Upper Geneva (Geneva Creek)

This is one of my most favorite trails in Colorado! It is gorgeous! The leaves right now are half turned with some green spots still. It is a great way to take in the fall foliage without all the traffic on Guanella Pass.

Fun trail that is relatively close to Denver. The lower 2/3 of the trail was quite busy and full of camping folks, with many driving a variety of vehicles including sedans that must have no oil pan remaining when they get home. Most of the trail is just bumpy rocks and no big deal, but as others have pointed out there is one larger obstacle between WP 6 and 7 with no bypass that requires some good tire placement and steady foot. That spot is located on a narrow section with a steep drop off on one side, There were no sedans or city SUVs after that point!! I have a stock JLU Rubicon and I scraped a little on the way up over it, but later on the way down I cleared without touching at all. The views at the top of the trail are worth the bumpy ride up. Cool mine ruins and beautiful valley views.

Very cool trail! The GPX and WPs on here are correct. (The area to the south near Geneva Lake [see my question] is closed) Also all of the off-limit trails are CLEARLY marked. It is not possible to accidently drive past these signs, so please stay the trail. I saw a lot of vehicles driving up to the mine summits and continued use of these unauthorized trails will likely result in issues for the trail. There is an obstacle between WP 6 and 7 which is probably the most difficult part, there is no by pass. It's a ~2' or 3' step up. Just use 4L and crawl up it. There is also a mildly tippy section after this obstacle and this whole section from WP 6 is has limited passing. There are 45 marked dispersed camping sites along the trail. The first 20-30 are all mostly accessible by a Subaru, after WP 4 the trail starts to earn its rating. As far as I can tell according to the Clear Creek Ranger District you can only camp in these 45 designated spots, as long as you arrive on trail before noon you should be able to find a spot. This is a fun trail, but its accessibility to Denver makes it very popular.

Drove up 8/14 and camped at the top. Was completely packed the entire drive up, only a single campsite was available before the top of the trail. Getting too much traffic by people who don't realize this is a Jeep road, so had to wait for about half a dozen SUVs to back up just before the end of the trail. Another Jeep who seemed familiar with the trail said it was rougher than in past years. I'd second the vehicle recommendation for this trail. Top was not crowded in the afternoon. Got hailed on, so plan for that possibility.

One of my favorites! This trail never fails to amaze. The flowers were blooming everywhere! My only complaint is that people were really careless about parking near the end at the old city area. Please try not to park in the grass and wildlife...and only in designated areas. Also please obey the signs for no motor vehicles. Really want to protect this beautiful area so we can enjoy it.

We did Geneva on Sunday just because we hadn't been in quite some time. I'm sad to report that that last remaining structure at Sill Mine itself has fallen sometime in the last two years, maybe before July of 2020 based on one of the pictures in the trip report.

This is fun little trail. There are a couple slightly technical spots, but nothing a stock 4x4 and a little experience can't handle. The mine and the views at the top are worth the trip. Took about an hour each way. There is also some great camping opportunities, especially closer to the top. The lower section is pretty much a dirt road that is just lined with easy to access designated camping, but once you get past the crowds, the trail begins to feel more remote.

Fun trail and an excellent place to introduce folks to offroading. Lots of scenery and a cool hike if you're up for it.

Camped at the top of Geneva Creek. Trail and scenery were absolutely stunning as expected!

Was a great ride (on bike) to the top. The last water crossing was probably 12" deep.

Beautiful trail! I've historically camped in various of the 40 dispersed campgrounds on the way up. This time all the spots were full so we had to drive to the top. Glad I did, because I had no idea how beautiful the scenery at the top of this trail really is. I agree with the trail rating of 3, there are only several challenging spots and the water crossings were at most 18" deep, as seen in my video. Make sure to pay attention to the signs, several offshoots on this trail are closed to motor vehicles.

Trial is open all the way to the top. Great day for trail ride.

Gates are open and the trail is open as well. Reported snow just past the melt lake.

The seasonal mud closure is now in effect. This closure is in effect until June 15th, or until conditions are dry enough for the Forest Service to open the gates for the year.

This trail is located at a higher alitude of Colorado and at this time of year should be considered impassable for any regular off-road user. Some people may be able to manage these trails with the correct gear, emergency equipment, and rig. Travel with caution.

These trails are now reopened and the forest closure has cleared. Trails may be impassable due to snowfall.

Special note: Guanella Pass has closed early for the season due to the wildfire situation in Colorado. This trail's status is not impacted by this closure, only access to these trails is now limited. Geneva from the south and Argentine/McCllelen from the north.

I would recommend this trail during the week as opposed to weekends unless you’re camping. The last mile up and down has very limited pull offs. Very possible someone may have to backup a considerable distance. Unlike many tight trails in CO there is no visibility of oncoming vehicles so impossible to anticipate. Probably won’t do that section again on a weekend.

This is great trail for stock vehicles. We did this on a Saturday and it was pretty busy. To give people an idea (I really wouldn't suggest it) but i did see a Subaru at the top... I was shocked and at one point i talked to them asking how the heck they did it, and they said their car was overheating. SO i wouldn't suggest it, but it can be done. I did have to put my stock jeep in 4-low at one point close to the Iron Fens. Once you park at the open section at the top, you can either continue to go to the mine shaft, or you can hike down to the Iron Fens. The Iron Fens was beautiful and wife and pup loved it. Also we did see a Moose and her calf, so keep your dogs on a leach if you go hiking.

Great trail for stock vehicles and beginners! I took my stock 2013 Tacoma TRD-OR up with 265/75R16 BFG KO2s. Aired down at the beginning, and used 4LOW for two sections after the Fens. Lots of people camping down low, prior to the Iron Fens. After WP-6 there were only a few campers, mountain bikers and a dirt biker. Also, folks, please remember - UPHILL driver has right of way (talking to you, F-250 driver)

My wife and I took my stock 2020 LandCruiser up the trail and really enjoyed it. The LC never had any issues on the trail definitely a good trail for a stock rig.

Made it to what was Geneva City. A few structures and the remnants of a mine. Very cool views and structures. I would say this trail is on the harder side of moderate. The harder part is past the iron fens cutoff road. Geneva City is behind a hill once you get to the last 'designated campsite' opposite the remains of a log cabin. No room to pass another car past the Iron fens from what I remember.

I ran this trail with a few family members, they were driving a Toyota Highlander, Chevy Suburban w/o 4 low, and a Chevy Yukon w/ 4 low. The Suburban was the only vehicle that struggled at both the stream crossing and what I’d call the one rock obstacle on the trail. He took a few attempts to get over each. The Highlander took some damage to the ‘skid plate’ underneath. It looks like it is made of fiberglass. Everyone loved the views and the mines at the top.

Spent the night at one of the many dispersed camp sites along geneva creek road , then went up the rest of the way to geneva city. It was beatuiful little city with cool old mine ruins to explore. I would recommend it not a hard trail and it was a good day trail out and back.

Awesome trail, lots of great puddles to plow through. Stock 95 chevy k2500, with oversized tires

My first trail and loved it. Not very technical. Great views at Geneva city and a couple cool water crossings. Also the iron fens are well worth the short hike.

Beautiful scenery and the walk to the iron fens is worth doing. There’s also avalanche damage you walk through that’s really impressive. The road itself is very rough, Rocky, and narrow in parts. There’s one steep section just after the iron fens. You for sure want to air down. At the top there’s a tranquil lake and some old miner buildings. Lots of camping along the lower part of the trail.

Went up in the rail and sleet. It was passable but turned around just after the big avalanche. The weather was not getting better. I will return to get to the summit.

Just went to the Iron Fens but it was dusty and dry up until that point. The hike to the Fens was about 1.25 miles which was longer than we were expecting but worth it!

Good trail, but very very busy. There are ~40 marked campsites between waypoints 2 and 3. The road is essentially a dirt road at this point, so everyone and their mother can make it here. Past the private property it gets *slightly* more technical, but I use that term lightly. Overall it's very easy and doable in any vehicle with high clearance. Ran this in a lifted Tundra w/ no issues. For the best camping, go all the way to waypoint 7, but remember to stay on the trail. When I visited I could see recent tracks of people going on clearly marked closed trails. Also made the walk to the iron fens, it's about 2.5 miles out and back, definitely worth it!

I removed the old highlight picture as it was taken at Sill Mine before it was closed. This picture is a reminder to please stay the trail and walk up to the mine if you'd like to see it up close now.

Made it all the way to the top today! Thanks to whoever cleared the drift! This was a super fun trail with beautiful views at the top! YES! PLEASE DO NOT DRIVE TO THE MINE. Two pick-up trucks totally did not follow the signage. Sad to see such disrespect! There is plenty of parking at the end of the trail and the walk to the mine is not bad.

Tried to reach the top last week but snow was too deep but a week later it was enough we were able to get three Jeeps up pass the snow drift. Shortly after we were able to break through the drift, two full size trucks tried to get by and ended up sliding off the trail. We were able to winch back to the trail. Unfortunately one guy took off and drove up passed the no motor vehicle sign to the mine. Remember to stay the trail and follow all posted signs!

The trail is impassable due to lingering snow just past waypoint 7. Another week or two and it should be okay.

Ran the trail today and it was beautiful out! Made it to Waypoint 7 and there is still snow blocking the road to the mine. It will probably be a few more weeks until this is melted off as it was about 3-4ft deep. Definitely check out the Iron Fens

Trail is now open and passable till waypoint 7 and the 2 campsites located up there. (They are marked by the way so they are legal). I missed the turn to go up to waypoint 8, but remember seeing that turn. I didn't have the map downloaded so I thought that was a turn up to a campsite as it's not well marked. But it was dry. We busted through the avalanche and several other drifts near the top. In a couple days you won't even know we made first tracks today. Road was dry and snow free most of the way.

Got up to Jackwacker Falls and moped out in my van. Spoke with a guy in a Tacoma coming back down through there. He said an avalanche made the trail impassible near the iron fens.

I was in the area hiking and decided to stop by and see what this trail was looking like. Every camp site was full and a lot of traffic. Once I hit campsite 28 I asked some drivers coming down how far they got. They reported the gate at waypoint 3 was open but it wasnt too far after that the road became impassable due to snow. Also note that Gaunella Pass is still closed because Clear Creek County is still refusing to let non-county residents drive on roads maintained by Clear Creek County. Apparently the mere act of driving on a road in the middle of nowhere (probably paid for in part by all of us CO residents) will endanger their residents.

Closed till mid June due to mud season. As of March 29th, you could make it to campsite 25th with a built rig, or a 4x4 ATV on good tires. Beyond that, turned into off-camper pack close to 3' deep that was dense enough to walk on even without snowshoes. Pack and ruts extremely erratic; some pack would hold the 1,200lbs of my ATV and myself riding, other was soft sugar snow that would leave you buried in two feet of powder. Melting fast with the N/S facing valley exposure, however. Should be accessible to near the Iron Fens by the time it re-opens. Nearby Bruno Gulch is open, but some of the drifts on the road are extremely deep and rotten, leading to stuck vehicles. If you can clear the open field area to the first turn that goes behind a ridge, a good 4x4 should have easy access to the first few numbered camping sites (see last two photos)

This is a review of the trail, NOT the camping spots or the views (which happen to be amazing). The trail itself is brutal...not because of it's difficulty, but because of how INCREDIBLY rocky it is. The truth is, it's boring, there are no technical areas (I did 95% of the trail in 2wd), it's just simply a boulder and rock filled road. The only time you may need 4wd is the very end because of the steepness. If you're concerned mostly about good views or camping, this is a fine choice. If you're looking for a challenging, fun off-road trail, look elsewhere.

Clear to the top. Fall colors are just about done for this area; definitely past prime. Handful of hunters, and a couple of campers, in the area. Hiked to the iron fens while there. A dirt bike of some kind ignored the gate, and multiple signs, and not only drove up to the fens, but drove over them, and continued up the mountain in one of the creeks feeding the area... all based on the fresh tracks left behind. Very disappointing to see. Please stay the trail!

The broken down 4Runner is gone! I thought it would be a permanent monument to this trail but it’s actually gone! Anyway, fun trail as always with good views. Somebody drove their dirt bike all over the iron fens... very disappointing and irresponsible but I'm personally seeing more and more dirt bikes doing stupid things like riding off trail.

Fun trail not all that hard, but lots are great views. Caught it on a really foggy morning, but Good fall colors and there is something eerie and beautiful about the avalanche slide area. If you do go definitely its worth the 30 mins hike to the Iron Fens. Was luckily enough to spot another family during our hike.

I enjoyed the trail and there was some great scenery along the way and at the top. I’d give the trail a 2-3 for difficulty, there were really only 2 spots that required 4wd, I imagine that an AWD vehicle with decent clearance could make it but you would need careful tire placement in those spots. The broken-down 4Runner is still there. There is now a sign up that says no motor vehicles that stops you a couple hundred yards from the mines so be ready for a short hike if you want to see them.

Easy enough trail for a stock 4x4. Saw a couple AWD crossovers on the trail, but they seamed like they were having a rough go of it. Tons of great dispersed camp sites, I think ~40 in total (must camp only in marked areas), plus a mediocre developed campground at the entrance (no trash facilities - pack your stuff out). Even if you're just looking for a spot to spend the night, its worth going well up the trail because the sites only get better and more secluded as you go farther in. We found a nice spot just past the waterfall with tons of wild raspberries in the meadow above the campsite. Early afternoon on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend it was busy, but there were a few open sites. The traffic on the trail was almost unbearable though as there isn't room to pass for much of it and there plenty of people going in both directions. Unfortunately, I didn't know about the iron fens or the ghost town at the top of the trail, so I only made it as far as the small lake, which was almost dry. There are spectacular views throughout the drive. I would recommend this trail whether you're looking for a fun afternoon drive or a nice place to camp. It would make a nice place to camp before hiking at Guanella Pass/Mt. Bierstadt. There are also a couple trailheads along the road, but I didn't explore them.

Visited this trail with a couple other lifted Subarus on 08/24/19. Sadly, we did not go all the way to the mines, as the most recent (2018) MVUM I could find showed the trail ending quite before the mines, and we were not sure if this trail report reflects this change to the MVUM, but we decided to play it safe and turn around just in case. Overall, great views, lots of designated dispersed camping along the lower section of the road, which was slam packed Friday evening, but about half of them were open Saturday morning. Trail was easy enough, but for our high-geared, fairly low clearance cars, the section past way point 6 was a bit challenging, and one of the cars overheated their CVT. If the rest of the trail is truly open all the way as indicated on this report, we are definitely going back to complete it.

Fun narrow trail with excellent views and access to Iron Fens (small hike to get to it)

Tried going to the top 8-1-19 closed as the others posted. (mile 3-4) then I found this site 😁 Hopefully it opens soon.

Road up to the same mile marker as the others. Still closed. Man it was an awesome day and the snow on top of the mountain was minimal. UPDATE: 07-31-2019 Yep ... just called ... avalanche debris ... They plan to clean it up soon.

We received this report on Geneva: "Called South Platte Ranger District and they said the road is open until the 4.0-mile mark, where the gate is still closed. There is still dispersed camping available, but you can't proceed any further up the road."

Hoped to be able to see the Iron Fens today. The trail was open so things were looking good until we got to checkpoint 3. Right before the checkpoint there are a lot of logs on the sides of the trail like there may have been an avalanche or something during winter. Once at the checkpoint there was a gate with a sign reading Road Closed with a forest service logo on it. May check back in a month or so and hopefully it'll be open the rest of the way. Hopefully it's not a permanent closure. Long harsh winter probably had something to do with it.

Gates are still closed. There is an electronic sign on Guanella Pass near Grant indicating its closed as well.

We attempted on 6/1 and gate was still closed, however could not see any snow past the gate so we take that as a good sign it will be open soon. We ended spending the night up Bruno gulch rd witch was open.

We stopped by the trailhead now that Guanella is open for the season. There is snow just inside the gate and based on how much snow was on the top of Guanella Pass, it will be some time before this trail is passable much more than a mile in.

If you just wanna find some snow to plow this is the trail for you during the winter months. I couldn't even get to waypoint three before I got high-centered in the snow. there is a good mile or two of trail before this point which was still super fun though. Getting to the end of this trail will be impossible during the winter months, but still could be fun if you're just trying to find snow.

Fun trail that still had fall colors on it. The broken down/abandoned Toyota 4Runner is still blocking the road but you can drive around it. The Forest Service is working on finding a way to tow it out because the owner still hasn't done so. Hopefully that car gets removed soon. The last 100 yards up to the Sill Mine are marked as no vehicles but fresh tracks show not everyone is following the rules unfortunately.

Rode our ATV all the way to the Sill Mine. You have to walk the last few hundred yards as previously noted but well worth the ride up. The Fall colors were spectacular. Only a few other vehicles on the trail despite the gorgeous weather, The vehicle with the broken axle is still there unfortunately but easy to go around it. Highly recommend this fun trail!

The Sill Mine is now closed to vehicle traffic. There are clear signs as to where motorized traffic is allowed and not. This Trail Review is to archive the photos for what was the end of the trail last year.

We finally got out to Geneva and just in time for the leaves to start changing. W spent the day getting chased by thunder and rain but it was a Friday and the traffic was very light making for a nice day on the trail for us. There is a vehicle blocking the trail with what appears to be a broken front axle. Hopefully, the owner gets back to it before the busy weekend.

All of the mines and summits are now closed to motor vehicles. Signs are permanent and many are staked in the middle of the trail. There is no indication that you cannot walk up to these things, but the mine that is pictured in the highlights section is now closed to vehicle traffic at the bottom of the hill.

I absolutely love this trail. Me and my family primitive camp here. It has some awesome views. The trail is very rocky and sometimes it’s hard to let people pass trail is narrow most of the way. It would be hard for a large group to stay together. But other wise one of my favorites.

We did Geneva just to see how far we found get. We got to just past campsite four and turned back from the snow. The trail is packed snow and ice about a mile and a half in. Proceed with caution.

Went up Argentine, McClellan Mountain and Upper Geneva for a final trip report for the season. It looks like they have added a new parking lot for the Shelf Lake Walking Trail. It is located between campsites 29 and 30 and clearly marked. This will be added as a waypoint as soon as trailsoffroad can run this trail in the spring but you can't get lost in the meantime. There also appears to be an additional summit trail forming off the road to Geneva City. Just like the rest of the trails on the right side of the trail after waypoint 7, this is unauthorized and going up it risks closure of the entire trail. This will also be added as a waypoint next season to avoid on your trip. There is snow and ice accumulating on the trail. If the forecast holds, the trail will be impassable in some places without the proper gear and will likely be snowed in for the season about three weeks earlier than normal. We expect that will be the last time we can get all the way through to Geneva City until next summer. If you want to see it, get out there asap! There is some snow on the trail and ice in places. Get out early while the sun is out to avoid getting stucks. The Duratracs didn't seem to mind the snow and ice, but street tires at street pressure made slip more.

Trail in good condition to 4-way intersection (waypoint 7). Didn't run past this point due to failing light. Road clear of snow and trees. Walking Trail to Iron Fens has scattered snow coverage, with small drifts up to 12" deep in spots.

We went up Geneva to get away from the crowds and see some fall colors. The trail was largely empty. We've been keeping an eye on the buildings. We're hoping that the large building at the Sill Mine site makes it through the winter. The small cabin collapsed over the winter and was starting to fall. It looks like a few have used fallen timbers to help prop the building up a little. It may last, but not for many more seasons.

The trail is confirmed open all the way to the city. Both the Ranger confirmed this in person and new signs at the beginning of the trail indicate the trail does go all the way. The old mines and lake on the right of the four-way intersection are off-trail and not considered legal. The Forest Service is determining how to enforce this going forward. If you go all the way to the city, make sure to not disturb the mine ruins and buildings. They are private and delicate structures.

All routes and way points seemed to be open. Trail was in good condition aside from a large mud bog at the top near way point 7. Please stay the trail folks!

The trail is open all the way to Geneva City and the trail is still rather wet. Previous concerns about this trail not being open past the Iron Fens have been answered by checking with the Forest Service and verifying the newer maps on the trailhead itself. The trail writeup here will be updated by Monday with this information. The summit's remain closes and you can only legally go to the city and back. No vehicle climbing past there or around there.

Went to this trail with my family. There's some really beautiful views if you look for them :) And as suggested in this trail write-up, this trail was perfect for a stock vehicle such as my stock Jeep Grand Cherokee named Rocky! She only has 8.5" of ground clearance and it was perfect for her! It offered really great challenges, some water crossings, and decent obstacles to really challenge stock vehicles. It is quite the rocky trail though so be prepared for a rough ride and to take it slow if you have tires that aren't aggressive or have street-oriented AT's like my Grand Cherokee does. Definitely recommend this trail and it's really fun!

We got stopped by a snow drift before the city itself. We expected a lot more melt by now, but the snow is hard packed and icy underneath. It's melting, but it may be a few weeks before it's really passable by vehicle here. We did see some foot traffic going around the drift. We stopped and talked with the Rangers we had run into on Beaver Creek. They were out there with the Sheriff giving tickets for off-trail usage. We discussed where the end of this trail is since there seems to be some conflicting information. Two things we have to note. The two summits at Waypoints, 8, 9, & 10 are CLOSED and not authorized trails. You should not travel these. This page will be updated soon to match that information. The South Platte MVUM ends just before the old Iron Fens entrance. The Rangers indicated the trail was open to the old city, but not the summits. We've sent some messages to try and get a better idea of what's going on with this trail. Be aware that if you go past Waypoint 7, you may encounter unmarked, private property.

Open until the first 'lake' of runoff water. Roughly close to 6 miles in. None of the summit areas were accessible and we had to winch at least once to get out of a drift. The snow is thick and will swallow your vehicle. The road to Geneva City is snowed in with 3-5 feet worth of drift blocking it. At this time, it's safe to assume that everything above the treeline is inaccessible at this time. We will be back in the next 14 days for another status update. The snow in the sun is melting very fast compared to when we were there last so I'm hopeful we'll get further.

Went up to the Iron Fens. Road was in good condition the whole way. The two river crossings were going pretty good from the snow melt, but nothing crazy. I did see people coming down form the mines up above as well. Stock TRD OR Tacoma. Saw a lot of Subarus just past the first river crossing as well.

Only went to campsite 26 marker as last person indicated to scout some camping sites. However, I did not see any sign of snow at this elevation or anywhere in the immediate area. Snow was about another 700ft or so up the mountains. Road was in good condition. Had no problem up to this point in stock TRD OR Tacoma.

Still too much snow. We got stopped at campground 26, about 3.8 miles in. 2.9 miles or so in is impassable by stock vehicles and 4-5 drifts start here. We continued with our two rigs to the 3.8 mile mark and turned around for safety. Drifts past this point covered most of the trail and areven in excess of 5-6 feet.

Trail is easily passable with my stock dodge 1500, as of right now the first incline nearest the 1st marked campground has over 3 feet of snow and ice, high centered my truck and had to be pulled out, will update at a later time when road is passable again. -cheers

Snow turned us back at about 10,000ft just after the well marked private cabin. We had two rig but the snow drifts ahead looked ominous so we turned back. Didn't look like it had been travelled past there since the last snow.

Good trail day with no significant weather, though it got cloudy towards the end of the day. Not much snow though there was some areas that had snow across the entire trail. We were there from roughly noon until five and ran into a few hikers and only one other wheeler. Nothing special to report about the trail itself. Appears in the same condition as when visited last.

We ran this back in July. Nearly the entire trail is dry other than the creek itself. All but one area of run-off that pools was found today. We did some leaf-peeping on this trail today, a decent amount below the tree line, but not much past the 10,000K mark. It's mostly Evergreens at this point, but still beautiful at this time of year.

Trail was in good shape, though this was our first run on it. Solid run with no issues to report other than we found a large sat dish used for target practice and had to pull that off the trail. Please remember to pack out what you pack in, that includes targets for shooting. Based on pictures I've seen around the web, it looks like what very little is left of Geneva City is almost gone. The solid cabin above may last another couple of decades, but the main building near the mine (behind the yellow Jeep) is just a shell now and will likely fall with a tough winter.