Colorado Off-Road Trails

Steep hills, big ledges, and lots of rocks. This rock crawling trail will push your suspension to the limit with all the boulders you can flex on. Longest and easiest of the Independence Trail System. Even though it's only 1.6 miles long it still provides a fun challenge!

Box Road, tucked in Park County, Colorado, is a scenic part of the China Wall Trail System, connecting to the rugged China Wall Road. This trail weaves through tranquil forests dotted with pine and aspen trees, where, on a quiet day, the gentle rustling of leaves and birds chirping create a peaceful ambiance. However, the serenity is interrupted by a challenging rock formation that adds adventure to the journey. Box Road's real highlight is its stunning views of the Tarryall Mountains and the expansive Colorado wilderness. Box Road and China Wall Trail System provide a perfect mix of forested trails and breathtaking landscapes, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to experience the quintessential Colorado offroad adventure.

Michigan Hill offers various terrain and landscapes, from tight turns through dense forests to open hillsides with spectacular views. You cross easy slopes of dirt and gravel and rougher talus shelf roads. If you are looking for more challenge and thrill, the optional tricky descent down and rough climb up the back side of the mountain can provide that. You pass tailing piles and an old mining shed, and the remnants of an old mine can be found at the summit, relics of the historic mining days. Although they are not plentiful, the campsites along this trail are very nice. Michigan Hill is one of the major trails in the Dakota Hill network, connecting to several other trails.

Situated in the Rio Grande National Forest, near the town of South Fork, Park Creek Road is a scenic mountain road known for its picturesque views and vast access to many outdoor recreational activities. Whether planning weekend camping, local fishing, high-mountain hiking, or long-distance overlanding, this trail will pique your interest around every turn. Expect to gaze across scenic vistas, through rich grassy meadows, upon tower rock faces, and hear the rhythmic sleep-inducing sounds of babbling creeks. Combine Park Creek Road with several other roads in the area to fill a day or an entire week of exploring.

Handcart Gulch, also known as the south side of Webster Pass, is a well-traveled high-country 4x4 road near Grant, Colorado, and is one of the main passes between Summit County and Park County. The trail climbs from pine forest into alpine terrain, with dispersed camping available in the trees along the lower sections. Above treeline, the route becomes a narrow, exposed shelf road that will get your heart pounding before reaching the pass and connecting to Webster Pass at over 12,000 feet, with wide views into both counties and across surrounding ridgelines. The pass links the towns of Montezuma and Grant and is often used as a descent route after running Red Cone. Trail conditions are highly seasonal as snow lingers here longer than many nearby routes. The summit area is known for a long-lasting snow cornice that can keep the pass impassable into late July, so checking the current status is recommended before attempting.

Bald Mountain Loop is a spur 4WD road off of Bald Mountain Gulch in the Fourmile area of Colorado, southeast of Johnson Village. It provides expansive views of the Arkansas River valley and the Collegiate Peaks. There are many other 4WD roads in the vicinity, so Fourmile is ideal for a weekend excursion of trails, camping, hiking, and fishing. Be sure to include the panoramic Bald Mountain Loop.

Located just east of Creede, passing through the all-but-lost ghost town of Bachelor, Bachelor Road is the western portion of the iconic Bachelor Loop Historic Driving Tour. This time-traveling dirt road offers adventurers a glance into the past as you relive the mining history of the last silver boom town in Colorado. Bachelor Road not only offers a storied past but welcomes users of all recreation types and rewards them with continuous, non-stop beauty. This trail will surely be memorable, from the aged Bristlecone Pines and high alpine peaks to the groves of bright golden aspen overtaking hillsides above the Rio Grande River.

Gove Creek Road, just off Rampart Range Road in Pike National Forest, offers a secluded and serene camping experience with lighter summer traffic than its neighbors and stunning exposed granite formations. This trail provides vibrant wildflowers in summer and beautiful autumn aspens, perfect for those looking to escape civilization without traveling far from the Colorado Springs area. Gove Creek Road is a memorable destination, offering natural beauty and tranquility year-round.

Penrose Commons is a BLM OHV recreation area near Penrose, Colorado. The area is full of crisscrossing full-size and ATV trails of varying difficulty. BLM Route 6102 is the main backbone route through the middle of the area and continues to wind its way down the east side. The road is mostly rocky, with short dirt sections that may be muddy in the wet season. There are several areas with small rock steps, mostly 6-8" tall. One section on the east portion has small boulders and larger steps up to 12" tall, which may be difficult for a stock 4x4. Sections of the trail can be tight between the juniper trees, but careful driving should avoid any pinstripes. The trail ends in a large loop, with a short spur to the south. There is a small turnaround area at the end of the spur, which could fit 2 or 3 vehicles. The east portion of the trail follows a large canyon with spectacular views. Camping within Penrose Commons is limited to designated sites only, which are marked with camping signs. Do not make new fire rings. 6102 offers several designated clusters near the south end, where you can also find a large parking area suitable for trailers or RVs. Vault toilets are located at the entrance to the OHV area.

This trail is one of the longer spurs off Mount Herman Road and has great views from good campsites. The road is rough and weathered. Heavy rutting and some rocks make travel difficult.

With stunning mountain vistas, crystal clear creek crossings, lush meadows of wildflowers of every color imaginable, and a plethora of camping opportunities, Cement Creek is one of those trails that has it all. Located just south of Crested Butte, this trail will take you up to an elevation of almost 12,500 feet, just below the summit of Mount Tilton. Along the way, you will have the chance to hike, mountain bike, fish, and camp. Spend the night in one of the 23 designated campsites along the way. Sites 1-9 will be accessible by a 2WD/AWD vehicle, but the rest of the trail will require 4WD with a transfer case to safely get to the top. At the very top, you can expect a few steep, narrow, off-camber shelf portions, but if you can handle the anxiety, the summit will treat you to 360-degree views of the scenery that this area of Colorado is famous for.

Located in the picturesque backcountry of the Elk Mountains, Express Creek is the northern half of the high mountain pass known as Taylor Pass. Meandering across rocky terrain, through lush forest, and alongside babbling creeks, drivers of this trail are treated to stunning views of towering peaks and verdant valleys. Express Creek definitely isn't short on scenic stops or photo opportunities. While the trail traverses a few steep grades and narrow passages, it remains accessible for anyone looking for an adrenaline-fueled adventure or a leisurely exploration through Colorado's breathtaking wilderness.

Located just minutes outside of town, Portland Road is a seasonal out-and-back road that treks deep into the bowl of the Ouray Amphitheater, ending at the site of the Portland Mine. The road is extremely rough and rocky and climbs sharply nearly the entire way. The road is lined with great dispersed camping options, including an amazing meadow about halfway in, at a 4-way intersection with Grizzly Bear Road. Along the drive, you will pass several hiking trails and encounter many hikers utilizing the road. The ending of the trail offers very little space to turn around thus this is not a good trail for groups larger than 3 or 4 vehicles.

This trail is best suited for high clearance vehicles with rugged offroad tires and a low-range selectable transfer case. Skid plates are recommended as lower clearance vehicles may scrape in a few spots.