Camping/hiking/wheeling areas worth checking out Moab/ in route to Denver Co. (3 Viewers)

[mazder]

Ok friends looking for additional ideas and areas worth checking out. Planning a week-long trip to Colorado with camping along the way. So far I have camping 1 night along the Kolob Reservoir then off to Moab with camping along the Colorado River. Plans In Moab consist of hiking the Grandstaff canyon trail and wheeling the Porcupine rim trail. I'm open to other trails or other hikes within that area. After Moab it's off to Colorado. Not to sure what areas to check out in Colorado but looking for areas along the I-70 on my way to Aurora where I will be having training the following week. Please give me some insight, also looking into feedback of whether or not I should bring my off road base camp trailer or go old school with a ground tent or back of the rig. (Pic for Attention)

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[Road Apple]

Here’s a bunch of random notes for Colorado. The Ouray/Telluride/Silverton area is beautiful. Solid Axle Summit is held the first week of August and based out of the Ouray KOA camp. Poughkeepsie Gulch is the most difficult in the area with only one hard obstacle that does have a bypass. Black Bear has one off camber section, but is not difficult, then a lot of switch back that are unforgiving of mistakes. Have fun.



https://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/ohv_maps.shtml





SHOP - https://www.transamtrail.com/maps/

2021 Trail schedule


Schubarth Road


Phantum Canyon & Shelf Road Loop


The Gultches (Metberry, Hackett, Longwater)


White Rim (Moab) or Kokopelli


Medano Pass (overnight camping in Sand Dunes, or a day trip)


Cloverdale Mine BBQ, Fishing, Gold Panning (Near Westcliffe)


Tin Cup, Saint Elmo


Mosquito


Kebler Pass


Music Pass


China Wall

11 Mile Canyon


Solid Axle Summit


There will be trails lead each day on what are known as the Ionic trails. Imogene, BlackBear, Ophir, Yankee Boy Basin, Governors Basin and a few others that are on the West side of Red Mountain Pass or the Ouray and Telluride side of the pass.


The East side of the pass is commonly known as the Ouray, Silverton and Lake City side of Red Mountain Pass. This includes Mineral Creek, Engineer, Poughkeepsie Gultch, California pass, California Corkscrew, Hurican Pass, Cinnimon Pass and the cool ghost town know as Animas Forks. I highly recommend Stoney Pass, It's not difficult but the views are outstanding, the summit of the pass is on the Continental Divide and is where the Rio Grande River starts as a trickle from the snow pack.


I agree with BackBear being a little more fun from the Telluride side, unfortunately it is only open to one way traffic just above the steps and swithbacks during the time we are there. In years past the Telluride Rotary Club sponsors a reverse offering on the 4th of July. I don't know if this still happens though.

Animas Forks


Barbour Fork


Black Bear


California Pass


Clear Lake


Cinnamon


Cork Screw


Cunningham


Engineer


Hurricane


Imogene Pass


Maggie


Minnie


Minnehaha


Ophir Pass


Picayune


Poughkeepsie - good camp spot. Drive up Mineral Creek, stay right on Poughkeepsie, camp spot across the creek in the right. Large flat area with about 15 camp spots, a fire ring, and room to park 10 rigs.


South Mineral


Spring Creek - difficult +


Stoney


Wheeler Lake, CO


Visit the town of Rico


Black Bear Pass


Beautiful views


12,840 foot pass

Halfmoon Creek, Leadville Colorado


Nice views, old mines


Above the tree line in some areas

Rimrocker Trail from Montrose to Moab


fairly easy, mostly bumpy road sightseeing with a couple rocky spots and shallow creek crossings

Telluride/Silverton/Ouray


The Alpine Loop- Engineer and Cinnamon Pass, Black Bear Pass, Imogene Pass, Ophir Pass, Poughkeepsie Gulch, Yankee Boy basin, and if you get the chance, drop by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Hopefully, most of those won't be closed, but it's really early in the season. June is usually the earliest most stuff opens up there. Be ready for a couple of feet of snow or winter conditions on most stuff that is open. It would be good if you have OK snow tires and lockers along with a lot of recovery gear. plan on bringing at least two vehicles.

planning on driving from US 550 near Ironton, up Corkscrew Pass, then down the "middle" road through Gladstone and down to Silverton.

My favorite alpine basin in Colorado is American Basin, near the top of Cinnamon Pass - close enough to Ouray yet far enough away. And you can bag an easy 14'er nearby - Handies Peak.

Main route: Pitkin - Cumberland Pass - Tin Cup - Mirror Lake - Tin Cup Pass - camped outside St Elmo - Hancock Pass and Alpine Loop back to Pitkin.

Made it over engineer pass today went from Ouray to Lake City

Salida has amazing campgrounds and awesome 4x4 trails from easy to super technical…

Blanca Peak


Alamosa, CO


Think Black Bear pass dropoffs but with a few tougher obstacles. Rock slides can be common in the area. Not anything super hard but can't have someone lose their cool as there are few turnarounds, so not a good ride for new drivers

These are easy trails


Trails will include but will not be limited to Imogene Pass, Alpine Loop, Engineer Pass, Cork Screw Pass, California Pass, Stoney Pass, Governors Basin, Yankee Boy Basin, Animas Forks, Poughkeepsie Gulch (most difficult) and last but not least Black Bear Pass.

For conditions and trail info


https://www.sanmiguelcountyco.gov/590/Coronavirus

Rimrocker, Montrose to Moab over 3 days ish

Lead King Basin in Colorado


Between Marble and Crested Butte


Beautiful views

Independence Trail

Pikes Peak Nat'l forest, just East of Victor, CO off Gold Camp Rd. Excellent site!!


Tabeguache Trail


Montrose to Grand Junction


Details on adventr.co

Paradox Trail


Starts at the Kokopelli Trail near the La Sal Mountains and ends up at the Tabequache Trail near Montrose.

Kokopelli Trail near the La Sal Mountains

Red Cone and Webster Pass in Grant, Colorado, which is a 12,800’ pass. Red Cone is a moderate trail, with rocky boulder over boulder. It’s one-way if you go from the summit down to Webster Pass due to the steepness and shale rocks. Beautiful views from the top. Not for stock vehicles.

Tincup pass buena vista colorado

Georgia pass. Just wanted to avoid traffic in Frisco. 8 hours later we made it down the continental divide and into Montezuma.

First time on La Plata Peak Trail head in Colorado this Weekend. Wow not disappointed at all.

Middle St. Vrain Trail is a 6.2 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Lyons, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, camping, and ohv/off road driving and is best used from May until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
Wheeling Lake


Near FairPlay


Fire roads with occasional obstacles
GPS Trail Routes

Trail Maps | boar-offroad - https://www.boaroffroad.com/trail-maps


B.O.A.R. Routes


AF Canyon


5 Mile Pass


Tintic Train Tunnel


Inspiration Point


Bountiful - Farmington


Ophir/Jacob City Area


Squaw Peak to Hobble Creek


Hanging Tree


Eureka Area


Transcontinental Railroad Byway


Pony Express to Wendover


Trail Maps


Click on a link below to load the desired maps


Maps provided with permission from Utah State Parks


DNR Trail Maps
The Switzerland Trail is a dead end, even though some gps maps show it as a thru trail. Numerous rollover recoveries have occurred there.

Where we camped and staged for the event, the exact routes starting on Italian Pass, taking us to Pearl Pass, and going over Taylor pass. If you decide to run the route the opposite side be aware that going up Taylor would be considerably harder than going down because of the river bed and how the obstacles are laid out. Also on two of the three trails the funtreks GPX file is embedded into this file so if you want to follow along in your book for 2 of the 3 runs this would be possible.


This route (see attached GPX file) goes from the little town of Del Norte up to Highway 114 through BLM land and the western part of the Rio Grande National Forest. We did this a few years back when we were returning from riding the C&TSRR with the club.

The highlights:


A volcanic fin ridge that turned into a natural arch


Some seldom-traveled BLM roads


A fun road that crosses the Saguache Creek


Lots of beautiful, wide-open spaces


A lone grave of a Private in the US Army with a sad story


Some interesting old cabins


Forest Road 675.3P


We didn't have that much time to explore as we needed to get home but there are a lot of interesting-looking roads we passed.


I'll put a few photos below. There are a few more on this page and also on this page. Note that I misidentified the mountain range we were in on that page


I don't recall seeing many posts on the forum of folks going into this part of Colorado to 4x4. My suspicion is there aren't many challenging roads in this area. However, it's really beautiful and with lots of wide-open spaces. I highly recommend this area for more mild exploration if you're looking for somewhere new.

Just noticed this new category and figured I'd kick it off with a really pleasant campsite we stopped at when returning north from the train run in 2016. It is on the west side of County Road 14 in federal land according to the maps we had at the time.


GPS coordinates: 37.5767288,-106.3894577


There is probably enough room for five or six tents on flat ground with plenty of space in between. We didn't see any other vehicles and didn't hear anyone else although you aren't all that far from a couple scattered houses.


We entered at the south end of the road and exited at the north end.


Here's a photo of the view:



Colorado Springs

Rainbow falls...aka mini Moab

Garden of the Gods to the southern entrance to Rampart Range Rd.


Numerous trails off of Rampart Range. Schubarth trail is a fun easy trail off of Rampart.


Old Stage Road and Gold Camp are fun.


In that direction you can run Mt Rosa, second half of Eagle Rock over to Bull Canyon.


You can take Upper Gold Camp to Cripple Creek and take the highway back via Woodland Park.