Monte Cristo Trail

Great stroll even in the pouring rain. We turned into the trail at the first large caution sign that crossed a wooden bridge into the woods. We should have stayed straight right toward the rivers edge instead of going up. The next woops was we missed the pile of rocks to indicate where to turn to actually go to Monte Cristo from that side of the trail. We went about a mile past the turn before we realized and had to backtrack. We were gaining elevation and the route to Montecristo is lowland around 700 feet. So if you take that route look for a pile of rocks about mile and a half in on your left hand side and take a left at that pile of rocks. You will eventually get down to the river again to find that long log that most people talk about that you need to cross over and from there you just keep Truckin ahead on the gravel road about 2 more miles and you'll find Monte Cristo.

An easy trail since it’s low elevation gain and goes along a road most of the way. There is a log crossing, so I wouldn’t advise small children or anyone with balance issues or fears. However, there are other options if you decide to turn around at the log. The ghost town is very cool with pretty forest and river views along the way!The trail is worth it as long as you know what you’re getting into! I give it a three because it’s not really a hike, but more of a forest road walk.

Some of the trail is redirected do to wash outs and to cross the river you go over a fallen tree. all around a very beautiful hike.

Great walk with historical destination and beautiful fall colors. As noted on prior post, there was a crew of volunteers at the historic town, working to preserve this great gateway to our past... THANKS.

Only negative would be that the river crossing point was poorly marked.

Great hike with 14 boy scouts for a fun overnighter. This was a great way for the younger scouts to work on their outdoor skills. The camping area was very nice and provided plenty of room. Although not stated here (unless I missed it) the US forest service still recommends packing in water. Although there was a cleanup in 2016, the Ranger station in Verlot stated that there is the possibility of arsenic in the water still so it is good to pack in your water.

Amazing day! Sunny but a little chilly in the morning. The rocks and logs were slippery. The trail was great going up to Monte Cristo and lots to see at the town. Thanks to all the volunteers that were there to maintain the area. We went 8.9 miles in and out. Amazing pics!!

Great history good nature walk for kids and animals.

enjoyable with historic relics from old mines and hotels.

Perfect forest walk!

This was a let down for both my wife and I. There is no reason for this to be marked as moderate. It’s more like “extremely easy” with only a few minor obstacles.

Trail type: The majority of the walk path is a very boring 10 foot wide gravel road.

Tip: Bring a trail bicycle. You can ride the entire way on a flat gravel road with only a couple areas where you will need to walk the bike..

Conclusion: If you plan to hike to silver lake or one of the other connected trails then you will have no choice but to walk this trail.
For anyone else as long as you aren’t expecting great views or a moderately challenging hike then it’s possible you might enjoy the long walk.

Nice easy hike up and back in 4 hours.

LOTS of horse flys. We were attacked for about a quarter mile. Deet couldn’t even deter them from following.

beautiful and amazing, my kids made it the whole way!

Great hike! Easy trail and the town is so cool! Totally worth the trip.

It’s a great trail but long. Views are amazing and well worth the long hike. Don’t recommend having small children though. Once you get to the town it makes it all worth it. Definitely not the easiest hike but very fun. Started at 12 an got back around 6:30. We stopped a couple times and spent an hour or so at the town.

Pretty decent trail with some variety. Some parts are wide and well graveled, and others are much more natural. There's a huge downed tree you walk across to get to the other side of the river at one point which is neat. There are some truly spectacular views, especially if you push past Monte Cristo and go farther up the mountain. I would call this a beginner to intermediate trail. I started at 1:30pm and got back to my car around 7:30pm. Make sure to leave anything that's not a necessity at home and lock your car.

Long hike but very easy and BEAUTIFUL !! loved the old mining town and its relics. water along the way is so beautiful and clear but FREEZING! Lots of dogs off leashes. Tons of people and sunshine. Will go back again!

Great hike! We had a 2 year old and he was a champ! Would definitely recommend.

Fun hike...glad I went and got to see all the cool buildings at the top...The water is so clear and blue.

Great easy long hike.

Wonderfully interesting. The mining town was very interesting, parts of the trail were just through forest, nothing interesting to see, however we passed by some very interesting views. The reward is definitely the end of the trail.

A lot of fun with plenty of great unseen trails to return to. Leaves are just starting to change so the various details in the hill and mountain sides were great to observe.

Would have given this pleasant hike five stars, but it appears there have been some washouts in recent years. Trail repairs have left some portions of the trail pretty rocky. Saw two mountain bikers who seemed pretty disappointed.

Great hike, trail in good condition. Good for all skill levels, kid and dog friendly. The river is lower then usual due to our dry summer. Lots of artifacts to enjoy in Monte Cristo, flowers blooming. The mileage is misleading. This hike is 9.5 miles from start to finish NOT 8.1 miles like claimed on website.

I loved it! Beautiful views & lovely weather! Would love if they put a bridge over the river, because I almost fell off the log

Mostly an easy walk (former railway trail), although there is a river crossing on a wide log and a rocky section. Shallow inclines throughout. Beautiful scenery as you walk along the river and through the mountains. No specific peak or vista, though.

It was fairly crowded on a Saturday, and the abandoned mining town had visitors and volunteers performing maintenance. It's well-marked with a descriptive pamphlet.

Good trail for dogs.

did this about 3 weeks ago good easy trail. first hike of the year for me and my new dog. lots of scenery and the old mining town was cool. one person actually still living there.

Fun hike for a hot Memorial Day weekend. Crossing the log was a little challenging but it was fun. A chilly refreshing breeze at the top. The old townsite of Monte Cristo was pretty neat.

The trail itself was in really good shape I would say..... there is one part still that has snow over the path, but easy to maneuver through! There is one small part where you will get your feet wet, but not too bad! The path is a little confusing in some parts, stick to the main path , once you get to the log crossing there is no question where to go. The old town is pretty cool that's where we turned around! I would say this was an easy hike, just long! Beautiful scenery!

I love this hike, but HATE crossing the log. Is there any way to cross without having to cross over the log?