Bald Mountain Loop (FS Roads 300B and 300B.1) is a spur 4WD road off of Bald Mountain Gulch (FS Road 300) in the Fourmile area of Colorado, southeast of Johnson Village. It provides expansive views of the Arkansas River Basin and Collegiate Peaks. There are many other 4WD roads in the vicinity, so Fourmile is ideal for a weekend excursion of trails, camping, hiking, and fishing. Be sure to include the panoramic Bald Mountain Loop.
Direct route: From Johnson Village, travel one-quarter mile east. Take Chaffee County Road 301 heading south. Follow CR 301 and turn left on Chaffee County Road 300 just before intersecting with Highway 285. Follow CR 300 south to its end at the Ruby Mountain Campground, Brown's Canyon National Monument and the Bald Mountain Gulch trailhead. Drive north 2.9 miles on Bald Mountain Gulch to find the trailhead for Bald Mountain Loop.
Overland route: Exit Highway 24 to Chaffee County Road 307 approximately 9 miles east of Johnson Village. Proceed one mile and turn onto FS Road 187, Bassam Park Road. Follow Bassam Park Road for another mile to the intersection of FS Road 300, Bald Mountain Gulch. Take Bald Mountain Gulch for approximately 5.5 miles to the Bald Mountain Loop trailhead.
I went up this trail just after daylight and by the time I got to the top the sun had just come out. What a gorgeous view. Highly recommend going up if you are in the area. Very fun trail.
Fun trail with some great views. Running it counter clockwise makes it easier to handle the switchbacks for those who are unsure of their ability on shelf roads. The view from the top was amazing, just can get a little windy. Don't forget to play on flex rock at the top for some good photo ops.
One of the best trails in the area for valley and mountain views! I met a Jeep at the top, and while we were chatting a small group from Texas arrived. They were with the All-4-Fun event (Mile Hi Jeep Club) going on this week.
I led a small group here on both 6/28 and 6/29 as part of the Overland Bound Buena Vista June Jam.
We ran counter-clockwise both days so we were uphill in the rocky sections. No real difficulties encountered and no traffic on these days!
If you'd like to avoid the rocky switchbacks on the east side, just go up and back down on the west side. That would be a left at the fork on the way up.
Excellent views! A great place for lunch on good weather days.
After this consider going up nearby Little Cottonwood Creek trail. It makes for a fun ride.
We did the loop in counter clockwise direction based on previous reviews.
Road was dry and we encountered no difficulties. I was in a stock full-size Chevy along with a mild Tacoma and a built JKU.
We.reached the top about noon along with some soft hail or graupel.
Excellent views!
This was actually a good challenging trail. As mentioned it is narrow and has no passing on the east side of the loop. The switchback at Waypoint 6 has eroded and the rocks are quite a bit more exposed. It did require use of my rear locker. Awesome view at the top of the Collegiate Peaks!
This trail is a lollipop shape with one out and in that loops. We drove the loop counterclockwise to have the advantage of going uphill on the narrow switchbacks. The trail is mostly loose scree, narrow and no passing on the eastern side of the loop. The view at the top is totally worth the drive.
Tracy is an outdoor enthusiast originally from north Alabama. His family moved to central Utah when Tracy was a child, and subsequently to southern Utah, where he fell in love with the Rocky Mountains. His favorite activities are family trail rides and camping with small groups. He started many years ago in his dad's F-150 pickup truck, and subsequently his own 4x4 acquisition, a 1975 Ford Bronco (in 1991).
