Colorado Off-Road Trails

Hahns Peak, with its nearly 11,000-foot summit, appears like a volcano standing by itself in the mountains north of Steamboat, Colorado. Royal Flush is one of the prominent roads that will encircle the peak and offer spectacular views of the Steamboat Lake valley to the south. Rocky and rugged, this trail offers a back-country experience that is beautiful and exhilarating. Although the area was mined for gold in the mid to late 1800s, you will still find gold in the abundant aspen tree groves as the autumn colors brighten the mountain slopes. Royal Flush is picturesque. Do not forget your camera for this memorable off-road adventure.

If you find yourself in Crested Butte, have a 4WD vehicle, and seek camping in peace and privacy, look no further than Poverty Gulch. This short trail takes you to some amazing campsites just a short drive off the wildly popular Slate River Road. There are seven designated campsites just before you top out at 9841 feet, below a spectacular jagged mountain background complete with waterfalls and meadows full of wildflowers. You will need to contend with a few rocky patches and potentially deep water crossings, but a stock 4WD vehicle with a transfer case and good tires will have no issues. There are hiking opportunities at the end of this trail as well, if stretching your legs is on the itinerary.

Summitville is a beautiful trail through the Rio Grande National Forest with expansive views of the San Juan Mountains. If amazing views are not enough, Summitville Ghost Town is also along the trail. Like many other ghost towns in Colorado, Summitville was a mining town. It was established in 1873 after gold was discovered in the area. At its peak, Summitville had over 1,500 people and over 30 buildings, including a post office, three blacksmiths, nine mills, and fourteen salons. It even had a newspaper, The Summitville Nugget. The Little Annie Mine near Summitville became the third-richest gold mine in Colorado. Sadly, by 1893, it was abandoned entirely.

In 1984, Galactic Resources LTD acquired the Summitville mine and began large-scale open-pit mining operations to extract gold and silver ore. Unfortunately, the "cyanide-leach" technique they used leaked into the Alamosa River, and by 1991, the mine was closed. The EPA took over and has spent $250 million to clean and reclaim the Summitville Mine Site. The EPA treats 350 million gallons of acid mine drainage at the site annually. There are still several buildings in the town. But it is in the process of being restored, so please look but do not touch. 

Black Ridge Road is a scenic passage into an area rich with recreational pursuits. This well-maintained trail remains easy despite the numerous switchbacks, leading adventurers towards the striking Black Canyon Wilderness. The trail offers expansive vistas stretching towards Glade Park and beyond, enhancing this effortless drive. Black Ridge Road is nestled between the Colorado National Monument and the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, offering over 123,000 acres brimming with history, natural wonders, and exploration opportunities. With towering canyons and a diverse range of over 450 plant species, the landscape becomes a part of the adventure.

A delightful counterpart to the Lower Rule Creek Spur, Upper Rule Creek Spur Road weaves its way through the richly wooded territories of the South Platte Ranger District in Colorado. With varying degrees of off-roading challenges, it invites drivers of all expertise levels, making it a great full-day wheeling endeavor when combined with other trails nearby. As you traverse the trail, the serene vistas of Pike's Peak, standing grand at 14,115 feet, occasionally cut through the dense woodland canopy, adding a picturesque backdrop to your adventure. Most of this journey immerses you in a forested wonderland, with the vibrancy of the foliage contrasting with the ruggedness of the trail, creating unforgettable Colorado off-roading experiences.

Topless is a technical rock crawling trail that's rated as an 8 in the local area trail system. There are boulder gardens throughout the length of the trail as well as two significant climbs over 5 feet with no bypass.

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forest encompasses over 3 million acres of rugged canyons and mountain country in western Colorado. Covering over 500 miles, Grand Mesa is a distinctive land formation with its flat top and towering cliffs. It's the largest flat-top mountain in the world and home to abundant wildlife. Because of the flatness, the region contains a dense concentration of lakes and ponds full of fish. While traveling up Trail 121, you'll pass numerous lakes with free primitive camping along the shore. Other campsites are nestled back in the dense aspen and pine trees. The route is a well-maintained gravel and dirt road that can be completed in 2WD. The climb up from the north can have deep washboards and slow-moving traffic. Entering from the south at the ranger station is residential with a 10 mph speed limit.

Paralleling Chalk Creek between Saint Elmo and Mount Princeton Hot Springs, Old Chalk Creek Road is a nearly 6-mile straight-through dirt road through the San Isabel National Forest. The road is dual-managed as Forest Road 292 and County Road 292. The road is primarily packed dirt, 1.5-2 vehicles wide the entire way. The difficulty of the road is divided into three sections: west of Iron City Campground, Iron City to Alpine Lake, and east of Alpine Lake. From the western end to Iron City Campground, the road is very easy, well-maintained, and suitable for any vehicle. East of the campground until Alpine Lake, the road is rough with protruding rocks of several inches and several sharp grades. Low-clearance vehicles, trailers, and RVs are encouraged to avoid this middle section of the road. East of Alpine Lake, you will encounter many private residences, and the road is once again an easy, well-maintained dirt road suitable for any vehicle.

Along the drive, you will see many beaver ponds, old mining buildings, the Iron City Cemetery, and several areas to picnic and enjoy the cool waters of Chalk Creek. Dispersed camping is not allowed along this road, but improved camping can be found for a nightly fee at the Iron City Campground, where you will find a pit toilet, picnic tables, fire rings, and bear boxes.

Located in the Roosevelt National Forest, Cave Creek is a short and relatively easy connecting road from Highway 72 to Bunce School Road. Cave Creek is primarily used as an access point to the Bunce School trail system and is often used for recreational shooting opportunities. The road is primarily packed soil with several sections of protruding rocks and shallow erosion ruts. Any high clearance vehicle should have no problem traversing this road. Cave Creek passes 3 spurs and numerous pull-offs offering some kind of campsite. None of the campsites are particularly big, thus they are only suitable for vehicle or tent camping.

Upper Taylor River is a 4-mile side trip off Taylor Pass. The route goes past Taylor Lake, heads west over the ridge, and into the Upper Taylor River Basin. The road is extremely narrow and tight in places as it hugs the north slope of the valley and ends near the mining tailings below Taylor Peak. The rocky route is manageable for a high-clearance 4x4 with a low-range transfer case. It is not recommended for full-size trucks. No established campsites are along the road, but a few wide spots could facilitate vehicle-based dispersed camping.

The Badger Creek / Powerline road is a lesser-known but highly scenic trail in the Arkansas River canyonlands between Salida and Canon City, on BLM land in the Royal Gorge Field Office. It starts in the little village of Wellsville just outside Salida and forms a loop with Sand Gulch Road, climbing high into the rugged hills above the Arkansas River. The road was built to service a high-voltage power line, which gives it a roller-coaster-like feel as it climbs and descends through hills and valleys following the power line route. From the top of each hill with a power line tower, panoramic views look out across the Arkansas River valley to the Sangre De Cristo mountains and closer peaks to the north like Big Baldy Mountain and Jack Hall Mountain.

The road surface is mostly rough dirt with embedded rocks, with several small creek crossings along Badger Creek. Any stock four-wheel drive vehicle can easily drive it, but low range helps with the steep climbs and descents. While the road may appear on maps to connect to County Road 12, the main trail following the power line dead-ends at a private property boundary. There is a gate that may or may not be open, but the road beyond the gate is private. Return to the junction with Sand Gulch Road to head back to Highway 50.

While you can camp in any number of places along the road, the main established campsites are under power line towers on various hilltops. One of these is pictured. They are somewhat exposed and close to the road, so it's not ideal. Better campsites can likely be found off the various short spur roads that connect to the main route.

Lurking between the shadows of 14,036' Mount Sherman, 13,951' Gemini Peak, and 13,855' Dyer Mountain, Iowa Amphitheater is one of the most scenic and breathtaking trails you've never heard of. Located southeast of Leadville, along the Route Of The Silver Kings, this trail takes travelers back in time across old mining claims, past desolate structures and finally ends in a once prosperous basin filled with antique equipment that once produced over 10 million ounces of silver. This trail is a perfect escape for the adventure seeker that enjoys mining history and high-altitude views.

Located in the vast and scenic Rio Grande National Forest, Spring Creek Road is a lesser-used high alpine trail traversing Blowout Pass, hidden in the western shadow of 12,497-foot Sheep Mountain. With expansive views above the Alamosa River, this short trail can be combined with other nearby forest roads to create a great half-day getaway or an epic overland trip through the remote wilderness of Southern Colorado.

Trail Gulch is a fun and scenic side trail off of the Bank Loop in the Shelf Road area of the Royal Gorge Field Office. It starts at the Banks Campground/trailhead and descends into the canyon below some of the popular rock climbing sites in the area, before following the wash at the bottom of Trail Gulch. After a few miles, it climbs out of the gulch and up into some sagebrush hills, ultimately dead-ending at a hiking trailhead. That trailhead accesses an extensive network of hiking trails that lead over to the Booger Red Hill and Hole in the Rock Gulch areas. The road is easy to moderate difficulty and should be passable to any stock 4x4, with only a few small rock obstacles.

This trail offers some of the best dispersed camping in the Bank / Shelf Road area and has one of the most unique campsites in the region. About a mile down the trail in the canyon, there are two large artificial caves/alcoves blasted out of the cliff face next to the road, which you can drive a vehicle into like a garage. You could pitch a tent or pull a vehicle with a rooftop tent inside of these and camp completely sheltered from the weather. Campfires should be kept outside of the caves to avoid smoking up the rock walls. This campsite is very popular and will usually be occupied on peak season weekends, but other campsites can be found further along the road.

The Oregon Hill and Dakota Hill area was mined extensively in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Utah Hill boasts many remnants of this rich mining history. Although no buildings are still standing, several foundations are around the trailhead. There is also the collapsed adit of the mine and several pieces of debris.

The trail also provides spectacular views of the surrounding peaks. At the trailhead, you can look west into the James Peak Wilderness. As you cross the open hillside on the southwest side of Oregon Hill, you can see south toward Mt. Evans and Mt. Bierstadt. Finally, as you cross the saddle between Oregon Hill and Michigan Hill, you get a panoramic view of the lower peaks and foothills to the southeast.

Utah Hill is one of the main entrances into the extensive network of trails around Dakota Hill and Oregon Hill, southwest of Rollinsville. Although the Utah Hill trail itself is short, using it to connect to other trails in the area can give you everything from a quick afternoon 4x4 outing to an all-day offroad adventure.

Apex Valley Road in Colorado is a historic and scenic route that leads to the old mining camp and ghost town of Apex, located near Central City and Black Hawk. It's an easy backcountry drive for the most part, though sections further north can become rougher with ruts and embedded rocks, potentially requiring a 4x4 vehicle.

Apex Valley Road offers access to other trails and is popular for various activities, including off-roading (with unlicensed vehicles allowed on some sections), hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling in the winter. It's a great destination for those interested in Colorado's mining history and outdoor recreation.

Camping is not allowed below the town of Apex. Above Apex, there are a few suitable sites, especially at the trailhead for Utah Hill and just past the end of this trail on Dakota Hill.