Water, this Jeep trail is for those who like to splash through the water. Situated adjacent to the Red River Ski Resort, the trail will treat you to the benefits of all the snow melt. It is not a long trail but allows you to play in the water, in fact the trail forces you to play in the water! Pioneer Creek steps up the water play by having the creek run directly down the trail for more than a quarter of the length of the trail. With the trailhead located in downtown Red River and being relatively short, it is a perfect trail for those with a tight schedule but a desire to explore the Carson National Forest.
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At the Highway 38 and Pioneer Street junction in Red River, turn south towards the Red River Ski Resort. Follow the street for 0.2 miles before the road curves to the right, just before the Red River Ski Resort Parking lot. Less than a 0.1 mile from the curve is the trailhead on the left, marked by a sign stating "Forest Access Road 485 Pioneer Creek".
I ran this trail in my stock Cherokee Trailhawk. No issues. Ran into a couple water crossings. Not a lot of water flowing down the trail yet. Very quiet, and lots of exploring to be done.
The Trails have been reopened to vehicle travel. Travel is limited by downed trees from Dec 2021. These trails are being cleared by volunteers so conditions will change daily.
Correction to the Stage 2 Closures: The Motorized off highway vehicle trails are some of the off shoot trails that are specifically Dirt Bike, Side By Side trails. At this time the main trails are still open, albeit most still have trees down from the December storm. At Stage 3 closure, all trails become closed to all access.
Carson National Forest has entered Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. Stage 2 fire restrictions prohibit campfires, smoking in certain instances, welding or other torch uses and driving off the roadway, including for hunting and fuelwood gathering activities. Motorized off-highway vehicle trails will be closed and operating a chainsaw or other internal-combustion device will not be allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Red River sustained major wind damage in December 2021. This caused massive treefall on most of the trails. The local Club Red River Offroad Coalition has been working to clear thousands of trees on the trails around Red River, this will be an ongoing project. Expect to find trails blocked by downed trees.
Did this trail with my TW200 during a beautiful week over the summer. Stunning vistas and great way to move through the territory with ease and deliberation. Highly recommend!
Carson National Forest Questa District is currently under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions meaning no fires of any kind including smoking and spark arrestors on all vehicles
Carson National Forest Questa District is currently under Stage 3 Fire Restrictions meaning no access of any kind until December 31, 2018 or until Rescinded
The Carson National Forest- Questa District still has a Stage 2 Fire Restriction in place. This means absolutely no campfires or smoking outside of a vehicle. It is necessary to be very careful with anything that could create a spark. This district is currently one of the very few in the state that even allows access into the forests at this time. Keeping a fire extinguisher available is ideal.
There is currently a large fire burning in between Ute Park and Cimarron NM. At this time Red River is not affected, nor expected to be affected. Smoke is a possibility. The Carson National Forest -Questa District that covers the Red River area is still open. There is a Stage 2 Fire Restriction at this time, so be very careful and keep a fire extinguisher with you. Absolutely no camp fires allowed!
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My first vehicle was a 1987 Isuzu Trooper, as a sixteen year old that meant mudding behind the local lake. After cracking the transfer case in half I almost traded it for a 1970 El Camino, boy would my life had turned out differently! Instead I went down the rabbit hole of classic Chevrolet Blazers, until one night in Hot Springs, Arkansas I was introduced to rock crawling with Jeeps. As I sat there completely vertical, staring straight up the hood of an old CJ7 at the stars above, I knew I had to have a Jeep. So in the summer of 2001 I found "Goldie" sitting brand new on the local lot, no one wanted her because she was a four cylinder and therefore sat on the lot for a year. She took me all over Arkansas during college, and slowly grew as did my driving skills. When you are working with two (to four) cylinders less than the rest of the guys, it takes a little more gas pedal and finesse. I became a believer in driving my rig, wheeling it hard, which sometimes meant a trail side repair, but then driving it home. That little gold Jeep is still sitting in my garage, and still with a four cylinder engine, it has driven me all over the United States and created excitement for me and spectators for over 16 years now. There have been a few more Jeeps added to the roster, because sometimes you need a spare, but I am a firm believer that knowing your rig and your own skills will take you farther than most people believe.
In the summer of 2007 I moved to Telluride, Colorado. My friend needed a caretaker for his cabin for a month while he was working in Alaska, so it seemed like a great opportunity to experience the Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, his soon to be ex-girlfriend decided she was going to move back into the cabin with her new boyfriend. I was left homeless with all my friends worldly possessions. Lucky for me he was a mountain guide with lots of cool camping gear. My new boss told me it was fairly common in mountain towns to have experiences like that and suggested that I just camp for a week until I could find a new place to live. Well that week turned into five months, as I went to work during the day and returned to my tent at night. I was the first one to make it into the ghost town of Alta that year, winching myself through the snow and pitching my tent next to the building that Nikola Tesla used for his first commercial use of electricity. It was a great summer, just me and my pet wolf experiencing Mother Nature at its finest. "Overlanding" wasn't a common term in the USA at that point, and my gear wasn't very fancy so I guess I was still officially camping, but it did instill a passion that grew into Overland Expedition Specialists LLC.
Maybe some day there will be a new phrase to describe it, but I think we can be both Rock Crawlers and Overlanders. If you are out there exploring, call yourself anything you want, just remember to always Tread Lightly!
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