Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests
Pawnee National Grassland

USDA Forest Service
Arapaho & Roosevelt
National Forests
Pawnee National
Grassland
2150 Centre Avenue
Building E
Fort Collins, CO 80526-8119
970-295-6600

Pawnee Buttes Trail
Pawnee National Grassland

Activities:

hiking and bird watching

Distance:

• 1.5 miles

Season of Use:

The Pawnee Buttes trail, that leads to the bottom of the buttes, is open year round.

The Overlook, the Lips Bluff trail and 200 yards from the bottom of Lips Bluff are closed to public access March 1 - June 30 to protect the nesting hawks, eagles and falcons. Please remain on the Pawnee Buttes trail during the closure period to minimize disturbance to the nesting birds.

Use:

Light - Moderate

Rating:

Easiest

Trailhead Location:

From Interstate 25, take Colorado Highway 14 east approximately 50 miles to County Road 103. Go north on County Road 103 following the directional signs through Keota, north to the Pawnee Buttes.

Trail Information:

An easy one and a half-mile trail is open year round and provides an opportunity to view the Buttes up close. Mountain bikes are not allowed on the trail. The Buttes stand approximately 300 feet above the surrounding prairie. As the rock is crumbling sandstone, climbing on the Buttes is not recommended. Take a hat, sunscreen lotion and water. Temperatures topping one hundred degrees can be encountered in July and August. HAWKS AND FALCONS NEST IN THE ROCKY CLIFFS. PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB THEM.

Pawnee National Grassland Information

Contact Pawnee National Grassland

Regulations & Safety