Pickle Gulch (Blackhawk)

We attempted Pickle Gulch yesterday but did not get very far once we hit the Snowden Mine intersection. We plowed maybe about 100 yards west on Stewart Gulch through the snow but hit a drift that was up to the hood. Then tried going up Dakota Hill but again hit snow drifts that were up to the bumper.

Crazy ice right from the beginning of the trail.

We had a really fun time on Pickle Gulch today. I was in my stock TJ (Cherokee is down with bad control arm bushings) and Mike and his family were in his stock JLU Rubicon hybrid. There weather was near-perfect with partly cloudy skies and mild temperatures. The trail was clear and dry the entire way with no issues to report. The bypass at Waypoint 7 has been re-opened, whether legally or not, I don't know. After we finished the trail we headed further into the Dakota Hill network for more fun.

Wasn't on the plan, but was the most interesting driving of the day for us today.

Surprisingly fun trail close to Denver! Fairly easy with just enough obstacles to make it interesting, beautiful views, and some fun suprises. Will definitely be back.

First time on this trail today and was much surprised to have it all to myself. Overall I thought it was easy and fun. Note that the Pickle Gulch picnic area at the start of the trail was closed. It’s where I was planning on airing down so if you have a big group that could be an issue. This trail is certainly narrow throughout, so I wouldn’t recommend a full size truck. Height could be an issue so I wouldn’t recommend a rooftop tent on this one or you’ll be catching some low hanging branches. A spot or two had mild off camber. Otherwise the mud was dried up at the beginning and the mud pit at the end was just a water pit with mostly solid ground. I used my lockers to complete the hill obstacle, but if you just maintain momentum and air down more than I do you wouldn’t need them.

Has always been one of my favs. Clear all the way through with a few small mud pits.

Ran Pickle Gulch today with a group of 10 rigs and got up past the old cabin before the end of the trail and hit snow banks. Few other rigs in front is our rig tried to get through but slide off the trail and has to be recovered. Ended up turning around and calling it a day.

Didn’t run the trail far. Stopped at the shooting area. Still snow in places.

The trail was great! Dry along all the technical areas and beautiful. There was a little snow and ice on north side of mountain when leaving the trail but nothing too bad did fine on mudders.

Did not actually run the trail myself but there are reports of heavy equipment (large front-end loader) doing road work in the vicinity of the trail end where it connects to Stewart Gulch, Silver Creek and Dakota Hill. It does not seem to be effecting the trail status (seems to still be open).

I ran pickle gulch to Dakota Hill and out moon gulch with John of Outlaw 923 YouTube channel. We had a blast !! I was in here in May and it was lots of snow and deep ice ruts. I had to turn around less than a half mile in. This point to point was amazing and very beautiful. There were some tight areas for a full size but if you pay attention you can avoid trail damage. Definitely fold in the mirrors if you want them for the trip home. Pinstriping now that's another story. We both got some new ones. Lots of trails in that area to explore in the future.

Fun and scenic. There are options on the trail to take an easier path if you're not comfortable.

Ran it backwards (downhill) from Dakota Hill - Moon Gulch. For some reason I had the rating on my map as an easy trail so it was a bit of a surprise. One of the large wash obstacles had some serious off camber with a 4' sloped wall on the passenger side and we were barely able to sneak by on the edge. Otherwise it would have been a significantly harder obstacle with likely body damage for a stock +2" lift. The rocky obstacle and mogul sections were a fun challenge for driver and spotter.

Except for winter snow conditions, Pickle Gulch is a fairly fun trail. Its not difficult, but it does have some nice views. This is on our recommended trails list for beginners.

Pickle Gulch on July 4 was a great run! The trail was in good shape and dry. There were very few vehicles on the trail. Our group of 6, only had a motorcycle and a side-by-side on the trail with us. A great run. Photo at waypoint 12.

Drove downhill after taking Dakota Hill East up. Didn't realize I had turned down this trail, if I had I would have aired down a lot more. Pretty sure I drove this uphill a couple years back, and the obstacles seem more washed out and rutted now. Would recommend squishy. Some spots might be tight with a wider vehicle, and in the "gradual but rocky ascent" at waypoint 8 a pretty good size boulder rolled onto the side of the trail near the bottom, making it narrower. I chose that path downhill and was happy to have larger tires and clearance. Uphill would be a clincher. Not much water to speak of and no mud. Might be a couple more obstacles now than what's reported on this site. Fun trail.

Road is deteriorated, erosion visible throughout the trail, rutted, and snowcapped past the cabin. It will be at least another month before it clears out. Picture is where we stopped / were unable to continue on. Picture also shows snow accumulation as of May 2 (provided by Gaia). Bypass at mile 1 is way more challenging than the steep hill.

Based on reports from nearby trails, the trail is probably very difficult or impassible due to snow

Per the National Forest Service: FORT COLLINS, Colo (Nov. 9, 2020) – More forest closures are being lifted across the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests as all Stage 3 restrictions are rescinded beginning at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10. Closures will remain in place around areas that experienced wildfire in Grand, Boulder and Larimer counties. These fire areas present a public safety threat as burned trees can fall unexpectedly, hot spots are still burning, and new hazards can be hidden under snow.

Due to extreme fire danger the Ntional Forest Service has temporarily closed all National Forest land in Clear Creek, Jefferson, Gilpin, Boulder, and Larimer counties. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD831612

Hot and dusty today. Very windy with a hint of smoke in the air. Ran this for the first time today solo in a (almost) stock Tacoma on 32s. The pit at WP4 is dry and rock-hard. It looked easier than trying the narrow bypass, so I took it without issue. I wasn't sure about the Hill obstacle at WP6, and my GPX data mentioned the bypass, so I took it. (No indication it was closed. I should have done more research before heading out!) I find it hard to believe the hill is harder than the bypass! It was gnarly. But I made it through the rock climb on the left with a heavy dose of ATRAC.

Took this trail with a few friends and really enjoyed the whole thing. A few slightly challenging sections and a bit tight in areas, but nothing that a stock 4x4 can’t do, especially if you take your time. I ran it in my WK. We also had a KL Trailhawk, and two Taco’s (all stock on 29-31” tires). We had some lunch in a little opening with a nice view, and then took Dakota Hill to Gulch Connector and headed out. Perfect quick trip close to Denver. Can’t wait to take some flat-lander friends & family out next time.

Fun trail. Only issue was the second hill climb at waypoint 8. Very loose rock even with lockers we all had doubts we would get up that section on the right side!

Ran the trail in my f-150, only real issue was the bypass for the hill. A gladiator was having some issues so I elected to take the bypass. Ran out of suspension flex in one part and had to bump through with lower air pressure to get my tires to hook, a locker would have made this much easier for sure. Overall a great trail and a fun trip

The first time for Team Hyke to take this trail. Cold, wet, and misty. It was very cool, in more ways than one. The moisture kept us on our toes. We did this trail along with Michigan Hill and Utah Hill. A fun time, for sure. Someone had run over one of the "No Motor Vehicles" sign, we propped it back up. Please stay on the trail. Did not encounter another vehicle all day.

Very fun and beautiful trail. Once you get up top there are many other trails to explore!

This was a fun rocky, at times technical, scenic trail. Right from the start you're introduced to a rocky narrow path that begins to climb. There are a few technical rock climbs that have alternate easier routes. The trail splits at a couple of spots and you can easily spend the day exploring all the options.

Pickle Gulch is open and turned out to be a good little trail not too far from Denver. This is a good trail for someone just starting out or with a new rig trying to get a feel for it.

Depending on the rig, may be able to get a mile or so in the actual Jeep trail that starts at the campground. There were lifted 4runners (amateur drivers on all-seasons) getting stuck when they slid off the pack. A stock Gladiator made it almost a mile with careful driving. I opted to just snowshoe in for camping overnight than risk truck/ATV in the deeper stuff. Pack off the road got 5-6' deep in areas, making for incredible snow dugout options for shelter overnight. Not so great for driving. Built a fire on a tree by the road that was nearly flush with the snow and let it burn, melted to almost 6' down before it reached the ground beneath. Some of the drifts are deceptively deep. Nearby Missouri Gulch is blocked by a plowed snowberm at Uncle Charlie's.

The trail is icy and snow packed for the duration of the drive, but a well equipped vehicle should be able to make it to the cabin no problem. Beyond that the snow gets very deep very quick. It becomes impassable by deep, hard, off camber snow about halfway between waypoints 11 and 12. Even with our rigs on 40 and 42s, we opted to turn around after sliding off the trail and having to winch several times.

All good to go. Fun trail. A few years ago at the top there was a "shortcut" that went up to the main intersection at the top. That is now closed, but the route around is fun as you go over by the "cabin" and up the tailing pile. I explored the FS roads up top off the left as well...716.1, 713.1...they have a few decent sections but get really narrow the further you go and eventually end up on private property. Just FYI.

Ran this in my mostly stock FJ100 (33s with no lift). We took the more challenging route at every opportunity. Aside from one well-placed, large rock on the hill obstacle (which took 4 tires to get the right angle), all was accomplished without scraping or any other drama. The tail is pretty narrow all the way through with lots of evidence that mirrors were introduced the unsuspecting trees. There are definitely quite a few places were tire placement is important whether because of larger rocks or tippy notches. All in all, the Trails off road rating seems pretty spot on compared to other trails I've run. It should offer a nice test for most stock rigs and newer drivers wanting to step up the challenge. The scenery is nice too. Most of the trail was shaded. There were lots of mushrooms in various types off the side of the road, yellow orange and massive tan monsters. In the less shaded areas the wildflowers were still abundant. If the challenging part of the trail was a little longer I would have rated this 5 stars. It's definitely a great little trail, but I wish it were longer.

I've run this trail twice now, once in a stock 2013 4Runner SR5 and once in a stock 2011 4Runner SR5. This trail is a bit challenging, I scraped a few times and tested the ATRAC through the rock ledge but it climbed right up, no problem. The mine at the end is very cool, my kids loved exploring it.

PLEASE STAY THE TRAIL. This trail has gotten more washed out / difficult in places over the years. When I just ran it I noticed a high number of "new" trails going around the tough sections. People just cutting through the woods to get past the challenge. Do not cut around the difficult sections, if you can't make it up then turn around. Really sad to see how many people haven't stayed the trail in this area. Regardless of that, it is by far one of my favorites close to Denver. The wildflowers are still blooming like crazy up there. There's a good mix of rocky/ rutted sections to keep it fun. A solid moderate trail that is a fun challenge.

The fun starts right out of the gate and continues for ~ 1 mile. After that it's pretty tame. Great fun early on but overly tame further up the hill. Definitely only an Easy-to-Moderate trail. Conditions were perfect.

Fun trail! The climb up the obstacle not nearly as bad as it looks. Explored the mines, I can say when "soupy" take your time around the mines, very easy to slide around. I would call this trail moderate

Ran Pickle Gulch this past weekend and had a blast! The trail is open from beginning to end. Strange that the day after the Summer Solstice that we managed to find some heavy snowfall, some of which was sticking to the ground! Got to love Colorado weather! Awesome time, regardless.

Ran Pickle Gulch to Dakota Hill to Gamble Gulch Connector. Was with a buddy who just purchased a brand new Jeep for a challenging introduction to off-roading, so a good trail for beginners as long as you have someone experienced to walk you through it. Accidentally turned off on the Upper Wide Awake Spur mistaking it for Gamble Gulch Connector and received some severe pinstripes/battle scars, so don't make that mistake if you value your paint job! Never had to engage lockers and only engaged 4-low for a few of the early on obstacles as well. Beautiful scenery!

Had a great time with the family on this trail (6\15\2019)! Some snow drifts remain on secondary trails, but nothing crazy. Ran all the way to apex and took secondary trails back.

Ran this downhill! Lots of articulation great challenge. Did not bottom out stock JL 2 Door Wrangler once. But there are some really good articulation points for a low clearance of longer vehicle

Ran this up to Apex, open all the way. Was my first time on this trail and it didn’t disappoint!!

I ran this trail a day or two after the first few snows in the area and had an absolute blast! It was pretty slick, and I had to winch up the obstacle in waypoint 6, though the much lighter 4Runner that I ran the trail with didn't have any issues at all (I drive a heavy 100-series Land Cruiser). On the way down, some of the snow had melted, creating some pretty muddy conditions, but it was still a blast. Love this trail!

This is by far one of my favorite trails in the Dakota Hill network. In fact, I primarily use it as the main artery to the network. Great obstacles, but nothing that a stock vehicle couldn't tackle (though, I would recommend at least 31" or better yet, 33" tires), awesome views up at the top, and typically some very friendly travelers can be found. Watch your tire placement on the steep rock obstacle at Waypoint 6 - speaking of which, the bypass for that rock obstacle has been closed off - stay the trail, people! Keep your side view mirrors close and get ready for some "Colorado Pinstripes", as this one can get quite narrow. Enjoy!

Ran this today with another jeeper. Dry all the way through with minor mud holes. Fun time. Took all the way through to Apex. The 2 major obstacles are the steep hills with rocks. Easily done locked and low.

Super fun trail! Just enough excitement for a short ride. At the steep rock hill, do not take the bypass on the left yet. My truck is the only one that was able to get up the bypass and I had to engage my crawl control in order to do it. The ground is too soft. My friends backed down to go up the hill. Took them a whole 45 seconds up and way easier than the bypass. I'm thinking the hill is the bypass now!!

Lets go!!! this trail has it all. Have fun on the loose hill at the mine area.

Today was awesome! The snow was melting so the trail was super wet with water running in the two track. We hit snow about 2 miles in and we’re unable to continue. Looks to me like it will be open within a few more weeks. There were multiple attempts at the drifts but no one has been successful at breaking through. Resized_20180415_140717.jpeg

The trail was mostly just some wet dirt and slush, however there were a few spots that I struggled with that had either some deep snow or ice. The top of the trail was impassable as the snow pack was too deep. This is where we ran into an FJ with 35in tires trying to plow through but was unsuccessful. Despite these setbacks, it still made for a great day of wheeling.

I did not actually run this trail but, based on the conditions on nearby trails I am confident that it would currently be difficult to impossible to complete the entire trail due to snow.

Ran the trail this weekend and expected to see some snow from the recent storms, but didn't even see a trace of snow along the trail. It was dry the entire way through. The pit mentioned at waypoint 4 was completely dry and not even a slight challenge. Unlike the pictures in the guide, it is not rutted, fairly smooth, and the exit is a steady incline. It is significantly improved over prior years. The rest of the trail remained unchanged.

Fun trail with some really fun hill climbs and great views when you get out of the trees!

Decided to hit up Pickle Gulch for the first trail of the new year. There were 5 of us in the group this day... The Minion LJ on 37s, another LJ on 35s, a TJ on 37s, a YJ on 37s, and a JK on 35s. At the start of the trail, there was a large ice sheet, but it wasn't hard to get over in the Jeeps. It just made it very slippery when airing down. It wasn't too long before we ran into a downed tree across the trail. Someone had made a small cut in it, but only big enough for a snowmobile or ATV. We pulled out the chainsaw, cleared the tree from the trail and continued on as the first Jeeps up the trail for quite awhile. The hill obstacle described in waypoint 6 was covered in snow but we were able to get every vehicle through it. Shortly after though, just before the clearing, all 5 vehicles had to winch through an uphill snow drift that had a thick layer of ice on the bottom. Once the lead Jeep broke through the layer of powder, there was no traction to be found. Once all 5 vehicles we up, we noticed that the Aspen couch that used to sit in the clearing that someone put together years ago, has been disassembled and used for firewood. This was unfortunate to see as that make-shift-couch made for a very relaxing spot to sit and have lunch. We headed up the next section of steep hills and had to give our winches several more workouts before finally reaching the old cabin in waypoint 11. Beyond this point, the snow was deeper and the hills were just as steep so we decided we had had enough winching on this trail and turned around.