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Bangs Canyon Trailhead (Mica Mine)
4.7 ★★★★★ 348 Google reviews · Running trail in Grand Junction, Colorado · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Bangs Canyon Trailhead (Mica Mine)'s own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Easy, out-and-back trail (1–2.5 hrs) that winds through a canyon to a mica mine with gleaming quartz rocks.
What runners say about Bangs Canyon Trailhead (Mica Mine)
“A beautiful area with kid-friendly hikes that offer cooler temperatures and shade in the summer.”
“A beautiful area with kid-friendly hikes that offer cooler temperatures and shade in the summer.”
“Nice easy hike for all ages.”
Couldn’t recommend this trail enough! Stunning views and good variety on the trail. Marked as “easy” but definitely could cause some challenges for older folks or folks w injuries with sections with a bit of a drop, and lots of uneven walking surfaces for the majority of the trail. DID I MENTION STUNNING VIEWS?
A beautiful area with kid-friendly hikes that offer cooler temperatures and shade in the summer. The Mica mine is an easy out-n-back trail. In the spring, you’ll be treated with a small flow of water in the canyon that adds splendor to the experience.
Nice easy hike for all ages. Takes you back a beautiful canyon and you come across some huge gorgeous quarts. Some the size of basketballs or larger. Once you get to the mine it’s interesting because the quarts is all over in and around the mica that was extracted.
I have hiked this trail several times and it truly is a treasure! This is a hike I take visitors from out of town. It's a mild hike about 2.5m total. We went end of May and enjoyed several varieties of flowers, enjoyed the canyon and open desert and towards the end you get to enjoy quartz and mica rocks so a great…
Trail conditions & character
“A beautiful area with kid-friendly hikes that offer cooler temperatures and shade in the summer.”
“It's worth doing once but I think it's a little out of the way to get to this trailhead.”
“A beautiful area with kid-friendly hikes that offer cooler temperatures and shade in the summer.”
Plan your run at Bangs Canyon Trailhead (Mica Mine)
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- Websiteblm.gov
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Tuesday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Wednesday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Thursday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Friday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Saturday | 5 AM–11 PM |
| Sunday | 5 AM–11 PM |
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