Deer Creek

4.9/5 (42 reviews)
Montezuma, Colorado (Summit County)
Last Updated: 10/30/2022

Trail Information

Highlights

Deer Creek 4WD trail is the easiest of the trails heading out of Montezuma. It works its way south up the valley and summits at the Continental Divide, connecting with a few other popular 4WD trails in the high alpine tundra.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

4.9/5 (42)
Official Crew
37200
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 10/30/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

I ran up to somewhere between waypoints 6 and 7 where the trail is narrow in the trees. There was packed snow starting back in Montezuma. By the time I turned around the snow was a few inches deep. It was not the depth of the snow that turned me around, it was the ice underneath. When I started sliding sideways toward trees, I called it and turned around. There will be more snow higher up. So, is the trail passable? Not by me, but maybe by someone else.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 10/17/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Ran Saints John and Deer Creek with detour to top of Radical Hill then back down to Montezuma. Almost no snow/ice anywhere, though a little more in a few spots on the Deer Creek side; no issues, just got the 4Runner a little dirty. Stopped for a bit to photograph pika in their talus habitat, getting ready for winter. The water breaks sure made for a rollercoaster feel to the trail. Only scraped hitch once on one of them.
Official Crew
37200
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 09/11/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

The USFS is working on trails in this area. On Sunday, 9/11/22, we found about a half-dozen new water breaks from just before Radical Hill to the end of the trail. These water breaks are HUGE, 4 or 5 feet tall, but they are not "sharp" so no need to worry about scraping trucks with bad break-over angles. I assume they are working their way down the trail toward Montezuma, so expect more of the unexpected. (By the way, they're also working on Saints John and it has really changed the "flavor" of that trail. See my trail review there.)
Open
Visited: 08/19/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

On the "easy" side of "moderate". This is a great trail for a less experienced Jeeper. However, at the top you have to decide whether to take Sts. John or Radical Hill back to Montezuma, or Middle Fork or North Fork down to Tiger Road in Breck. Of those 4 options, Middle Fork is the easiest way down.
3600
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 08/14/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Nice trail out of Montezuma through the trees to the top. Beautiful 360 degree views. Made it all the way to top and checked out some of the connecting trails. Overlooked Radical Hill and Webster Pass. Could see Red Cone in the distance.

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