Saints John

Official Crew

37200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 10/30/2022

I ran the trail south out of Montezuma. I made it to somewhere between waypoints 10 and 9 where the trail is narrow in the trees. There was packed snow starting back in Montezuma. By the time I turned around the snow was a few inches deep. It was not the depth of the snow that turned me around, it was the ice underneath. When I started sliding sideways toward trees, I called it and turned around. There will be more snow higher up. So, is the trail passable? Not by me, but maybe by someone else.

Roger P.

3600

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 10/19/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

Ran this trail on Friday, October 19, 2022 in a Subaru Forester Wilderness with 2 inch lift. Ran it from Montezuma to Waypoint 8. Nice views from Waypoint 8. Didn't scrape on the berms between Waypoints 8 and 14. Since it was getting dark returned to Keystone. We'll be back next summer to run the entire trail.

Mike Molloy

900

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 10/17/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Ran Saints John and Deer Creek with detour to top of Radical Hill then back down to Montezuma. Almost no snow/ice anywhere, though a little more in a few spots on the Deer Creek side; no issues, just got the 4Runner a little dirty. Stopped for a bit to photograph pika in their talus habitat, getting ready for winter. The water breaks sure made for a rollercoaster feel to the trail. Only scraped hitch once on one of them.

Trint Ladd

Official Crew

37200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 09/11/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

As noted by the previous review, the USFS is working on trails in this area. On Sunday, 9/11/22, we ran the trail as mapped, from Deer Creek (which is also getting work done) to Montezuma. The changes to this trail have, in my opinion, really changed the "flavor" of the trail. I have updated the guide to show some of these changes. In the tundra section, a lot of the big, embedded rocks have been scraped off, leaving the trail much smoother. The added water breaks are MASSIVE, 4 or 5 feet tall. Several have been added to the various hill climbs (including one that buried the rock ledge, the only thing approaching an "obstacle" on this trail... gone.) This along with the scraping off of most of the big rocks totally changes the hill climbs. They are much easier and less dramatic. Only one water break is "sharp" enough that my 3" lifted Taco Supreme scraped going over and this was on the steepest part of the steepest hill climb, really messing with the rhythm of the trail. Above the switchbacks (on the Montezuma side) there are a ludicrous amount of water breaks (as pictured, six in less than a quarter mile). The switchbacks have also been smoothed and widened.

Ben Doherty

100

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 09/10/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

I ran this trail on 9/2 and again last Saturday on 9/10 going up Saints John and down Deer Creek. The berms the previous two comments really do change the character of the trail at the top a bit. I drive a stock Jeep Gladiator Overland and scraped on nearly every berm and one I thought I was going to get stuck on but thankfully did not! The first time I drove this trail I only scraped in 2-3 spots mainly from poor line choice. Really beautiful views at the top and my parents had a blast!

Sean Coleman

450

Open

Visited: 09/08/2022

The forest service has been busy putting in 2-3 ft high berms for erosion control so stock Rubicons will bottom out on a few and they interrupt the rhythm as you go. up the two hills because you end up going down into these berms as your focused on going up the hills. Also, they have removed the rock on the surface of the trail where they put in the berms so the dirt is soft and squishy.

Paul

6350

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 08/27/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Saints John was a good climb (went from the Montezuma Side - I'd probably recommend this direction). You're here for the pictures, not my words, so I brought some pictures.

Roger P.

3600

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 08/14/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Beautiful 360 degree views on top. We came up Deer Creek then took Saints John over to waypoint 2 before the rain and hail moved in.

Trint Ladd

Official Crew

37200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 06/25/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

The trail is open through. Thankfully, there's been some rain so it's not dusty at all. There are still scars from folks driving on the tundra around the snowdrift last snow drift. Grrrr.

Stefan

2000

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 06/18/2022

Fully open. Some snow remaining in spots but we were able to make it through all of it and now that tracks are laid it will be easier. Wouldn’t expect it to be around for that a few more days.

Robbie spil

1100

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 06/04/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Fun trail and the ghost town is in really good shape compared to others. The trail itself was in good shape outside of some deeper snow in sections near the top still. Wasn't able to get through all of it in my friend's stock SUV mainly because of the snow. We did run it from north to south to make the hill climbs descents instead.

Ryan Boudreau

Official Crew

103400

Open

Visited: 05/27/2022

Dillon Ranger District has opened the seasonal gate. The trail still has some snow and could be impassable to vehicles.

Trint Ladd

Official Crew

37200

Impassable

Visited: 10/26/2021

Reports of snow at high elevations and folks going off trail to avoid drifts. While this trail may be passable by experienced groups in very capable rigs, we feel it safer to designate the trails as *IMPASSABLE* at this point.

Alex Mullis

300

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 10/09/2021

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Camped on Deer Creek and ran this in the morning, we woke up to light snow and found significantly more the higher we went. Amazing day and probably one of the last groups to make it through for the season.

Todd Featherston

500

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 09/25/2021

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

This was my second time running the trail. I took Deer Creek south out of Montezuma and then ran Saints John up north back into town. Made it out early that morning with few other vehicles seen on the entire route. Unfortunately it looks like there are vehicles still not staying the trail and driving onto the tundra. Ran into the same small family of mountain goats at the junction of Deer Creek and Saints John. The hill climbs appear to have gotten a little easier since a larger rock just high enough to ding your rocker on the last hill climb seems to have been moved or pushed over. The rest of the trail was in great condition. One of my favorite trails close to Denver. Highly recommend!

Trint Ladd

Official Crew

37200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 09/12/2021

Great day today! NO SMOKE! The great views are back (for now). The fall color is just started to peek out. The willow brush is pretty much all turned. Aspens are just ramping up. The rain and hail caught up to us at about 3pm at WP 4 and stayed with us all the way to the end. But the trail is in great shape.

Kevin

3100

Open

Visited: 09/04/2021

Super easy trail. We came from radically hill. Amazing views and very stock friendly

Ian

2300

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 09/04/2021

Fun trail with great views at the top. Ran in stock 2-door JK from Montezuma to Middle Fork. Cell reception is very sparse on the Montezuma side but I was able to get service running between the peaks.

Kerry Garrison

2500

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 08/15/2021

Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

You can't do Red Cone without doing some other trails to get there. In our case, we did Webster Pass, Radical Hill, Red Cone, and then up to Saints John back to Montezuma. The hill from Webster Pass to Saints John (called different things in different trail guides) is one of the hardest trails in the area. Our video covers all of the trails we did that day.

Brad D.

17950

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 08/15/2021

Fun ridge runner trail. Ran from Radical Hill to Montezuma. Rating is accurate and there are a couple of spots on the hill climb that are a little more challenging but over all a nice but rocky trail.

Conrad P

1100

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 08/13/2021

Ran trail again today. This time starting at Montezuma. Once again amazing views! Super sad to see where careless people have damaged the tundra again rather than drive the bumpy rocks. Fresh deep muddy tracks. You can see some of this in the distance in my last photo. :/ Daughter did trip in her stock 4Runner with careful tire placement. Tight tippy spot on one descent to avoid giant rock (not pictured). I disagree that this is a "relatively easy" route. You will need good driving skills and/or a spotter in a couple of the sections.

Simon

1300

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/16/2021

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Beautiful trail up in the alpine, no doubt about that. Have done this multiple times over the years and this trail is getting worse and worse (harder obstacles and more rutted up) each year I would suspect due to the constant flow of ATV's up in the high country flying around the place. Depending on which trail you decide to decent down into Breck, you could be in for some white knuckle wheeling.

Conrad P

1100

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/04/2021

AMAZING!! The best trail run I've ever done! Amazing views! Fun trail! Wildlife! A couple of water crossings! The upper section of the steep hill between waypoints 2 and 3 was steep, rocky and loose. But that was the hardest part of the entire trip and I believe doable in a stock SUV with low range and reasonable ground clearance. BEST PART? Rocky Mountain Goats! A whole herd (flock?) of them!

Iceman 99

3300

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 06/27/2021

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

I ran Saints John trail on Sunday with a friend. She has a 2017 Jeep Rubicon recon on 35s. We went up deer creek to the top of Teller mountain 12,625 feet. From there we could see people on top of red cone and rigs at Webster pass. After that we went to middle swan trail but the weather was looking bad. It was snowing, hail and raining that day. We decided to head toward saints john. My friend pushed her skills on the steep hills in her rig I was so proud of her that day. It was her first time out this season. We had a blast on saints john what a amazing area. I will be back.

Trint Ladd

Official Crew

37200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 06/26/2021

Wet, sloppy day. Rain, sleet, and patches of sun. Trail is open through.

Dan Lee

3200

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 10/04/2020

Only ran from Montezuma SB to the rock ledge seen in waypoint #4. Was riding solo in a little trail width SXS, no lift or a-arm extensions, so didn't feel like risking it going too far. Road was rocky, completely manageable. High clearance stock 4x4s (Xterras, Wranglers, 4-Runners, Tacos) should be fine long as you don't act foolish. Some slopes were a little steep, but even a quad should be fine here with an experienced rider with no issues. Minimal traffic on the mountain, saw 3-4 other SXSs, couple of Jeeps, nothing else. Weirdly quiet for being that close to Denver in perfect weather on a weekend. If you OHV it from Montezuma, MVUM suggests you have to go a half mile up Saints John road before it's "legal," though I saw other people who just unloaded at the edge of town. There are a couple of large generous turnoffs on the switch backs you can park and drop ATVs once you're in the legal area. First half is pure alpine forest, really nice. Then once you're above the treeline it's full on tundra. It was ~60F for temps, but soon as the wind picked up I ended up throwing a flannel over my tank. Lots of great places with 360 degree views you can pull over, drop some chairs, and chill out if you don't mind the wind. As mentioned, please don't go off trail or mess with the collapsed mine ruins.

charlie wanek

2600

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 10/03/2020

Ran this south to north. Spectacular views from this trail. The hill climbs at WP 3 & 4 were easy driving, but spooky (blind summit!) for a novice like myself. My favorite trail so far.

Michael Rochat

400

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 09/21/2020

We took the family up this loop in a 2020 Toyota TRD Venture edition with a 2.5" lift (at this time) and it did great. We did the Saints John/ Deer Creek loop and it was breathtaking. You really can't buy that kind of entertainment. The first section by the cabins is rocky but it's to be expected., the switchback section going to the top is fun. There is one or two sections at the top where you are descending at a steep pitch with sharp corners at the bottom but isn't that why you offroad? This whole area (Montezuma) is awesome, take a couple hours and enjoy.

Scott

4800

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 09/18/2020

Probably my new favorite trail to date. Camped out at 11,300ft. Amazing views even with the smoke. Connected to middle fork swan and SOB hill. Great day!

Corbett Allan Foster

100

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 09/05/2020

Ran the Deer Creek trail from Montezuma south. Ran the Saints John trail from south to north in a stock 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Trail was dry, and we didn't see any wild life. Nothing was too difficult. Deflated tires to 20 psi. My Jeep handled the challenging sections without issue. The worst part of the trail was after you enter the tree line before Montezuma. Trail was quite rocky. It was more of a nuisance than challenge. Fun loop. Fantastic views. Few others on the trail. Recommended.

Jordan Rogers

1200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 08/02/2020

Drove this 8/2 with Stock 2019 Tacoma SR. Started from Middle Fork Swan River. Really good hill climb. Lots of fun with good views.

Ryland Percy

3300

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/19/2020

The trail is now completely clear, from beginning to end. Awesome views at the top, though it's a bit rocky coming down into Montezuma, so watch your speed and lines. Ran into a herd of mountain goats near the trailhead, which was super cool. Great trail overall!

Richard Erickson

300

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 07/13/2020

Overall a good trail, but due to some trail washout, it was slightly more challenging than I initially anticipated, otherwise, tons of amazing views!

Kyle Hanson

300

Open

Visited: 07/01/2020

Trail is blocked by a big snow field at the top. Will be a while before it melts. Photo is coming from North Fork of Swan River. Also, don’t be like whoever tried driving through it. Cut your losses and turn around before instead of through the snow.

Brent McGee

1650

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 08/23/2019

Did Saints John to Deer Creek in a stock 2008 FJ. Didn’t have a problem, but needed to take it nice and slow at times. Definitely recommend this loop. Can see Mount of the Holy Cross and plenty more from up top.

Eric stell

900

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 08/09/2019

Trail is clear as others have said . The views are a must see that's for sure. We did it in 2 lifted subarus . Ran the trail back down deer creek trail . All tho . I do not recommend .trying to take a stock subaru anynear this area ;)

Trint Ladd

Official Crew

37200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/27/2019

Drove up Deer Creek and Down Saints John today. The snowbank on the high tundra has receded and the trail is clear. The tracks out on the tundra are bad, but hopefully, they are dispersed enough that they will heal soon.

Josh Scearcy

300

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 07/23/2019

Started the trail out of Montezuma. Trail was completely clear and open. Had a great time and no issues in a stock 2017 Wrangler JKU.

Josh Spring

13550

Impassable

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/21/2019

Started this trail from the top side and quickly found a large lingering snow drift blocking the trail. I saw 6 people drive around it and clearly enough people have driven around the snow drift that the illegal detour area is all torn up now. Please do not drive around snow drifts! It tears up the environment and the forest service closes roads because of it! Technically this trail is still impassible unless you break the law and drive around the snow between waypoints 1 and 2. Please refrain from doing so. (Trail is on the left in picture).

BrianRD

2200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 09/22/2018

Nice drive, the one rock shelf is a little tricky but it looks worse than it really is from below. If you take a short detour onto Middle Swan Fork you get on top of the mountains and get some amazing views! Cool mines. The colors are pretty bleak in late-September.

Marcus Trusty

Official Crew

32850

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 08/03/2018

Love this trail! Views are epic and there is something peaceful about being above timberline almost the entire trail. Keep your camera ready for frequent mountain goat sightings.

capulinflicker

200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/04/2018

Ran this on the 4th of July in a stock 4Runner Off-Road. Started in Montezuma up Sts. John road and then connected with Deer Creek to make a loop. Great drive that I was able to complete with no issues in the stock truck. There was one section on the big downhill (big uphill in this description) at the top that was a little difficult and maybe I wish I would have had rock sliders for, but with a careful line and taking it slow we were able to get through it. 100% open, only ran into about 5 other vehicles.

Colin

900

Open

Visited: 06/25/2018

Open and 100% snow free. Really beautiful day today. One other truck up there.

Trint Ladd

Official Crew

37200

Partially Open

Visited: 10/08/2017

Summit County has had a couple of snow storms now. Most trails that go above treeline are blocked with snow.

Trint Ladd

Official Crew

37200

Open

Visited: 08/20/2017

We took our SxS up North Fork and looped around Saints John, Deer Creek, and Middle Fork. I guess since school has started the crowds are winding down. We only saw a handful of SxS's and and two trucks the whole day. Even with some recent rain, the trails are pretty dry and sometimes dusty. Afternoon storms rolled in and made us nervous about lightning, but we only got a few sprinkles of rain. Over all, a great day!

JD Marshall

Official Crew

117100

Open

Visited: 07/15/2017

Trail was open end to end and we ran this after running Hunkidori Mine. The views on this trail were breath-taking and Jen drove up above 12,000 feet for the first time. Great day on the trail.

rob

100

Open

Visited: 07/01/2017

Trail is open. Wet in a few places. Great ride.

Ryan Boudreau

Official Crew

103400

Partially Open

Visited: 06/24/2017

Out of Montezuma, reports are that the road is open for a couple miles and then you run into avalanche debris. I did not verify these reports. Coming from North Fork, there is a very large snow field across the entire trail just after waypoint 2. The snow is very slushy and less than a foot deep, so I wouldn't expect it to last more than a week or 2.

Trint Ladd

Official Crew

37200

Partially Open

Visited: 05/21/2017

We visited the northern (Montezuma) end of the trail. Another foot of snow was added last week. Snowmobilers have packed the snow pretty well, but I think it's deceiving. There's a fairly firm crust, but if you break through, there's a good 1-3 feet of soft stuff underneath. There were tracks about 20 yards in where someone did just that and looks like they had a tough time getting back out. I wouldn't try it.

Kyle Stowers

500

Open

Visited: 07/31/2015

This was the first trail we did on our trip, upon arriving in Colorado. We camped along this trail near a gorgeous lake. This trail has varying degrees of difficulty, but it is easy enough for a beginner to do as long as they go slow and ride the brakes when going downhill along some of the switchbacks. You pass several deserted mines and if you're lucky enough, you'll see a lot of wildlife.

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Saints John

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