Woods Creek Road

Woods Creek Road, near Berthod Pass above the town of Empire, is a short and leisurely drive through property owned by the Henderson/Climax Mine Company that leads to the Urad Lake Wildlife Area. Urad Lake has fantastic fishing and miles of excellent hiking terrain. There is remote high-elevation camping at and around the lake, but you must hike/backpack in to get there as no camping is allowed along the road itself. This area is also a beautiful place to see majestic wildlife. The mining company once owned Urad Lake, and due to overuse, was slated to be permanently closed in 2011. The valley remained closed for 2.5 years until Colorado Parks and Wildlife took over control and created the Urad Lake State Wildlife Area. The road reopened on June 15th, 2014.