Park Creek 262

Beginning at the scenic Vega State Park near the small town of Collbran, Park Creek is the northern portion of a beautiful, challenging route across a remote portion of the Grand Mesa National Forest. Combining this trail with Leon Lake, 127, makes for a challenging all-day 4x4 adventure. Traveling south from the state park, the trail is easy for the first 1.2 miles. After that, the trail is muddy year-round. Numerous creeks and natural springs bubble out of the ground and flow into Park Creek, which runs parallel to the trail. All this runoff creates a challenging and slippery journey across the meadows, requiring aggressive mud terrain tires, high ground clearance, and self-recovery equipment (a winch).

The endless water crossings, creeks, and remote lakes are a true highlight of this region of Colorado. Camping is limited to only a few spots. Early in the route, a massive open area exists for a sizeable overland group. A small campsite sits at the junction with Monument Creek, and another beautiful site at the junction with Leon Lake, 127.