Silver Jack Reservoir

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4.3/5 (18 reviews)
Ridgway, Colorado (Ouray County)
Last Updated: 05/24/2023

Trail Information

Highlights

Just a little way north and east of Ridgeway Colorado, after the Owl Creek Trail, you will find that the Silver Jack Reservoir trail is a fantastic way to experience Colorado's high forest, Chapparal, and High desert terrain types. If you are looking for a great place to look at mature Spruce, Aspen, and Box Alder trees, lots of good camping opportunities and plentiful stream or lake fishing, this is the right trail for you. You start out at 10,000 feet high on a Mountain pass and descend through the life zones that change during your 3,000 descent to the high desert. For a long part of the road, you parallel the Cimarron River. The views of the sawtoothed Rocky Mountains certainly do not disappoint. In fact, this whole area is peppered with streams, lakes and trails. You'll experience narrow shelf roads, limited switchbacks, and some very easy scenic driving. Camping is plentiful along bubbling creeks, under shady trees, and along the roadside dispersed areas. It's a short hop on US Highway 50 back to Montrose, Colorado from the trail's end.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

4.3/5 (18)
Open
Visited: 09/21/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Combined this with Owl Creek Pass to get from Ridgway to Cimmarron. Very little fall colors today, but it is coming. An interesting drive through open range, and ranch/farm land. The reservoir was drawn way down and the campgrounds are starting to close for the season.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 08/02/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

This was a pleasant surprise. Knowing it was a downhill dirt road coming from Owl Creek, I expected little more than just that. Plenty of water, beautiful views, and I didn't even know Big Blue existed until I read it on the signage for East & Middle Forks, we'll definitely be back out this way again. A nice way to get off of the highway if you don't mind adding some trip time, I'll take this over Montrose any day. Hope it stays open for a while!
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200
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 07/16/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Just a gravel road in pretty good shape. Lots of camping. Went on a Sunday and the parking lot at Silver Jack Reservoir was full. But the lot pretty small so the reservoir was still very peaceful.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 07/02/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

We live 30 mins from here in Montrose so we’re up here all the time. As an off-roading experience, there isn’t much here-it’s just a gravel road. But the views are awesome, there are nice lakes, and there is tons of great camping spots all along this road, both paid and disbursed. It’s super popular though, so if you’re going on a holiday weekend you better get there early-it will be packed.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 05/28/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

A great scenic trail. Very easy and fits the 1 rating. Not quite open over the pass to Ridgway yet. A lot of great camping spots also.
Trail Review: Silver Jack Reservoir - Dirty Chuckwalla
Trail Review: Silver Jack Reservoir - Dirty Chuckwalla
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