Colorado Off-Road Trails

This short maintained stretch of Alamosa River Road runs from the small town of Platoro to the even smaller community of Jasper. Platoro was once a mining community until the post office closed in 1919, and everybody moved out. It was later revived into a resort town, with plenty of hiking and top-tier fishing on the Conejos River, Platoro Reservoir, and Mix Lake. Jasper is a small community of around 80 cabins, with year-round access via Highway 250. Neither community has cell service or fuel, so plan accordingly. The road between the two has no obstacles, but there are sections of teeth-chattering washboard and small protruding rocks. The road is driveable by almost any vehicle with decent clearance. Be sure to stop along the Alamosa River to enjoy this area's peace and serenity. Camping is also available at many sites located randomly throughout the trail.

Sand Gulch Road is any easy connector route that forms a loop with the Badger Creek / Powerline Road. The lower portion is a graded dirt road, while the upper part has effectively two different branches that are a little rougher two track but passable in any high clearance vehicle. The route shown here follows the east branch on BLM 5990, mostly in a sandy wash. At the southern end, near the junction with CR 45, is the Turkey Rock Trails Motorcycle Area, a designated BLM open riding area for dirt bikes. It looks like there would be good camping in the flat meadows near the Turkey Rock area as well.

Farrish Memorial Road, located near Woodland Park, Colorado, is a scenic homage to First Lieutenant William S. Farish Jr., a brave serviceman who tragically lost his life in World War II. This well-kept road, stretching over a mile, offers not only easy accessibility but also a blend of outdoor delights. Enjoy a stay at one of the inviting campsites, or feast your eyes on the picturesque views of Pike's Peak and just enjoy an easy day. Named after a hero, the Farrish Memorial Road delivers an offroad experience filled with history, serene surroundings, and natural beauty.

Thompson Park begins as a relatively smooth dirt road with some rocks and ruts for a couple of miles. This easier section features some really nice camping. After this, the trail gets narrow and very rocky as it climbs to near the treeline for some spectacular views. The trail ends at a gate with plenty of room to turn around.

Upper Pass Creek is part of an extensive trail network near Cottonwood Pass. The trail is popular for camping since it is conveniently located within feet of Cottonwood Pass. However, those looking for solitude will not find it in the several campsites along this trail.

The trail has several different access points, and your experience on this trail will vary depending on which section you drive. Although most of the trail is relatively easy and accessible, even with a camping trailer, two sections earn the difficult rating.

On the west half of the trail is a tight and washed-out section that requires a stock 4x4 that doesn't mind pinstripes. On the east end of Upper Pass Creek is the true challenge requiring a lightly modified, high-clearance 4x4 vehicle with a low range and an experienced driver. This section switches from dirt to rock and is tight in the trees, with no room for choosing lines. Rocks up to 20 inches must be driven over before this trail ends just below Cottonwood Pass.

Calamity is an extreme trail with lots of rocks, boulder fields, and climbs. It starts with a choice of two challenging gatekeeper obstacles.  The exit has numerous large boulders on the approach, followed by three exit options. To the right is a vertical rock wall climb. The middle is an undercut ledge. To the left is a huge boulder.

Taylor Pass Divide Road is both a connector trail and a spur road, connecting the top of Taylor Pass to Richmond Hill and splitting off and dead-ending at the Goodwin-Greene Hut, part of the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association. This trail is generally 1 to 1.5 vehicles wide and traverses a hard-packed surface with occasional small exposed rocks and many sharp, rolling water bars.

The section connecting Taylor Pass to Richmond Hill is easy, with expansive views of the Elk Range and excellent visibility towards oncoming traffic. Once heading northeast around Gold Hill, the trail becomes rougher with more exposed rocks and steeper grade hills. A low-end transfer case will be helpful, but 4-wheel drive will only be necessary in wet conditions. In dry conditions, the road is suitable for any high clearance vehicle.

As the road passes from Gunnison National Forest into the White River National Forest, it changes names to Gold Hill Road and pierces into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness right as it ends at the hut. Along this trail ride, you can expect incredible views and a sense of remoteness. Although dispersed camping is allowed along the trail per the MVUM, and plenty of flat open ground exists, there are no previously established campsites to take advantage of.

Bald Mountain Road goes to the top of a small dome just north of Mount Princeton. The road is used as an access for the communication equipment at the top and is an easy drive. There are great views of the Arkansas River Valley at the end, and the trail has a few campsites along the way. A dead-end camping spur route about 1/3 into the trail offers some dispersed sites, and the camping photo accompanying this write-up is from about halfway into the trail. A parking lot at the last switchback has a hiking trail, which cuts uphill to meet the Colorado Trail. Overall, use on this road is low, and there is plenty of room to pass other vehicles.

Lurking in the shadows of the famous Heart Attack Hill is the Aneurysm Bypass. When one hears the word bypass, an immediate reaction might be, "Oh, it must be easier." Well...not quite. This "bypass" has multiple challenging spots that will test any stock or mildly built rig. The loose rock and the tall, protruding boulders give Heart Attack Hill a run for its money on which is the more difficult ascent up Kelly Flats. Some say it's easier than Heart Attack Hill, and some say it's harder... I guess you will just need to run it to find out.

Trekking through the lesser-known areas of the San Juan Mountains, West Pinos Road is one of many trails in a vast network of Rio Grand National Forest roads that lead to abundant year-round recreational activities and amazing landscapes. With fantastic views of North Mountain, Grayback Mountain, and Handkerchief Mesa, this trail makes for a great weekend camping getaway. It can also be bridged with other roads to create an epic overland adventure through the vast and rugged forests of Southwest Colorado.

Gold Lake Road is an easy, graded dirt road through a wooded Pine section of Roosevelt National Forest. It serves as an access road for other Forest Service roads in the area, as well as access to private property along Gold Lake Road. It terminates at the private property boundary near Gold Lake, which is a privately owned lake and is not publicly accessible. There is only one campsite directly off of Gold Lake Road, which is suitable for a reasonably large group. Please stay on the road and respect nearby private property.

Middle Fork Trail follows the Middle Fork of the South Arkansas Drainage to an endpoint just below the treeline. This endpoint also intersects the hiking Trailhead for Chalk Creek Pass. The 3.5-mile easy route is a nice, quiet drive without crowds. The trail ends at the edge of a large meadow with a small parking area and trailhead information. Sitting astride the famed Continental Divide Trail, the area is popular with hikers. Several dispersed campsites are located along the route.