About 1 1/2 miles from the trail junction the trail joins and old road. (If you. turn back to the north along the road you come to the switchback on the Little Cimarron Road that was described before as a place to turn around.) The trail continues south along the road for 1/4 mile. As the road turns sharply to the right (west), the trail leaves the road and continues south.

The trail grade has been and continues to be gentle as the trail follows south along the Little Cimarron. About 1/3 mile after leaving the old road the trail enters the Big Blue Wilderness. It moves in and out of meadows formed by avalanches and dense timber. The meadows provide camp sites and grazing. Water is readily available.

About 6 miles from the trailhead, the trail crosses the Little Cimarron and starts to climb the ridge that separates the Little Cimarron from Fall Creek. The elevation of the crossing is 11130. The travel time to here is 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

The trail leaves the timber at 12,000 and in 1/4 mile tops out on the ridge. It then turns south and follows the ridgeline for 2 miles. It then drop off the ridge to the east and comes to a trail junction at an elevation of 12,400. Follow the trail to the left (east). It turns north to go along Fall Creek and reaches timberline again at an elevation of 11,680. The total length of trail above timberline is about 5 miles. The highest elevation is 12,880.

Beyond here, the trail follows Fall Creek in the large meadow next to the creek at a gentle grade. After 3 miles the trail climbs for a short distance out of Fall Creek and into the Failes Creek Trail drainage. Two miles of gentle trail brings you to the Fall Creek Trailhead at the end of the Little Cimarron Road.

The total length of this trip from trailhead to trailhead is about 20 miles. Day rides from either trailhead are possible. The entire loop is better broken into 2 or even 3 days. This would provide more time for side trips and viewing the scenery and would permit crossing the exposed ridgeline early in the day as opposed to the afternoon when thunderstorms are more common.

An additional ride of about 4 miles on roads would be needed to return to the Alpine/Little Cimarron Trailhead. Two vehicles, one left at each trailhead could be used as a ferry back to the starting point.

Supplemental feeding of horses is recommended. Use grain or pellets instead of hay. Practice minimum impact camping techniques.

Trailhead Facilities: There is enough room to park and turn horse trailers at both trailheads. Several undeveloped camping sites are also available. A toilet building is provided at the Alpine/Little Cimarron Trailhead. Feeding racks are provided at the Fall Creek Trailhead.

Water and some grazing are available at the Alpine/Little Cimarron Trailhead. They are several hundred yards away from the Fall Creek Trailhead.

Camping: Camping is permitted at both trailheads. No permit is required. There are no developed campgrounds nearby.

Season of Use: The Alpine/Little Cimarron Trailhead becomes accessible during the month of June. It remains accessible into October. The Fall Creek Trailhead becomes accessible in late June or July. Early snows can block access by the third week of October. If snows come late, the trailheads can remain open into November.

The trails are open from late June to October. Through travel from one trailhead to the other crosses an above timberline pass and is possible from late June or early July to mid October.

Access: From Montrose take US 50 east to the town of Cimarron. Three miles east of Cimarron look for the National Forest Access sign directing you to the Little Cimarron. Turn right (south) onto this gravel road. At the junction with the Bureau of Land Management road to High Mesa continue straight. Do not turn right to High Mesa. Continue on to the Forest. There are two trailheads that can be used for this trip.

The Alpine and Little Cimarron Trailhead is approximately 2 miles inside of the Forest. A very sharp turn to the right leads down to the undeveloped camp sites and toilet building that make up the trailhead. If you cannot make the sharp turn, continue up the Little Cimarron Road about 1/2 mile to a switchback in the road. There is room to turn around here and then go back to the trailhead.

The Fall Creek Trailhead is located at the end of the open road. Continue past the Alpine/Little Cimarron Trailhead, past the switchback to the gate and trailhead that are about another 3 1/2 miles beyond the switchback.