Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Hotchkiss, Colorado

Overland Reservoir

A scenic graded road over Grand Mesa between Paonia and Collbran. Easy enough to be done in a passenger car.Overland Reservoir is owned by Overland Ditch and Reservoir Company, founded in 1903 as a mutual…
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Total Miles
58
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Gunnison Gorge South River Road

Just outside of Delta Colorado, inside Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area you'll find a beat up gravel road that leads you down to the Gunnison river. Most SUV's and trucks will not have an issue…
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Total Miles
4.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Smith Mountain Jeep Road Overlook

Just outside of Delta Colorado, inside Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area you'll find an unmaintained jeep trail that leads you out onto a peninsula with spectacular views of the Gunnison Gorge. The trail overall is…
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Total Miles
4.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Elephant Skin Road

Elephant Skin Road is an easy Jeep trail between Montrose and Olathe. There are a few shallow gullies across the road, but can be done with any vehicle with a bit of clearance. There is…
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Total Miles
15.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Gunnison Tunnel

In 2020 a locked gate was placed near the west portal (west of the canal dipper) which prevents running the complete trail. The trail can be run from the Uncompahgre River east to the gate…
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Total Miles
11.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

South Divide

This is a series of well-graded or slightly bumpy roads that will take you from Ridgway to Olathe over the Uncompaghre Plateau. The south part has vast views of open ranchland, the center is in…
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Total Miles
80.1
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Park Creek/Salt Creek Loop

This loop offers an easy to moderate mix of terrain with great vistas, aspen groves, moderate stream crossings, and wildlife. A Colorado state park pass will be needed to enter Vega State Park which gives…
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Total Miles
17.2
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Silver Spruce to High Trail Loop

Mostly 50" track with several creek crossings, steep climbs, and descents. This trail winds through Aspen and Spruce forest before traveling across the Grand Mesa. There are cattle grazing, deer, elk, bears, and moose to…
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Total Miles
28.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Divide Road

This is a 90-mile long, wide-graded road up the middle of the Uncompaghre Plateau from Montrose to (almost) Grand Junction. Go from farmland to expansive areas of forest, then to the desert. This mellow graded…
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Total Miles
85.4
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Owl Creek Pass

This is an enjoyable and easy 45-mile trip over Owl Creek Pass between the Uncompahgre and Cimarron Rivers. We found a few water-filled potholes in August, but nothing that would stop a passenger car with…
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Total Miles
43.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

25 Mesa Road

25 Mesa Road is a wide, smooth well-graded road running all the way across Uncompahgre Plateau from Nucla to Delta. We did not find any specific attractions along the route, but it is an enjoyable…
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Total Miles
26.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Tabeguache

Tabeguache 2.0 is a short, easy Jeep trail a short distance west of Montrose. It starts near the Dry Creek Rock Crawling Trails, and crosses Dry Creek, Piney Creek, and Cushman Creek before climbing up…
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Total Miles
11.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Rim Rocker

The Rim Rocker is a 160-mile route winding it's way over red rock, through aspen groves, along the edges of sheer cliffs, and across rivers in order to bring travelers from Moab Utah to Montrose…
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Total Miles
158.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su

Alpine Plateau Road

Turning off from the main highway, there are about 8 miles of private land you have to get through before reaching BLM. At about mile 7 is a seasonal closure gate: "From December 1 to…
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Total Miles
15
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Red Creek

This trail's access is directly from Hwy 50 across from the Blue Mesa Reservoir. The one-lane gravel road has frequent turnouts for passing vehicles. Initially, it runs along the Sapinero State Wildlife Area and then…
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Total Miles
14.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Escalante Canyon

Escalante Canyon is a very nice run from the desert at the Gunnison River to the forest on the Uncompahgre Plateau. This Jeep trail takes you upstream through Escalante Canyon (west side of the loop),…
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Total Miles
57.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Little Cimarron Creek

This is an easy drive along a washboard logging road that winds through the National Forest following the Little Cimarron Creek and ends near tree line. Beautiful meadows and aspen groves line the trail. You…
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Total Miles
11.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Rainbow Lake Road

This is a very easy road but is a very busy logging area, so be mindful of logging trucks. You will find many hikes, roads, and camp spots along this beautiful road. Enjoy a couple…
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Total Miles
12.9
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Su

Sims Mesa/Delores Creek

The maintained gravel Sims Mesa Rd offers views of the Uncompaghre River valley. It becomes a rutted unmaintained Forest Service road as it enters the National Forest. Wildflowers and aspen groves line the trail as…
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Total Miles
1.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Su

Cimarron Owl Creek Pass

This is a very scenic, pastoral drive down Cimarron Road into the Uncompaghre National Forest. There are many side roads leading to various forks of the Cimarron River, with plentiful dispersed camping sites along the…
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Total Miles
19.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Middle Blue Creek

This short, quick little trail is only 2 miles long and leads to a dead-end overlook up on the hillside. The overlook views are not the most spectacular by any means, but it's a nice…
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Total Miles
2.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Steers Gulch Road

This road has seasonal closures to keep the wildlife preserved. There is camping and amazing views of rolling hills, as well as some hiking trails. It does get extremely muddy when wet and has some…
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Total Miles
14.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

West Antelope Road

This road has seasonal closures. It gets extremely muddy when wet and has large water puddles that can become very messy. No camping on this road, but it does have some amazing views. Dirt or…
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Total Miles
4.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Roubideau Jeep Trail

This is a 12-mile loop trail off Divide Road beginning 30 miles from Montrose. We did this trail by following a fence line up the east leg to join the original Roubideau Jeep Trail. We…
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Total Miles
11.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Cow Creek

County Road 12 turns into the rutted dirt trail of Cow Creek. It is a narrow trail with few places for passing vehicles. There is a stretch of shelf road as it ascends and parallels…
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Total Miles
4.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Gunsight Pass

This is a great Jeep trail close to Crested Butte. The actual name of the trail is Gunsight Pass, but since access to the pass is no longer allowed I renamed it. The first thing…
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Total Miles
8.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

West Fork Cimarron Road

This beautifully scenic route takes you past Chimney Rock and up into the Uncompahgre Wilderness/National Forest. There are scattered primitive campgrounds all along the way. The first mile and a half (or so) of this…
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Total Miles
3.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Kezar Loop

Extremely muddy when wet, to the point of sliding out. Not safe if the rain has been strong; even with 4wd the mud becomes very slippery. You will enjoy this road with its amazing views.…
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Total Miles
12.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

East Dallas Trail

Easy wide dirt trail mostly through private property with access to National Forest land and dispersed camping at the end. The first third of the trail is a smooth dirt road that can get muddy…
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Total Miles
8.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Paradise Divide

Wildlife, wildflowers and stunning scenery surround you on this relaxing trail. Camping is available. Portions of the trail are closed between March 1 and June 30 depending on seasonal conditions.
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Total Miles
25.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa