Perigo

Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, during the heyday of the mining era in Colorado, the Jenny Lind-Perigo Road was a major trading route between the town of Baltimore, along South Boulder Creek (off of what is now Moffat Road) and the town of Perigo in Gamble Gulch. As the mines played out and the towns dwindled and died, the road became less used and not maintained. When the Forest Service took jurisdiction of it, the road was designated 413.1 Jenny Lind-Perigo and the lower portion of Jenny Lind Gulch was closed off making it no longer a through route. The road can now be thought of in three sections: The western section, which goes part way down Jenny Lind Gulch (to be written up as a separate guide in the future), the middle section which is included in the Moon Gulch guide, and the eastern section which this guide will cover. The years have taken their toll on this road (or perhaps improved it, depending on your point of view) and it is now a rough, rugged, and narrow jeep trail. This trail will test your knowledge of your vehicle’s pivot points and your ability to plan a path through tight, twisty spaces between tree trunks. When you are not squeezing through the trees there are rocks just big enough to make you have to think about your line so you don’t bang a diff, drag a gas tank or bend a tie rod. In the few moments you can take to look around, you will be exposed to the lush beauty of the dense forest. When you finally conquer this untamed trail, you will be rewarded with the impressive shaft house of the Golden Cycle Mine and the crumbled remains of the ghost town of Perigo. Try it, if you dare. Travel it at your peril.