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China Wall
Trail Types
Scout Route
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easy
moderate
difficult
severe
extreme
Trail Information
Difficulty - Mandatory
5 -
DIFFICULT
Difficulty - Optional
5 -
DIFFICULT
Status
Open
Distance
3.78 mi
Duration (one-way)
About 1 hour
Highest Elevation
9009 ft
Shape of Trail
Straight Through
Typically Open
06/16 - 12/31
Best Direction
N/A
Official Trail Name
212
Nearest Town
Lake George
Nearest Services
Lake George
Management Agency
Pike National Forest
District
South Park Ranger District
Highlights
Camping
Forest
RockJust north of Lake George, Colorado, China Wall is a renowned hotspot in the Colorado Front Range for off-roaders. This trail lets you test your vehicle's off-road prowess with a mix of terrain, including challenging rock crawling sections, without needing a full day's commitment. For those who love a challenge, you can spend hours mastering the trail's obstacles and finding the best lines. Along the way, you are treated to stunning views of the Tarryall Mountains, a beautiful backdrop for your adventure. With its popularity among wheelers, China Wall Road is vital to any Colorado adventurer's bucket list. Buckle up for the thrilling obstacle challenges and immerse yourself in the grandeur of mountain landscapes for an exhilarating and unforgettable experience.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Lightly Modified 4X4 (Small Lift and Larger Tires)
Concerns:
Summary:
Waypoint 8 is the most challenging point along the trail. There is no bypass.
Community Consensus
2 votes
7 votes
1 votes
Easier
Spot On
Harder
The weighted average of your fellow members agreement of our trail rating. As trail conditions change this helps us keep the community aware of changes.
Mandatory
5 -
DIFFICULT
The hardest part of the trail that you
cannot bypass - you have to drive it.
Optional
5 -
DIFFICULT
The hardest part of the trail that is
purely optional - you can bypass it.
Rocky or undulated road surface. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 24" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 24" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 54" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep and off-camber. Read More about our Rating System
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JD Marshall
Official Crew
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Trail Navigation
China Wall in the Pike National Forest is a 3.8-mile out-and-back dirt and rock track. There are several obstacles with no bypasses. If you don’t go slow and follow the right lines, you will hit bottom on this one. This trail gets very little snow in the winter, so it will be one of the first to open in the spring.
1. Trailhead on County Road 77 (0 mi)
The trailhead is on the east side of County Road 77/Tarryall Road with a prominent sign. There is a large area that can be used to air down and rally up right after the signage.
2. Camping Spur Loop Start (0.29 mi)
This is an entrance to a spur meant only for camping, these roads are not for off-roading.
3. Larger Campsite (0.49 mi)
You can continue straight past this entrance to a larger campsite where there are trees to act as a backstop for the elements.
4. Camping Spur Loop End (0.57 mi)
The camping loop from Waypoint 2 wraps around and ends at this spot just before the gate.
5. Little China Road & Seasonal Gate (0.64 mi)
This is a large intersection with Little China Road and the seasonal gate. Once you pass through the gate, you will do a bit of mild off-camber rock riding toward the next Waypoint.
6. Box Road (2.62 mi)
This is a large intersection with Box Road. Since this area is often run as a loop, this intersection can be a little busy on the weekends.
7. Rock Obstacle #1 (2.71 mi)
This rock obstacle is easy but does require paying attention to where you are putting your tires on the way up or down. You can bypass the rock around to the side if you choose.
8. Rock Obstacle #2 (2.95 mi)
This is the most significant rock obstacle on the trail and must be conquered by going down and back up to get off the trail. It helps to have a spotter, but with a well-built rig, most experienced drivers should be able to handle this area from the cab. There is no bypass for this obstacle.
9. Rock Obstacle #3 (3.19 mi)
This obstacle is much like Obstacle #1 and is only one small group of rocks to climb down and up. There is also a bypass for this obstacle.
10. China Wall Rock Wall (3.42 mi)
This is the most prominent part of the trail, and this rock is a steep climb to the top and should only be attempted with a spotter. Longer wheel-based vehicles will have trouble here as the bottom has gotten dug out over the years. Stay in the middle to avoid damage and flipping.
11. End of the Trail (3.78 mi)
The trail ends at a large teardrop parking lot and a small fenced loop. There is no camping allowed down by the river anymore. Turn around and return the way you came.
Designated
Primitive camping is limited to designated spots on a spur camping loop between Waypoints 2 and 4. The sites are large, flat, and nestled in a grove of pines.
Additional roads have primitive sites like Puma Road and Happy Platte Road in the Badger Flats Trail Network. Matukat Road also has several places to camp along the southwestern side of the trail.
There are a large number of Vacation Rentals in this area. Check them out; their inventory and availability change more than other commercial sites. Air BNB and VRBO have listings as of 2023.
Spruce Grove Campground sits beside Tarryall Creek and large rock outcroppings. It offers 27 sites suitable for tents or RVs. Both primitive and electric hookups are available, with amenities like potable water and picnic tables.
Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area, close to Lake George, CO, is a treat for outdoor lovers. Here, you'll discover four campgrounds: Cove, Riverside, Spillway, and Springer Gulch, offering 131 total campsites ready to accommodate tents and RVs up to 35 feet, all requiring reservations. Avid picnickers will appreciate the four picnic areas: Eleven Mile, Idlewild, Messenger Gulch, and O'Brien Gulch, kitted out with tables and grills. While it's open year-round, services become limited during the winter months.
Happy Meadows Campground sits along the South Platte River near the Eleven Mile Reservoir and Eleven Mile Canyon in Lake George. With eight standard non-electric sites, it is designed to accommodate tents or RVs up to 35 feet. Essentials like vault toilets and drinking water are available. Open from May 15th to September 15th, it's a hot spot for fishing, tubing, and hiking activities.
Lake George Cabins and RV Park in Lake George is a family-owned operation providing ten cozy, heated cabins with bathrooms and kitchenettes, plus 14 full hook-up RV sites. The campground also offers community bathrooms with showers, free WiFi, a gift shop, and a playground. Pets are welcome with an additional fee. Open from May 1st to November 1st, it's also an official dark sky location perfect for stargazing.
Mountain River Lodge in Lake George is a luxury destination in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It offers 11 five-star cabins with luxury amenities such as kitchenettes or full kitchens, fireplaces, jacuzzies, flat-screen TVs, and free WiFi. A few cabins feature private decks or patios with mountain views. The lodge has a spacious terrace with a grill, a stone fireplace, a propane fire pit, and plenty of outdoor seating. The lodge is open year-round and can accommodate short-term and long-term rentals. Pets are welcome for an additional fee.
Dawn of Hope Ranch in Florissant is an outdoor retreat and adventure destination for individuals, families, and groups. It offers a variety of lodging options, including cabins, RV sites, tent sites, and bunkhouses. It also has a cafe, a swimming pool, a fishing pond, a ropes course, a zip line, and a communal fire pit.
Historic Triple B Ranch is a unique lodging option offering a variety of cabins that can accommodate 2 to 12 people. Each cabin has a kitchen or kitchenette, a fireplace, a TV, and free WiFi. The ranch, set on 80 private acres, offers outdoor activities like horseback riding and serves as an event venue.
Bristlecone Lodge lies in Woodland Park on 4 acres of mountain terrain. They provide one-bedroom and two-bedroom cabins, tiny homes, and an RV park with eight full hookup sites. Amenities include a hot tub, complimentary breakfast, free WiFi, and a picnic area. The Lodge is conveniently close to various shops, restaurants, and attractions in the Pikes Peak region.
Pikes Peak Paradise offers a secluded mountain view bed and breakfast experience in Woodland Park. With five guest rooms, each equipped with a private bathroom, in-room hot tub, jacuzzi tub, or sauna, and a private balcony or deck, comfort is a given. A few rooms offer a fireplace, a small kitchenette, a microwave, and a mini fridge. Extras include a home-cooked breakfast, dessert, four hours of complimentary evening beer and wine, free WiFi, free parking, and optional yoga classes.
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Woodland Park is a comfortable hotel on Highway 24 near Pikes Peak and Cripple Creek. It offers 59 modern guest rooms with air conditioning, flat-screen HDTV, desk, coffee maker, mini-refrigerator, microwave, ironing amenities, and hairdryer. The hotel provides complimentary breakfast, WiFi, parking, an electric vehicle charging station, a fitness center, and a business center. Pets are welcome for an additional fee.
The private Diamond Campground and RV Park, perched at 8500' on Pikes Peak's flank in Woodland Park, boasts 130 spacious full hookup sites and nine tent sites. The location features a bathhouse, laundry room, free WiFi, a playground, a common area with a fire pit, and a clubhouse with planned activities. It's operational from May 10th to September 30th.
Starting Point
Lake George, Colorado
From US 24 and County Road 77/Tarryall Road, follow 77 for 11.4 miles to the trailhead on the right.
Trail Reviews
4.6/5 (46)
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 10/22/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Ran China Wall, China Wall North and FS 204 on 10/22, trails in great condition for fall wheeling. Ratings are spot on with some nice challenges consistent with a 5 rated trail. Trails Offroad crew definitely needs to add FS 204, this combined with the rest creates a great loop.
Open
Visited: 10/05/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Harder
Hurt my heep it make me sad
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/24/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
China wall is a little bit of everything trail. Little sand, some mud, several rock obstacles. Moat have bypasses but unless you're bone stock might as well hit them. 1 is mandatory but not really technical if you have a spotter or pick the right line
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/18/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Nice easy trial that I believe most stock 4x4’s could do. Take it all the way to the river for a nice picnic lunch then run box canyon on your way out to add a little spice to the trail.
Open
Visited: 06/18/2023
Gates are reported open! Enjoy the season!
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 01/01/2023
Closed for the year, see you next season!
Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 07/16/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
DId this trail today by ourselves. Enjoyed, but it was a really simple trail with four fun obstacles to play on. The obstacles were different enough that you could do them several times on separate lines. Glad we were the only one on trial so we could run them several times. Only one of them did not have a bypass. We saw one other vehicle on the trail on a Saturday afternoon in July.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/25/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Tough obstacles followed by scenic meadows and a river made this trail quite enjoyable. I was glad to have a competent spotter on all of the large obstacles. Had lunch by the river and exited via Box Road.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 06/24/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Great trail, options to test your skill and vehicle limits depending on the lines you take. I was able to run all obstacles in my Frontier without issue, 4" lift, 33" tires, high clearance front/rear bumpers and rock sliders. Without the lift and high clearance rear bumper I would have been dragging.
Open
Visited: 06/16/2022
Gates open today! Enjoy and remember to Stay The Trail!!!
Seasonal Closure
Rated
5/5
Visited: 05/28/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
We put up a new kiosk signs at the gates and pre-ran the trail with the Forest Service and the Colorado 4-Wheelers. Trail is ready to open June 16th.
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Seasonal Closure
Visited: 01/01/2022
The trail is closed for the season! See you next season.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 12/19/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
All dry and tons of fun! Perfect combo of hard obstacles with easy trail to get between them.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/11/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Short but very fun trail. Ran it solo and had no issues after spotting my lines carefully.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 06/15/2021
I went to the "gate swing" with Sam from Stay the Trail and a group from Colorado Four Wheelers this morning. Colorado Four Wheelers adopted China Wall many years ago and does stewardship/maintenance on this road every year. This year they've done some dozer work, and got a new segment (used to be closed) re-opened. I had to get back to Springs for work, but snapped a few photos.
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Open
Visited: 06/15/2021
Open for the season!
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 05/23/2021
Closed! 5/23/2021 potential opening 6/15/2021
Temporary Closure
Visited: 01/10/2021
Wanted to go on my second trip, but the trail is closed, sadly.
Open
Visited: 10/25/2020
We went out to refresh the pictures and video for China Wall, enjoy the new write-up!
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/25/2020
This trail is always an adventure. The rock obstacles can get intense, but take the right lines and you will be fine. Spotters are helpful.
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Open
Visited: 10/24/2020
We were out today to update this map writeup. New pictures and video are coming soon. Waypoint 6 is not closed but you cannot drive down by the creek and the trail now ends at a fenced loop. Some parts of the trail seem to have gotten filled in since we were there last, but the rating remains the same overall.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 10/09/2020
Ran the trail and camped out for the night near Box Canyon. The trail is in good condition and traffic on the trail was light.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/08/2020
I ran this my Landcruiser 100 (2.5" lift) along with a stock Wrangler Sport and Grand Cherokee Overland. This is definitely a good trail to push stock or lightly modified rigs close to their limits. The Overland struggled climbing back up the first rock obstacle, scraping skid plates, exhaust and dining a wheel. All three of us needed spotters to get through in both directions. The Wrangler and Landcruiser both climbed the wall with no troubles. The Overland driver wisely chose to bypass that element.
Unfortunately, we missed the turn off for waypoints 9 through 14 due to navigation difficulties. The trail was not terribly crowded, through there were a number of motorcycle and ATV users. It was a great day nonetheless.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/18/2020
Fantastic trail that will test you, your spotter, and your rig. We enjoyed our camping spot nearby the rock obstacle on waypoint 4. We didn't have lockers but I could see how they would help.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/18/2020
Fun trail to really test the Jeeps ability. It was definitely tougher than what I though it was going to be, but everything went well. Plenty of people camping and a few other Jeeps out today. I would recommend having at least one locker if you’re going to do the whole trail. China wall definitely looks bigger in person!
Temporary Closure
Visited: 05/23/2020
Closed until June 15th. Both entrances. Don’t even try.
Temporary Closure
Visited: 05/12/2020
Forest Service has closed China Wall area. Gates across road at each end.
Open
Visited: 10/06/2019
I would say this trail is over-rated when it comes to difficulty. I would rate this a 3-4. Most of the trail is a smooth dirt path with the exception of 3 rocky sections that are not difficult at all when using a good line. I would recommend this trail to those who are just getting acquainted with wheeling.
Open
Visited: 09/15/2019
Ran the full trail with no closures. The wall was fun and had that pucker factor. I highly recommend high clearance for this area especially the rock obstacles and the steep descent on 204. We didn't try coming back up 204 and just exited at the northern gate.
Temporary Closure
Visited: 09/14/2019
Closed to motor vehicle at gate ,not sure why ,went to the other side and the map said the same thing "loop closed " sad
Open
Visited: 07/21/2019
Ran the trail from Hwy 24 via La Salle Pass, down to Tarryall Creek then back up north towards Tarryall Rd. The wife’s Tacoma, 3in lift on 34s, did well. The long-bed factor made some obstacles challenging. My 4Runner with 3in lift and 32s did just fine; no skid scrapes. I did the Wall just as easily; the wife didn’t attempt it due to lack of departure angle. We wanted to camp down by Tarryall but realized they closed off all of it to vehicles.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/01/2019
Outstanding trail and beautiful area -- definitely in our top 3 in Colorado (out of about 20+ we've completed). We ran this single-ship today in a 4-door '18 JL Rubi with 3" lift and 35s -- lightly hit only once on right rock rail. IMHO the 5 rating is well-deserved, so any stock vehicles that don't have pretty high clearance will very likely take some significant hits along this trail for sure (I know because I used to drive one). First picture (Point 4, 3.2m) is a fun challenge and I agree with the recommendation of having a spotter to assist. China Wall (2nd & 3rd pictures, Point 5, 3.6m) is AWESOME; as recommended on this website, I started to the left and ascended with a very slight right angle, maintaining my left tires on the ridge you'll see in the rock. Worked like a charm! Picture 4 (Point 10, 6.4m) took some work because vehicle wanted to slide sideways to the right in the top portion, making it difficult to get aligned properly for the descending right turn (had to back-up several times). Again, a great challenge! By the way, Tarryall Creek looked like a raging river...spectacular!!
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Open
Visited: 06/15/2019
Gates were opened this morning and the trail is open for the season.
Seasonal Closure
Rated
5/5
Visited: 01/01/2019
Seasonal Closure now in effect
Open
Visited: 06/19/2018
The trail is open all the way through but please note that the Forest Service has laid some logs along certain parts of the trail, especially near the river. These areas that are blocked off are not authorized trails and is the start of the Forest Service's efforts to close off those areas as they are close to the water and residences on the other side of the river. Do not move these logs or drive over them. The Forest Service plans to replace them with fencing later this summer and trailsoffroad will be out there to update this writeup at that time.
Included in these photos is a roll-over that occured on the same day they opened China Wall this year. It's a reminder to be careful on that obsatcle and that rolling over is very possible. Don't take on the wall without a spotter.
Pictures used with permission and courtesy of Colorado Four Wheelers.
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Open
Visited: 06/15/2018
Trail was opened by the Forest Service today.
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 01/01/2018
The trail is now closed for the season and scheduled to reopen in June.
Open
Visited: 11/18/2017
Ran China Wall on Saturday, November 18th, with a group of 15 rigs from Colorado Land Cruisers (Colorado Springs). Weather was clear and sunny so the snow from the previous night was melting quickly. We started at the Trailhead as described in the guide, and had lunch at Waypoint 6 (Tarryall Creek and camping area).
We were off the trail by 3pm. Most of the snow had melted by this time (except on north-facing slopes or shaded areas). No problems with traction nor difficulty on any rock obstacles. China Wall is always a good time!
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 11/12/2017
We did a check up on the trail. The Forest Service did far more than install seasonal gates. They have closed a number of bypasses and some areas that have degraded, like the muddy area near the China Wall main obstacle. The Forest Service has made it very clear where you can and can't go. Please Stay The Trail.
This trail was easier on new 35's, though we found ourselves on a bad line down the curvy descent. I can't recommend having a spotter for this trail enough. It will save you body damage or a scrape on the ground. On top of the closure work on the trail, there was also some repair work and some of the deep rutting has been filled in.
There was no snow to be found and the weather forecasts in the area are not calling for anything anytime in the next few weeks. We saw only some dust in a few tiny spots in the shade, but it is cold at night in Lake George and we saw evidence of the creek icing over when we were at the bottom of the trail near the campsites.
This trail remains a constant barrage of obstacles and we took a number of new waypoints today for this trail. Stayed tuned this week for updates to this trail and added obstacles and information!
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Open
Visited: 10/14/2017
Stay the trail and other organizations were out at China Wall today to do some trail repair and put up seasonal gates that will now officially close this trail yearly starting on January 1st. For now, enjoy the trail until this season is up!
From Stay The Trail:
"Stay The Trail was joined by the Colorado Four Wheelers and the South Park Ranger District for some work on China Wall today. Big thanks to Rugged Ridge for helping to fund the materials.
Please remember that the seasonal closure for Bighorn Sheep in this area is January 1st. Until then the gates are open and the trail is in great shape thanks to another successful club adoption!"
Open
Visited: 06/25/2017
Followed the FunTrecks guide for China Wall. Most of the trail is very easy with occasional moderate obstacles. There was an optional approach on the way down a steep hill leading to Tarryall Creek that tested the capabilities of the Jeep, but that approach would be easily avoided.
There were numerous campsites near the creek that would be wonderful for a weekend.
Overall this trail is a good one to cut your teeth on if you are newer to offroad driving. It is also an excellent area to camp.
Open
Visited: 06/17/2017
Had a great time. This was my first time on this trail. Two of us, each in Tacomas, ran the trail. There were a few spots that were difficult for a first timer with low experience, but with a good guide to help find the right lines it was not an issue.
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Not Reported
Visited: 05/27/2017
First time on this trail. Lots of fun! My TRD Tacoma (3" lift, 33s, high clearance bumper, no sway bar) had no issues with any of the obstacles. Had to be careful of line selection a few times, but a spotter helped a lot with that. We also go a stock base model Nissan Xterra up the trail! The only obstacle it didn't do was China Wall itself. However, I don't recommend taking a stock vehicle. It got sketchy a few times with no flex and ground clearance. Almost flipped it on the first non-optional rock obstacle.
All in all it was a great trip!
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Open
Visited: 09/24/2016
Nice day with little traffic for a weekend. It was dry enough at the time that we likely didn't need to air down for the rocks but did for ease of travel.
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Open
Visited: 05/28/2016
This was my first time running this trail and had a great time! The trail was easy enough for a stock JK and Toyota Tacoma pick up to make it through the entire trail but had good obsticles for more built rigs. every large obsticle has a legal go around except the whoop dee dos which is passable with most stock 4x4s. overall super fun trail and a must do if in the area.
Open
Visited: 02/20/2016
I visited China Wall on February 20th, 2016 as a scheduled trail ride with Colorado Land Cruisers (Colorado Springs). It was a beautiful day, with mild temperatures (high 40s, low 50s) and sunshine. Trail conditions were very good, as recent snowfall had melted on 90% of the trail. Trail segments in shade or on north-facing slopes were snow covered. It was mild enough that I permitted my 16-year old son to drive (see that smile!) a few segments. China Wall is popular with hikers, mountain bikers, and campers in the summer months. Put this trail on your 2016 "To Do" list!
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From the Community
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JD Marshall
Mapping Crew - Colorado
Jen & JD moved to Colorado from Chicago in May of 2015 for work and brought with them a 2001 stock Jeep Wrangler that had been garage bound for two years. Within a month of arrival, all rusty 170,000 miles of it was shaking on Colorado trails and they've never stopped. As time as gone on, their 2001 TJ had to be traded and a 2015 Jeep JK has been added to the family.
JD works as a Systems Engineer for a cable company and Jen runs a business from their home during the week to pay the bills. When the weekend hits, they're almost always hitting the trail. When Sunday night rolls around, the question turns to, 'so what's next week?!'.
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