Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Lake City, Colorado

Mill Creek Road

Mill Creek Road follows Mill Creek through Upper Mill Creek Pond, Lower Mill Creek Pond, and into Powderhorn and La Garita Wilderness areas. There is a lot of fishing along Mill Creek and the ponds…
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Total Miles
14.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Lost Trail Road

Lost Trail is a 50" trail more suited for dirt bikes than 50" vehicles. It is a connector between Cinnamon Pass (part of the Alpine Loop) and Stoney Pass via the interesting ghost town of…
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Total Miles
8.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Into the Forest We Go

The road leading up to this trail is seasonal, specifically once you reach the National Forest line - no motorized vehicles during the winter/spring months. It's an easy dirt road that climbs 1,000' in elevation,…
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Total Miles
2.9
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / 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

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

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

NF 520 - Rio Grande Reservoir & Headwaters

This trail takes you up along the Rio Grande past its reservoir to the headwaters. There is beautiful scenery, campsites along the river and some of the best trout fishing to be had. It runs…
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Total Miles
23.5
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Sp / 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

Picayune & Placer Gulches

This trail features a lot of old mining ruins and great mountain scenery. Treasure Mountain Gold Mining Company and the Sound Democrat Mill are especially unique and well-preserved. There are some fun side roads along…
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Total Miles
6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

California Gulch

This trail starts at the Animus Forks Ghost Town, and the start of the famous Alpine Loops. This is a remote and beautiful drive that passes by many old mining buildings. Make time to stop…
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Total Miles
4.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

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

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

Mineral Point

This in-and-out trail is a short, 3.5-mile round-trip trail with views and history. You will see a sign indicating the road is a dead end. At the very end of the trail are some ruins…
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Total Miles
1.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Minnie Gulch

An easy trail turning off CR2, and ending in the alpine tundra at a hiking trailhead. The trail passes several abandoned mining camps in various states of disrepair, and a decent size waterfall with a…
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Total Miles
2.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Crystal Lake - NF 532-2A

This trail takes you to Crystal Lake. It is a small mountain-top lake with a quiet little spot where you can camp. This is probably the wildlife watering hole in the evening and early mornings.…
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Total Miles
2.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Maggie Gulch

Short, easy trail that turns off from CR2 and ends at the remains of the Intersection Mill, built in the 1890s during the CO gold rush. It also connects to a network of hiking trails…
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Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / 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

Corkscrew Gulch, Hurricane Pass

Wind between two peaks of the Red Mountains and enjoy some really beautiful country. Logging trucks are common on the lower portion of the trail. Parking and camping are available at the bottom of the…
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Total Miles
6.7
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Su / Fa

Rat Creek Loop

Rat Creek Loop starts on the south end of Bachelor Loop. It begins as a sandy trail, and eventually reaches some fun hills to climb with small rocks. One section is curvy, with very loose…
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Total Miles
11.2
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Su / Fa

Cunningham Gulch

Cunningham Gulch is a great side trail just outside Silverton, CO providing an excellent area for dispersed camping, stunning views of the San Juan's, old mining camps, and waterfalls spread throughout the area. The first…
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Total Miles
3.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Alpine Loop Silverton to Animas Forks

This trail starts paved, then turns to gravel. Heavily trafficked on weekends, visibility can be very poor due to blowing dust. No cell service once a couple miles out from Silverton. This is an avalanche…
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Total Miles
2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Cty Rd 14. - Dexter Creek Rd

Dexter Creek Road leads you to national forest land with a few dispersed camping sites starting about one mile in. The road starts out a graded, gravel road which very quickly gets to a steep…
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Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Arrastra Gulch to Little Giant Basin

Just beyond the outskirts of Silverton, this road climbs up through a bunch of old mine sites to a mountain lake. Compared to the scenery of the Million Dollar Highway, this little nook is rougher,…
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Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su

Historic Bachelor Loop Fr 503 - 504

This is a 17-mile loop through an historic mining district above Creede. It takes you through mine locations that date back to the 1890's and some abandoned ghost towns that once rivaled Creede in size.The…
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Total Miles
14.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Culver Creek - Cty Rd 14A

Culver Creek, Cty Rd 14A, branches off of Dexter Creek, Cty Rd 14. The first part of the road is graded gravel to a parking area where you can park and hike. From there, the…
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Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Baldy Trail

Baldy Trail branches to the left off of Culver Creek Trail at Thistle Park meadow. It will take you to a meadow with primitive camping. Then, it travels farther up to the Baldy hiking trail…
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Total Miles
0.6
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Su / Fa

Miners Creek Road

This is an easy graded road that passes some cool mining spots before getting to the trailhead for Miners Creek Road. After going through a small section of private property it opens up to some…
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Total Miles
1.6
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Shallow Creek - NF 508

Lovely little road that takes you to the Shallow Creek Trailhead with some scenic views along the way. Some areas outside of private property where you can camp alongside the creek towards the end of…
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Total Miles
1.8
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Last Chance Mine

This half mile road takes you to the Last Chance Mine. The site offers cabins, mine tours and a gift shop with an amazing view. From the top you can view old mining sites below.…
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Total Miles
1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Red Mountain Mining Area

You'll see the famed shaft house at Yankee Girl Mine and follow and old railroad grade on this fun, easy trail. The southern section features high mountain views.
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Total Miles
8.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa