Democrat Mountain Road

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4.5/5 (27 reviews)
Empire, Colorado (ClearCreek County)
Last Updated: 07/26/2023

Trail Information

Highlights

Steeped in the rich mining history near Georgetown, CO, Democrat Mountain Road presents an exhilarating offroad challenge. This trail instantly pulls you into a relentless 2600-foot ascent, and your journey weaves past remnants of mining ruins, silently recounting tales of the silver rush here. The trail unfolds with rewarding views of Leavenworth Creek Mountain and Alpine Peak, and inviting camping spots are tucked between all along the way, providing peaceful retreats. Democrat Mountain Road is a harmonious blend of history, adventure, and natural beauty, appealing to all outdoor recreation enthusiasts.


Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

4.5/5 (27)
Open
Rated 4/5
Visited: 08/09/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Good trail. If you are used to 4-rated trails, want something a little challenging without going up a level, this would be a good one. Except probably on a weekend. I'm not sure how people pass each other - fortunately I was the only one on the trail this afternoon. Continuously rocky, narrow in spots and pretty unrelenting. One of the challenges is just keeping your concentration. This is the sort of trail you could blast through in a decent rig and think 'ha, easy'. Or, in the same rig, you could hit a rock at the wrong angle at the wrong time and end up in a tree or off the trail. I've been bounced off a trail before, I took it slow and avoided any heart palpitations.
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Official Crew
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123000
Open
Visited: 07/24/2023

The last couple of years have been rough on this guy! The rocks are more pronounced than in previous years and I've added new Waypoints to help with the rating and description as well as an overall refresh to the guide. I still love this trail, but without the scenic offshoots at the top, it's a hard sell for me to make a trip just for this one.
Trail Review: Democrat Mountain Road - JD Marshall
Trail Review: Democrat Mountain Road - JD Marshall
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Official Crew
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123000
Open
Visited: 07/17/2023

Trails should be passable by this time. Most snow has melted. Be cautious if you encounter any lingering snow.
Open
Rated 4/5
Visited: 05/29/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

A good snow drift around waypoint 5 that was yet to be pushed through, but according to guide that appears to be about the end of the trail anyway. Snow drifts spotty between waypoints 3 and 5. Had to pick lines pretty carefully in quite a few places in a stock Gladiator between waypoints 2 and 3 and the skid plates got some work.
Trail Review: Democrat Mountain Road - John Huston
Trail Review: Democrat Mountain Road - John Huston
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4550
Impassable
Rated 5/5
Visited: 01/06/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

I ran up on this trail knowing it was impassable but I wanted to see where it started it was recon for 2023. I went up to the shelf road and found snow and ice. If a mistake was made here you would end up on i70 below about 700 feet down and it's a serious wrap. I walked ahead and was very impressed from what I saw after that i backed down. Next spring this bad boy is gonna go down.
Trail Review: Democrat Mountain Road - Iceman 99
Trail Review: Democrat Mountain Road - Iceman 99

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