No Thoroughfare Canyon in Colorado National Monument, CO

Hike No Thoroughfare Canyon Colorado National Monument, CO

Class 2 6.1 miles 600 gain 2-4 hrs Out + Back Aug 3, 2015
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

No Thoroughfare Canyon GPX Track

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Starting from the Devils Kitchen Trailhead, the No Thoroughfare Canyon begins as a nice official trail within Colorado National Monument. After a couple miles of easy hiking, the trail passes a small waterfall and continues to the base of a much taller one. This waterfall can be bypassed on the right in order to continue asending within the watercourse. The trail, unmaintained after this point, continues to be pretty as it heads onward. It leads to the Upper No Thoroughfare Canyon Trailhead, but I didn't have much interest in going all the way there at the time. I stopped at the base of the second waterfall, which had some gorgeous slickrock features. Apparently there is a bypass to continue up the canyon, but I didn't know better. I'd love to go back at some point and revisit.

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Pleasant hiking along No Thoroughfare Canyon.
Pleasant hiking along No Thoroughfare Canyon.
First water pool on No Thoroughfare Canyon trail
First water pool on No Thoroughfare Canyon trail
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Looking down at the first pool.
Looking down at the first pool.
Continuing along the watercourse.
Continuing along the watercourse.
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Nice gorgeous views within No Thoroughfare Canyon.
Nice gorgeous views within No Thoroughfare Canyon.
I reached the major waterfall on the No Thoroughfare Canyon Trail. This was the end of the official trail before it became unmaintained.
I reached the major waterfall on the No Thoroughfare Canyon Trail. This was the end of the official trail before it became unmaintained.
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Bypass the waterfall on the right. This is the view on the way up.
Bypass the waterfall on the right. This is the view on the way up.
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Fun boulder-hopping within the watercourse.
Fun boulder-hopping within the watercourse.
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Approaching the second waterfall.
Approaching the second waterfall.
These were some really cool slickrock features.
These were some really cool slickrock features.
My turn-around point.
My turn-around point.
View back down the watercourse.
View back down the watercourse.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!