Kelly Flats

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4.8/5 (58 reviews)
Rustic, Colorado (Larimer County)
Last Updated: 11/21/2023

Trail Information

Highlights

Camping Category Icon Camping
Forest Category Icon Forest
Rock Category Icon Rock
Water Category Icon Water

Situated above the Poudre Canyon in the Arapaho National Forest, Kelly Flats is a scenic, rugged, and challenging 4x4 trail offering steep ascents and descents, rock obstacles, water crossings, lush meadows, and picturesque mountain views. This trail can prove unnerving for beginning off-road drivers, as well as challenge even the most seasoned veteran. Gather your buddies, grab your recovery gear, and head out to this extremely popular trail.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Kelly Flats is a straight-through trail that can be run in either direction but is most commonly run starting at the Poudre Canyon, Highway 14. The trail starts out extremely rough for the first mile with a rocky ascent, followed by several small sections of protruding rock, passing a few camping spurs, and approaching the daunting Heart Attack Hill obstacle. This steep hill climb is peppered with large, loose rocks, and traction can be extremely difficult. Lifting a tire off the ground on occasion can certainly be expected while traversing this dangerous hill.

After conquering the hill climb, the trail mellows out considerably and passes through private property, before entering national forest again and offering an optional rock crawling obstacle known as "The Chutes", halfway through the trail. The last 5 miles of trail trek through thick pine forest and open meadows, crossing several rocky descents, a few mud pits, and a couple of stream crossings.

This trail is best suited for modified vehicles. Factory vehicles driven by an experienced off-road driver, and equipped with lockers and winches, could safely complete this trail with minimal undercarriage damage.

Trail Reviews

4.8/5 (58)
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Official Crew
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137550
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 11/20/2023

Seasonal closure is now in effect for this trail.
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1000
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 08/08/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

The trail is in good condition and the mud was not too deep and easily passable with my stock Bronco on 35" tires. I only hit the skids on one occasion going over the apex of Heart Attack Hill, which I did not find to be too difficult going slowly and carefully. I did not run the Chutes but walked them instead, and they are passable by appropriately equipped vehicles.
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200
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 07/10/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Great trail! Muddy due to all the rain but doable. Most deep mud holes have bypasses. There is approximately a 2’ deep “pond” you have to cross towards the end. People had difficulty going up the chutes due to not having traction but this has a bypass. The wet trail added a little more pucker, but overall very fun.
Trail Review: Kelly Flats - Corey
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Official Crew
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137550
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 07/04/2023

The back half of this trail has changed a lot over the past few years. I haven't been since before the fire, so I am not sure if that has played a role in the mud hole creations, or if it's just a case of the west spring we had, but there is a ton of water and mud currently on this trail. Be prepared for it, and if you can't get through, turn around!!! Stop creating bypasses just because you aren't prepared for the trail. this goes for the first rock obstacle too. Still a great day on the trail and I really enjoyed this trail.
Trail Review: Kelly Flats - Ryan Boudreau
Trail Review: Kelly Flats - Ryan Boudreau
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Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 07/01/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

I love this trail because of the variety of challenge and easy going parts. I've ran it several times but, this last time it seems to have gotten more challenging because of the washouts from the rain. I used to be able to go right up HAH but now, I have to think about line more. The very top where the concrete section is has washed out significantly at the bottom. Unfortunately, people have created bypasses at the two mud pits that are difficult to get through without winching (at least on 7/1). They also put tons of logs and branches in one of them to try to get through.
Trail Review: Kelly Flats - Michele Strough
Trail Review: Kelly Flats - Michele Strough

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