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Long Draw Road
Gould,
Colorado
(Larimer County)
Last Updated:
08/15/2023
Trail Information
Highlights
One could consider this the origin of the Grand Canyon. Long Draw Road leads to where the Colorado River begins its magnificent 1450-mile-long journey through the southwest United States and Mexico. Long Draw Road lies along the northern edge of the Rocky Mountain National Park at the continental divide in northcentral Colorado. Beautiful and rugged mountain views are abundant as you travel near three wilderness areas, Comanche Peak, Never Summer, and Neota Wilderness. At the road’s end, there is plenty of room to park and then hike about one-half mile to the headwaters of the Colorado River and a little further to the ghost mining town of Lulu City. Make sure you have your camera along for this adventure.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
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Tim Palmer
Official Crew
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Trail Reviews
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/29/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Nice views, and smooth dirt road. Note, there is currently a construction project at Corral Creek, they built in a "detour" that allows access to the rest of the road. They had this signed at the entrance off of 14, so you'll want to make sure it's still advertised as passable there. We saw a couple of moose, so keep your eyes peeled.
Watch for construction traffic (concrete truck in our case) on the blind turns.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/27/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
This was the first time I had visited the area since the Cameron Peak Fire in 2020. Wow, has it changed. The fire has ravaged large portions of the forest. Luckily, however, most areas where camping is available were untouched. Long Draw Road is always in good shape and crews were out grading the road today. Even during the middle of the week, most campsites were filled. It's easy to see why. While the temperature was in the mid 90's in the valley, the high altitude allowed nature's air conditioning to keep it a relaxing 77 degrees for a high.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/02/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Very scenic on the drive that lead up to USFS 156 and once you’re actually on the trail, the scenery does not disappoint. While not technical, the trail crisscross river, burnt trees, forest and multiple campsites. Take the option trail, it’s worth it if you have the time. The single track, while not difficult offers a nice break from the wide service road.
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Open
Visited: 12/03/2021
Per the Canyon Lakes Ranger Service, this road is still open. Some designated camping sites are closed however.
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 12/01/2021
Closed for the season! See you in 2022!
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