Colorado Off-Road Trails

Situated on the northern fringe of the Tarryall Mountains, Baker Road is a picturesque and straightforward offroad journey that is part of the extensive Badger Mountain Trail Network. It meanders through the captivating Colorado mountainscape, weaving close to the compact, distinct peak of Baker Mountain—a feature that's merely a hundred feet above the nearby roads. Offering solitude and striking beauty, the plentiful camping spots within this expansive area promise serene and memorable outdoor experiences. With its gentle challenges and unique scenic allure, Baker Road is an excellent trail to enhance your offroad adventure in the area.

Cow Creek Connector is part of an extensive trail network between Cumberland Pass and Cottonwood Pass in the Taylor Park region of the Gunnison National Forest. The trail is appropriately named since it parallels Cow Creek and often has cows on the trail. It also connects to various other area trails.

The trail climbs and stays out of the trees just enough to offer scenic views of the area. This trail features both a short and steep climb and a rutted-out section, earning it a moderate difficulty rating. Cow Creek Connector is suitable for stock high-clearance 4WD vehicles.

There are no campsites along this trail.

Missouri Creek is a busy out-and-back spur off Homestake Road that follows its namesake creek up to multiple hiking trailheads that lead into the Holy Cross Wilderness. The first 2.5 miles of the road are well-maintained and suitable for any vehicle up to the Missouri Lakes and Fancy Pass hiking trailheads. This popular parking area has a pit toilet and two large parking lots, generally full of vehicles on weekends and holidays. This first stretch of road also passes seven designated dispersed campsites, all marked with signs and steel fire rings. Sites along this road are not suitable for trailers and are best utilized for vehicles and backpack campers.

The last mile of the road follows Sopris Creek to a small pond and the Sopris Lake hiking trailhead. This stretch is considerably more rocky and rutty than the rest of the road and is not suitable for low-clearance passenger vehicles. High-clearance vehicles will handle the road with ease and likely never use 4WD. One secluded, dispersed campsite along this last mile, right along the edge of a grassy meadow, offers spectacular views. It is large enough to fit 2-4 vehicles.

Houser Road can be used as a semi-challenging 4x4 crossover between two main routes within this region of the Uncompahgre National Forest. The route connects Divide Road and 25 Mesa Road (503) by crossing a rugged, muddy mountain section. The trail has rocky and loose hills. Numerous springs in this midsection of the mountain cause muddy sections in the trail all summer. Aggressive tires and low-range 4x4 are required. Camping can be found near Divide Road, along the eastern section of this trail.

While a beautiful road, it is short and leads to private property. Along the route are a few dispersed camping locations with no privacy or very close to residential properties. However, any vehicle can take this short drive to soak in the sights of the Gunnison River.

This scenic trail travels off the busy Manchester Road and provides relief from the crowds in the area. The end of the trail opens into a valley with well-established, amazing campsites near West Creek.

171.L is a short spur off of Swamp Creek Road that offers a bit more challenge in comparison to the adjacent trails in the area. It partially follows the powerlines as it takes you downward toward the Cache La Poudre Valley, offering excellent views of the valley and the surrounding Comanche Peak Wilderness as you descend. There are several nice campsites suitable for a capable rig with great views and a few rock obstacles. Beware, the turnaround at the end of this trail is very tight, loose, and rocky - beginner drivers should consider turning around at the much safer location about 200 feet from the very end.

Linda Spur is a rough gem in an area of the Pike National Forest where most trails are flat. As you ascend the trail, you enter a grove of trees and climb over rocks that can be difficult in wet weather. Once at the top, there are views from an isolated campsite well away from the crowds.

Anderson Reservoirs is a gravel and dirt road that forms a loop with Lands End Road once on top of the Grand Mesa. At its eastern terminus, at 10,500 in elevation, is the Land's End Observatory, which was used by rangers due to its amazing vantage point. From here, you can see the Book Cliffs and out into Utah, the San Juan Mountains, the Uncompahgre Wilderness, the Colorado National Monument, Big Dominguez Canyon, and Little Dominguez Canyon. It was built from 1936-1937 and is no longer in use.

Continuing on the road, you will pass by several reservoirs used in the nearby town's water supply. Boondock campsites are scattered throughout and near the reservoirs, and many dispersed and secluded sites can be found in the groves of trees.

Almost any high-clearance vehicle can drive the road when free of snow but anticipate mud early in the summer or after heavy rains. Use caution when accessing campsites in the wooded sections, as the access may be more difficult than the road itself.

Wintersteen Park is not a trail you would run for itself. But if you are looking for a campsite near the beginning of Kelly Flats, this little side loop provides several outstanding opportunities. The scenery is also very nice, so even exploring it for a picnic lunch might be worth it.

Also referred to as Cow Lake Road, Cow Creek follows to the south of its namesake, Cow Creek, and crosses Sandford Creek, another unnamed creek on its southern end. It is a short road that connects Cumberland Pass with Cake Ridge Spur. The water crossings can be deep during spring runoff, so use caution. There are boondock-style campsites closer to Cumberland Pass.

Not to be confused with Bachelor Road and County Road 504, Bachelor Alternative is Forest Service Road 504.1D and is a straight-through spur trail connecting Monon Hill Road to Highway 149, just west of Creede. This road offers abundant dispersed camping along the northern end, where you will find many RVs, large trailers, and boondockers. The trail's north end is an easy, hard-packed dirt road suitable for any vehicle. Once cresting the ridge at 0.5 miles in, the road deteriorates slightly and becomes much narrower with steeper slopes, shallow ruts, and loose rocks up to softball size. Large recreational vehicles should not attempt the trail's southern half connecting to the highway. The southern half of the trail offers virtually no dispersed camping due to the terrain. Great views down into the Rio Grande Valley can be experienced the entire drive, making for a fun drive in any high clearance vehicle.

Mineral Creek Overlook is a short, dead-end spur road off of Rat Creek that takes you to the edge of the La Garita Wilderness with awe-inspiring panoramic views in all directions, including 14,022' San Luis Peak. The road is hardpacked dirt with a few ruts and can easily be traveled by any high clearance vehicle that has already traveled along Rat Creek. It climbs a mild hill and ends at a large, flat parking area at the top of the ridgeline. Although camping is allowed here, there would be no protection from the wind. This would be an excellent base camp, resupply, or pickup location if you are hiking the Skyline Trail, Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail, or East Mineral Creek Trail.

River Road is the ultimate road trip detour and the closest thing to a scenic drive through Moab without being in Utah. River Road, Y13, is a historic and breathtaking cruise through two deep canyons along two different rivers flowing year-round. The graded dirt trail meanders along the banks of the San Miguel and Delores Rivers, where you will find numerous info boards describing the strange wooden structures sticking out of the sandstone cliffs above the river. The trail is narrow in sections but wide enough for all full-size vehicles. It's a county road used often by locals; you should expect oncoming traffic and use caution on blind corners. Camping is relatively abundant but not along the river's edge like one would dream of. A couple of pull-offs can accommodate 1-2 vehicles along the San Miguel stretch. Additional camping is located at the end of short spur trails away from the dusty road along the murky Delores River section. It's advised not to camp at the confluence; it's a popular location that all visitors should be able to enjoy.

Situated in the captivating landscapes of Pike National Forest, Boulevard Road serves as a tranquil and scenic connector between off-road adventures. It may not provide the most challenging wheeling experience, but its charm lies in its scenic drive. Winding through lush pine forests and sweeping meadows, the road offers a calm and enjoyable ride while treating drivers to panoramic views of Colorado's stunning wilderness. Perfect as a lead-in or wrap-up to a day on the busy Manchester Road, Boulevard Road offers a peaceful interlude in your Colorado off-roading journey.

With almost 30 miles of endless mountain views, FR 611 is an excellent half-day adventure across two National Forests. Known as both Beaver Park and Black Mesa Road, this easy overland route can be travelled in 2WD in dry conditions. The northern section is wide, graded gravel with distant views of the Lone Cone and the San Miguel Mountains. The southern section has tight switchbacks in the dense pines and fleeting views of the rugged Lizard Head peaks. The route requires durable tires and high ground clearance. Camping is surprisingly limited to only a few unmarked primitive campsites. More abundant camping can be found at lower elevations. The route is ideal for beginners and large overland vehicles. 

Deep Lake is an out-and-back trail with two short fingers on its northern end, both leading to campsites. The trail is an easy, hardpacked dirt road with several tall and sharp water bars, where low-clearance, long-wheelbase vehicles such as pickup trucks, RVs, or trailers will need to use caution. The western finger of the trail is primarily used as an access and resupply road for users of the Colorado Trail, as it ends at a large campsite alongside the popular hiking trail. The eastern finger is another access road to a gate at a firewood-cutting permit zone. The eastern finger offers a large campsite next to Dry Lake, just before the gate. The trail is single-lane the entire way but suitable for just about any vehicle.

Bear Gulch is a rough trail that, depending on your direction of travel, requires you to either climb or descend approximately 1400 feet of elevation over the course of 3.5 miles. If traveling from Locke Mountain in the east, you will have to descend the 1400 feet, and for the next 3.5 miles, you probably will not touch your gas pedal. If coming from CR 271 in the west, your experience on the trail will be the complete opposite, so sit back and watch your miles per gallon plummet as you climb into the San Isabel National Forest. If the steep climb and descent were not enough, the trail is rather tight, and pull-offs for oncoming traffic are extremely limited, so keep tabs of places to pull over if you are met with opposing traffic. Also, remember that uphill traffic generally has the right of way. There are no campsites along the trail, but there were plenty to choose from on Locke Mountain.