Sheep Creek Road

The challenging Sheep Creek Road serves as the sole access route between the town of Gateway and the Dolores Triangle region in the remote highlands along the Colorado-Utah border. Sheep Creek is known for its steep switchbacks and narrow shelf roads perched on the sides of sandstone cliffs, resembling a desert version of the famous Black Bear Pass. It is one of the most iconic trails (rated 5 in difficulty) included in the annual Rock Junction event held by the Grand Mesa Jeep Club, as part of a route they call Gateway to Glade Park. While there are no major obstacles on the trail and sections can be relatively smooth, bowling ball-sized rocks and loose gravel are common. These must be navigated while climbing or descending steep, extremely tight switchbacks. Weather events could cause the road to become partially or fully blocked by rockfall at any time.

It is both easiest and most scenic to run the trail downhill, with amazing views across the Dolores River valley to the cliffs of the opposing Beaver Mesa. The first couple of switchbacks are some of the rockiest, after which you will reach a small old cabin that you can peer inside. Past the cabin, the main switchback section begins, dropping swiftly and following along the base of a striking sandstone cliff. Whether going up or down, low gearing and good speed control are essential here. Some switchbacks will require most vehicles to make multi-point turns. About halfway down, the descent becomes more gradual, as the road follows the spine of a narrow ridge down toward the valley floor, with stunning views of the Palisade Butte nearby. After crossing a couple of rocky washes, the trail emerges on a flat sagebrush plain, ultimately ending at the intersection with 4 2/10 Road. Continue on this easy, graded dirt road into the town of Gateway.

While most of the trail is too steep and narrow for camping, there is one small campsite next to the staging area at the bottom. Nearby, there are a few nice shady campsites along the Dolores River accessed from short spurs off 4 2/10 Road, and there are several good campsites along the Steamboat Ridge trail near the top as well. Sheep Creek can be combined with other trails in the Dolores Triangle region, like Granite Creek and Steamboat Mesa, as part of a longer overlanding route to Glade Park and Colorado National Monument or down into Moab via the ford of the Dolores River on Triangle Road near Dewey Bridge.