Colorado Off-Road Trails

Just north of Canon City, CO, The Bank is an invigorating off-road trail that promises a reasonable challenge. Its rocky terrain tests your resolve with jostling off-camber sections, but a hearty climb rewards you with sweeping views of the valley below, marked by vivid rock formations. An all-season destination, The Bank caters to various outdoor pursuits, including hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and ATV or motorcycle riding. Its camping offerings range from secluded spots along the trail to more developed campgrounds nearby, making The Bank a prime spot for those seeking diverse outdoor adventures.

Moffat Tunnel Road (Gilpin County Road 16, also known as Tolland Road) is a leisurely gravel road going west from Rollinsville. Although its main attraction is the access it provides to the trailheads for Rollinsville (the southern spine of the West Magnolia network), Mammoth Gulch, Rollins Pass East and one of the hiking trailheads for James Peak, it is a pleasant and scenic drive in its own right as it winds its way along South Boulder Creek. Along the way you will pass through the ghost town of Tolland on your way to the east portal of the famous and historic Moffat Tunnel. The Moffat Tunnel started operating in 1928, connecting Denver to the other side of the Continental Divide at Winter Park. Before that time, the route went up through the Needle Eye Tunnel and over Rollins Pass. The Moffat Tunnel is 6.2 miles long and reduced travel time over the Divide from well over two hours to just 12 minutes. It cost $23,972,843 to build, and 28 people died during the construction. It is named after Colorado railroad pioneer David Moffat.

Among the old mining trails stretching from Idaho Springs to Silver Plume, Bard Creek Road offers an enchanting journey through the region's history. As you traverse its bumpy climb, you'll uncover vestiges of Colorado's vibrant past, most notably, the Bard Creek Mine with its remarkably intact ore chute. The drive rewards you with remarkable scenery, from glimpses of the valley through the trees to the awe-inspiring vista at Empire Pass. Although less challenging than its neighboring trails, Bard Creek Road doesn't compromise on the visual treat, providing easy access to beautiful landscapes, and as autumn descends, the trail transforms into a vibrant display of fall colors. Bard Creek Road is off the beaten path, and this journey offers a refreshing blend of history, natural beauty, and adventure.

Just a little way north and east of Ridgeway Colorado, after the Owl Creek Trail, you will find that the Silver Jack Reservoir trail is a fantastic way to experience Colorado's high forest, Chapparal, and High desert terrain types. If you are looking for a great place to look at mature Spruce, Aspen, and Box Alder trees, lots of good camping opportunities and plentiful stream or lake fishing, this is the right trail for you. You start out at 10,000 feet high on a Mountain pass and descend through the life zones that change during your 3,000 descent to the high desert. For a long part of the road, you parallel the Cimarron River. The views of the sawtoothed Rocky Mountains certainly do not disappoint. In fact, this whole area is peppered with streams, lakes and trails. You'll experience narrow shelf roads, limited switchbacks, and some very easy scenic driving. Camping is plentiful along bubbling creeks, under shady trees, and along the roadside dispersed areas. It's a short hop on US Highway 50 back to Montrose, Colorado from the trail's end.

Peru Creek is an easy dirt road from the Snake River to the Horseshoe Basin. It provides access to Summit County's rich mining history. Several 4WD trails of varying difficulty spur off of Peru Creek. The northeastern end of the trail is closed to motor vehicles but can be hiked up to Argentine Pass or the 14,270-foot Grays Peak.

Climbing 2,700 vertical feet in 5 miles, McCallister Gulch is a mildly steep trail that climbs the west side of Resolution Mountain, just north of the historic Camp Hale. Camp Hale was a WW-II facility that trained U.S. Army soldiers in mountain warfare. Those soldiers went on to form the famed 10th Mountain Division.

This trail offers outstanding views of the Gore Range to the south and the Sawatch Range to the north, including clear views of the Mount of the Holy Cross.

Winding through the expansive 25-square-mile Buffalo Creek Recreation Area, Redskin Road is an inviting conduit for outdoor enthusiasts. While primarily a graded dirt road with characteristic washboards, it occasionally unveils scenic clearings amidst its forested backdrop. Not only does this road provide access to countless hiking and biking trails, but it also seamlessly connects to the iconic Colorado Trail #1776. With bountiful camping spots throughout its course, Redskin Road becomes more than just a pathway—it's a gateway to adventure and exploration, offering a unique connection to nearby Wellington Lake Road and Crossons Road.

Picayne and Placer Gulch is a gorgeous route offering scenic vistas of the San Juan Mountains and traverses an area rich with mining history. This area is alive with vivid wildflowers in the peak season of late July/early August, painting a colorful pattern across the green alpine meadows and towering stone peaks. The Sound Democrat Mill is one of the best-preserved mine structures in Colorado. Restored by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for visitors to tour, it still possesses all of its machinery in place, from the stamp batteries to Wilfley tables. This lets visitors see how precious minerals were processed from the raw ore that entered the mill.

Branching into the high country near St. Elmo, Pomeroy Lake delivers a memorable blend of rugged four-wheel-drive adventure, sweeping alpine scenery, and Colorado mining history. The rocky climb winds past remnants of the Mary Murphy Mine and its old aerial tramway before rising above timberline to a secluded lake tucked beneath barren, windswept peaks. With historic ruins, expansive mountain views, and a dramatic lakeside destination near 12,000 feet, this trail captures everything that makes exploring Colorado’s old mining country so rewarding.

Part of the Yankee Hill network of trails and close to the Denver Metro area, Cumberland Gulch is a scenic trail with amazing views of the Continental Divide off to the west and Mountain Evans off to the south. Several good vehicle campsites make this a popular trail in the summertime.

Known as "The place where winds were born," Caribou was the site of Colorado's first major silver rush. In the 1870s, miners from all over the world flocked here and developed the town of Caribou. An estimated eight million dollars worth of silver was extracted from these hills before the mine closed in 1884. Caribou suffered two major fires - in September 1879, from which it was rebuilt, and again in 1899 when most of the downtown area was destroyed. It was not rebuilt the second time. By 1880 the population dwindled to 549; by 1900, only 44 remained. The trail starts at the Historic Caribou Townsite that only has a few building foundations remaining. On the north end, mud can make this historic trail an impassable adventure at times, go prepared.

Lifts, lockers, driving experience and a set of calm nerves are required to tackle the trip up to the Iron Chest Mine. The rock garden at the beginning of this off-road trail is just one of the unique features, combined with the aerial views of St. Elmo below along the way, that make this one of the most authentic trails in Central Colorado. If you like mining history, rock gardens, shelf roads, epic views and spending time above timberline then this trail should be on your bucket list.

Traversing the south face of Mount Pisgah between Fall River Road and Bald Mountain Lane, Hamlin Gulch 4-wheel drive road provides an essential connection between the area above Idaho Springs and the county roads above Central City. It is also an important alternate entrance/exit into/out of the extensive network of 4x4 trails around Yankee Hill. Two rocky, off-camber obstacles add excitement to the journey, and magnificent views of Mount Evans to the south and Red Elephant Hill to the west can be seen when there are openings in the trees.

Tomichi Pass is a high-mountain trail connecting Brittle Silver Basin to the north with the mining town of Whitepine to the south. This trail is often compared to many of the routes in the San Juan Mountains as the north side of the trail is almost fully visible from the start as it cuts across talus slopes under the red mineral deposits of Brittle Silver Mountain. Don't let the beautiful scenery fool you because this is a difficult, hard-core trail not for the faint of heart. An exposed shelf road in Brittle Silver Basin is extremely narrow and off-camber in places and is prone to rockslides.