Red Cone

full-preview Icon
4.9/5 (108 reviews)
Grant, Colorado (Park County)
Last Updated: 08/15/2023

Trail Information

Highlights

Altitude Category Icon Altitude
Forest Category Icon Forest
Iconic Category Icon Iconic
Rock Category Icon Rock

Red Cone is one of the most iconic trails in central Colorado. This four-wheel-drive trail provides spectacular views of the divide, with several rocky obstacles at the beginning and a once-in-a-lifetime descent near the end. The upper portion of the trail traverses the ridge lines around 12,000 feet with views for miles, but the steep, one-way descent at the end is a unique feature of this trail. Red Cone is also a key connecting trail to nearby trails, such as Webster Pass and the Montezuma trail system. Combining this with those trails creates a full day of offroad fun. A well-equipped vehicle with high clearance and low range is required.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Red Cone's south end climbs steeply as you wind through the forest with sporadic rock obstacles, small creek crossings, and several muddy sections. The climb continues above the tree line, across a few ridges, until you reach the very top of Red Cone. At this point, the trail becomes one-way and descends downhill until it meets Webster Pass. The descent from Red Cone is a steep, loose rock hill requiring 4WD. This trail requires an experienced driver.

The east side of Webster Pass stays snowed in till late July or August, but Red Cone only opens for the season once the west side of Webster Pass is clear, so there is always an exit from the trail. Heading east down Webster would return you to Highway 285, and heading west on Webster will drop you into the towns of Montezuma or Keystone.

Trail Reviews

4.9/5 (108)
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 09/30/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Gatekeeper isn’t too bad if you keep to the right as far as possible. Trail has gotten pretty rocky and rutted but made it in my gladiator rubicon on 33s
Trail Review: Red Cone - David Adler
Trail Review: Red Cone - David Adler
View More Images
User Avatar
inline-aa Icon
100
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 09/28/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

What a gem just outside of Breckenridge and Keystone. This was my second trip in two weeks and someone had 'stuffed' those deep holes in the trees with logs. Not quite as fun as getting one wheel way off the ground but still very doable in a Jeep. The fall foliage and sunset was just amazing in late Sept.
Trail Review: Red Cone - steve
Trail Review: Red Cone - steve
View More Images
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 09/16/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

This has been the most fun and most difficult I have done in a full size vehicle. With a spotter and a winch I was able to get thru the dug out section a
Trail Review: Red Cone - Santiago Huichapan
Trail Review: Red Cone - Santiago Huichapan
View More Images
Open
Visited: 09/09/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

What an amazing trail for scenery! I would highly recommend it for some amazing Colorado views. One technical corner in the trees that has large holes. If you don't have good articulation you will lift a tire. We watched a Grand Cherokee go through and lift some tires pretty good so if you're not comfortable with that you may choose something else. All the other obstacles are just some steep up and down hills with some narrow ledge roads. Any 4wd shouldn't have a problem.
Open
Rated 4/5
Visited: 09/06/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

I love hitting trails on weekdays as did not come across a single vehicle on this trail on what was a crisp Colorado bluebird day. I want to say the trail is easier but will stick with spot on. We hit all the obstacles and did not encounter the extreme off camber in the description. Perhaps the rating system is using the words "steepness" and "off camber" interchangeably.
Trail Review: Red Cone - Brian Schaefer
Trail Review: Red Cone - Brian Schaefer

From the Community

Start a free trial and get this level of detail on every trail guide
Start Free Trial