Rocky Mountain National Park · Colorado
Tonahutu Creek–North Inlet Loop
A difficult two-night loop using the adjacent Tonahutu and North Inlet trailheads. It climbs Tonahutu Creek, crosses the Continental Divide near Flattop Mountain, and descends the North Inlet corridor; the fixed camps are Granite Falls first and North Inlet Junction second.
Tonahutu and North Inlet trailheads via Tonahutu Creek and the Continental Divide
Read the two nights . For this exact direction and two-night permit order. The permit on Recreation.gov
The loop. The shape of it
One long climb reaches the divide; North Inlet unwinds the descent.
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Route crest · mile 13.13
Continental Divide at Flattop Mountain 12,324 ft The route reaches its exposed high point on the Continental Divide before beginning the North Inlet descent.
- Tonahutu Trailhead Exact catalog entry
- Granite Falls Night 1 · individual site
- Continental Divide at Flattop Mountain 12,324-ft Flattop summit
- North Inlet Junction Night 2 · individual site
- North Inlet Trailhead Exact catalog exit
- Route length
- ≈26.6 miles
- Total climbing
- ≈3,896 ft gain
- High point
- 12,324 ft
- permit option
- Individual sites · 1–7 people
- This itinerary
- 2 nights / 3 trail days
This exact direction starts at Tonahutu Trailhead, climbs past Granite Falls, crosses the Continental Divide along the Flattop section, then descends to North Inlet Junction and North Inlet Trailhead. The two trailheads are adjacent, so the route closes as a local loop rather than requiring a vehicle shuttle.
Leave Tonahutu Trailhead and follow Tonahutu Creek upstream to the Granite Falls wilderness campsite for Night 1. The current National Park Service site page identifies Granite Falls as site 089, about eight miles from the Tonahutu trailhead, with creek water nearby and no privy.
Continue above treeline to Flattop Mountain’s 12,324-foot summit on the Continental Divide before descending the North Inlet corridor. Camp at North Inlet Junction for Night 2, then continue to North Inlet Trailhead; it is adjacent to the Tonahutu trailhead, closing the local loop. The current site page identifies North Inlet Junction as site 078 with creek water and a privy.
Night by night
Two nights
Granite Falls is Night 1 on the Tonahutu ascent. North Inlet Junction is Night 2 after the divide. Both are individual-site offers for parties of one through seven.
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N1
Granite Falls
Individual wilderness campsite · advance reservation
Climb the Tonahutu Creek corridor from Tonahutu Trailhead to the fixed first-night campsite at Granite Falls.
Granite Falls · Designated individual wilderness campsite · advance reservation
- Granite Falls [Waste Bag] (Snow-free average: June 18)
Reserve the current Granite Falls individual-site offer for Night 1. The permit does not authorize Lower Granite Falls, a group campsite, or a stock campsite as a substitute.
- Over
- Tonahutu Creek
- Camp elevation
- 9,840 ft site listing
- Water
- Treat creek water
On the ground. The National Park Service lists two individual campsites and no privy here.
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N2
North Inlet Junction
Individual wilderness campsite · advance reservation
Cross the Continental Divide and descend the North Inlet corridor to the fixed second-night campsite.
North Inlet Junction · Designated individual wilderness campsite · advance reservation
- North Inlet Junction (Snow-free average: June 11)
Reserve the current North Inlet Junction individual-site offer for Night 2. The trip order and date alignment are part of the watch.
- Over
- Continental Divide
- Camp elevation
- 9,600 ft site listing
- Water
- Treat creek water
On the ground. The National Park Service lists three individual campsites and a privy. This site must match the second permit date.
The permit
How this two-site permit watch works
The watch requires both named individual campsite offers on consecutive trip dates. It reports openings; it never books, buys, or holds a permit.
- Two exact site-dates
- Granite Falls must be available for Night 1 and North Inlet Junction for Night 2. One opening alone does not complete the itinerary.
- Parties one through seven
- This foundation trip uses only current individual-site offers whose provider rules support one through seven people.
- No group or stock substitution
- Group and stock offers are different provider locations and are intentionally excluded from this watch.
- No nearby-name substitution
- Lower Granite Falls is not Granite Falls and the official inventory marks it unavailable. It cannot replace Night 1.
- Reserve through Recreation.gov
- Current guidance uses Recreation.gov for advance reservations and requires in-person permit pickup before the trip.
- One permit fee
- Recreation.gov currently lists a $36 total fee for a wilderness permit, independent of party size or trip length. Recheck before purchase.
- An alert is not a booking
- Wild Chime only reports qualifying inventory. The traveler must complete the provider checkout and every park requirement.
Primary planning intent
Tonahutu–North Inlet permit-order answers.
The loop uses adjacent trailheads and two specific campsites across the Continental Divide.
What is the exact campsite order?
Reserve Granite Falls for Night 1 and North Inlet Junction for Night 2. Both individual campsite dates must align.
Wilderness Campsite DetailsWhere does the loop start and finish?
Start on the Tonahutu Creek side and finish at the adjacent North Inlet trailhead. Treat the short trailhead connection as part of the logistics.
Wilderness Overnight BackpackingWhat remains separate from the permit?
Collect the required physical permit and dashboard tag. The permit serves as timed-entry permission, but a park entrance pass or fee is still required.
Wilderness Overnight BackpackingHard-won
Worth knowing before you go
Exact campsite, trailhead, and alpine rules that matter before this loop.
Granite Falls is exact
The watch uses the current individual-site Granite Falls offer—not Lower Granite Falls, a group site, or a stock site.
North Inlet Junction follows
The second campsite is date-aligned after the divide; reversing the nights does not satisfy this trip.
Finish with a short local walk
The route starts at Tonahutu Trailhead and ends at adjacent North Inlet Trailhead. Treat them as the two ends of the local loop, not a vehicle-shuttle itinerary.
The Flattop crossing needs current conditions
Wind, cold, storms, snow, and low oxygen can make the exposed divide consequential.
Carry the required canister
Current permit guidance requires a hard-sided, commercially manufactured bear-resistant food-storage canister.
Plan on a stove
Current Recreation.gov permit guidance prohibits campfires in Rocky Mountain National Park wilderness campsites.
Questions
Tonahutu Creek–North Inlet Loop, asked and answered
Which direction does this exact trip use?
It starts at Tonahutu Trailhead, climbs Tonahutu Creek, crosses the Continental Divide at Flattop Mountain, descends North Inlet, and reaches the adjacent North Inlet Trailhead to close the local loop.
Which campsites are included?
Granite Falls is Night 1 and North Inlet Junction is Night 2. Both are exact individual-site provider offers.
Can Lower Granite Falls substitute?
No. It is a separate location and the current National Park Service inventory marks it unavailable.
Can a group or stock site satisfy this watch?
No. This foundation itinerary supports parties of one through seven using only the two named individual-site offers.
Does a wilderness permit include timed entry?
Current Recreation.gov guidance says wilderness permit holders do not need a separate timed-entry reservation, but all permit and entrance requirements still apply.
Does an alert reserve the permit?
No. An alert only reports qualifying openings. Wild Chime never books, buys, holds, or completes checkout.
Keep the intent distinct
More trips in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Compare exact permit-night orders rather than substituting a nearby route or reversing the dates.
Exact-trip availability
Watch Tonahutu Creek–North Inlet Loop.
Start with this exact direction, overnight order, and the permit locations that fit the saved party. Wild Chime reports qualifying openings; it never books or holds them.
For this exact direction and two-night permit order.
Review the current permit on Recreation.gov