Picayne and Placer Gulches

4.7/5 (19 reviews)
Silverton, Colorado (SanJuan County)
Last Updated: 10/23/2022

Trail Information

Highlights

Picayne and Placer Gulches 4wd trail is a gorgeous route offering scenic vistas of the San Juan Mountains and traverses an area rich with mining history. This area provides gorgeous wild flowers in the peak season of late July/ early August which enhances the already spectacular vistas found in all directions. Some of the best preserved mine structures in Colorado can be found along this trail. The Sound Democrat Mill is one of the finest examples and still possesses all of its machinery in place, from its stamp batteries to its Wilfley tables. This allows visitors the ability to see step by step how precious minerals were processes out of the raw ore that entered the mill. More information on the process of gold mining can be found here.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

4.7/5 (19 reviews)
Official Crew
27400
Impassable
Visited: 10/23/2022

A recent winter storm in the Ouray/ Silverton area has dropped a measurable amount of snow and high winds have been in the area. Some high country routes in the area may be passable but high country travel is not recommended.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 09/18/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Final leg of the group trail run today. Trail rating is spot on. Keep an eye open for oncoming traffic. Spotted a fox sitting on some boards near the entrance to the road leading to the mill.
Official Crew
27400
Open
Visited: 06/16/2022

Announced as open per San Juan County
100
Partially Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 05/18/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Drove up to waypoint 3 and hit patches of snow. Turned around and drove to waypoint 5 without issue. Road looks clear above waypoint 5. SJC plowing between waypoint 4 and 5 on May 18th. Should be fully clear in the next week or so.
Official Crew
27400
Impassable
Visited: 10/12/2021

Weather Forecasts for the San Juan Mountains call for a significant amount of snow in the coming days. Although some routes may be open, travel over these high mountain passes in winter conditions are not advised.

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