended for first-timers.
LOCATION > Rio Grande National Forest (BLM) , near La Garita, CO
DISTANCE > 5.5 mi loop
ELEVATION CHANGE > Range 7958' to 8464'
Gain 1109' Loss 1096'
HIKING TIME > 3.0 - to - 3.5 hours
DIFFICULTY > Moderate
SKILL LEVEL > Class 2-3 hiking/scrambing
DIRECTIONS > Take US Hwy 285. From Monte Vista- north for 19 miles. From Saguache - south for 17 miles. Turn west on County Rd G (look for brown recreation signs). Drive 6 miles to town of La Garita. Continue .5 mile to junction of roads 38A and 41G. Bear right onto 41G. Drive 2.5 miles past the ranch property on right to roadside parking area on left. Trailhead entrance faces rock pinnacles.
TRAILHEAD GPS: 37.8513,-106.2911
Trailhead enters the Rock Garden Canyon area. Proceed through this scenic section to a trail junction at .2 mile (the loop will return to this junction). Stay right for about another 50 yards and bear left on a small trail marked with a cairn that leads up through a tangled brush wash which tops out on a flat rock overlook. Continue left following cairns for .2 mile. You may see multiple cairns at this point, but bear hard right NW down a wash following cairns to a shallow gulch junction in 150 yards. Stay right for another 150 yards to a major open drainage area and bear left heading west, again following cairns. The half mile trek to the main trail thru the drainage will narrow and reach a wooded area that cliffs out. Look for the cairns leading left to a class 3 scramble climb up. Follow the remaining cairns to the established main trail. Take this main trail east .2 mile to a trail junction on the right. This leads into Witches Canyon. Follow the cairned path into the canyon where plentiful rock formations will amaze at every turn.
At .6 mile from the main trail junction, you will will see a 'hanging rock". Great photo op here and behind is a faint trail heading up the cliffs out of Witches Canyon. This area can be a bit disorienting and steep, but just follow the cairns leading to a tight squeeze crack up to a wash heading up NW to a main trail. Take this trail about 50 yards to a cairn marking the beginning of the class 3 rock scrambling section to the right. Continue NW (.2 mi.) carefully thru the boulder field following the cairns to a drainage going south for about 100 yards connecting with a little used trail heading again in a NW direction. This trail meanders a quarter mile thru brush and up left to a nice overlook and break area. Angle back down and up into a rock "tunnel", thru a couple squeeze cracks, and finally hitting another main trail. Go right and continue .25 mile past two trial junctions to a breathtaking overlook of the San Luis Valley. You may see two trails. Take either as they meet up at the bottom (bikers usually take the more gradual route down). In another 100 yards, bear left at a gnarly dead tree remnant which leads down a steep but fun drainage for about a quarter mile before reaching a main trail with a gate. Proceed thru the gate for .3 mile to the main Penitente parking lot. Don't miss the ancient native pictograph located near the parking area. Head up Penitente Canyon on a the well-worn trail for some stunning rock scenery. You may see climbers along this section. In .4 mile from the parking lot, angle left up the rock shelf thru a crack reaching a landing with great views of the canyon and valley. Return back down to the trail continuing west and uphill for .3 mile to another nice overlook. In a hundred yards, reach a junction you passed earlier and take a right. In an eighth mile reach another junction and bear right. Travel a half mile on this mountain bike highway to the sign for Rock Garden Canyon (RG) and take a left. This leads down to the first trail junction and back to the the trailhead. As you can see, this route is rambling and does require some navigational skills. I recommend joining one of our trips to experience the beauty and learn the route firsthand.
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