Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Vail, Colorado

Muddy Pass & Piney Guard Station

This is an easy, scenic drive open June 21 through November 22. There are plenty of dispersed camping sites, all of them with amazing views. The first 6.5 miles are highly trafficked because of Piney…
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Total Miles
36.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Shrine Pass

Nice, easy ride open to unlicensed vehicles at the parking lot at Shrine Pass from June 21 to November 22. This is a popular area for hikers and mountain bikers so please be respectful. Bring…
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Total Miles
10.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Ptarmigan Pass

We like to do this Jeep trail clockwise with McAllister Pass starting over on Shrine Pass. The first half mile is in Wearyman Creek. Be careful if the water is high. Ptarmigan Pass spends a…
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Total Miles
10.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Sheephorn Mountain

Make your way up the side of this mountain on varied terrain. You'll see trees and a few glimpses of the valley below. End of the trail is an easy route passing some cool old…
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Total Miles
14.5
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Su / Fa

Williams Peak Road

This trail takes you up along a high ridge with amazing views of the valley and reservoir below. The top section has dispersed camping available set back in the trees, and if you're lucky you…
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Total Miles
11
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Crystal Road - Spruce Creek Road

If you have done Peak 10, this is the little road and Lake you are staring down at. Crystal Road is usually combined with Spruce Creek Road, although the connector between them is no longer…
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Total Miles
3.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Blacktail Creek

A portion of this route travels through Routt National Forest, and unlicensed vehicles are permitted. The last section of the trail is incredibly beautiful with views of the Colorado River meandering through a large valley.…
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Total Miles
29.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Straight Creek

An ATV or dirt bike trail that follows I-70 from the town of Dillon to the Eisenhower Tunnel. You follow the creek most of the time which and are in the shadow of I-70. Mostly…
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Total Miles
3.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Boreas Pass

This is a beautiful drive with relatively easy terrain and some fun, historic sights. Wildflowers and fall colors phenomenal. The trail was converted from railroad to vehicles in 1952 and you'll see railroad exhibits along…
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Total Miles
20
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Hagerman Pass

Turquoise Reservoir is an excellent hub for your outdoor adventures, especially fishing and hiking, including the Colorado Trail, and exploring two historical railroad tunnels. Want to make it a really long day? At Basalt, head…
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Total Miles
11.2
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Su / Fa

Mt. Baldy Road

This is a street legal only spur off of Boreas Pass to the summit (almost) of Mt Blady, to the east of Breckenridge offering excellent views of the town of Breckenridge, the ski area, as…
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Total Miles
3.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Beaver Creek, Muddy Creek

A cool loop that will test your mud bogging ability. It is likely you will get stuck, so this is a great trail to take with a few of your friends. It's also very handy…
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Total Miles
32.7
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Su / Fa

Radical Hill

This is part of the network of trails out on Montezuma, Colorado. Note that leaving town, you follow the signs for Deer Creek. This section would be a TR3 to the top of Radical hill…
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Total Miles
18.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

West Beaver Creek Road

A gentle but scenic maintained dirt/gravel road underneath Mount Silver Heels ending just before the Iron Mine across Beaver Creek. There are spectacular views of Quandary to the West and Silverheels to the East. Along…
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Total Miles
6.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Weston Pass

A nice, scenic drive, especially if you like seasonal colors. There is a campground available as well as some great camping spots along the South Fork of South Platte River and Big Union Creek.
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Total Miles
18.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Jones Pass

You can access some really good hiking from this trail at Butler Gulch and along the Continental Divide. The views at the top of the pass are unbelievable. It's fun to get there, but there…
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Total Miles
6.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Au

Peerless Mine

A fairly easy Jeep trail but well worth doing, especially if combined with Browns-Breakneck. A connector between the two trails is included in this track. Fourmile Creek Road is a wide-graded County road right to…
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Total Miles
25.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Peru Creek

A super easy road to camping, hiking and more. There are some difficult trails in the area if you want more of a challenge. Cinnamon Gulch takes you to an amazing viewpoint at an old…
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Total Miles
4.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Long Park

Majority of Long Park Trail (National Forest System Road (NFSR) 225) travels through the Routt National Forest. Offering fantastic camping opportunities early along the trail with beautiful views of Rock Creek. Proceed with caution after…
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Total Miles
6.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Byers Peak

Take this drive from Winter Park to the popular Byers Peak Hiking Trail. There are a lot of different things to enjoy there from hiking and biking, to camping and offroading. Unlicensed vehicles are not…
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Total Miles
13.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Browns & Breakneck

Most people start on the southern leg, about 5 miles south of Fairplay. Doing the loop, plus Lamb Mountain is 20 miles.The main loop of Browns and Breakneck Passes is mostly in the trees. There…
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Total Miles
16.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Lynx Pass

Lynx Pass (National Forest System Road (NFSR) 270) is a scenic stretch of road with an elevation range from 7,200 to 8,720 feet. The habitat varies from lodgepole pine, quaking aspen, and subalpine fir forests…
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Total Miles
11.6
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Grizzly Gulch

Grizzly Gulch is a difficult trail that starts up Stevens Gulch. There is a dirt parking lot area on Stevens Gulch, and if you go all the way to the back, you will find that…
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Total Miles
3.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Gordon Mine

Just west of Twin Lakes, off the road to Aspen. A short trail that can be combined with Lost Canyon to make a longer day. The left spur goes to a building remaining from the…
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Total Miles
4.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su

Stevens Gulch

This trail is mainly used to get to Torrey's Peak and Gray's Peak trailheads. Most of it is dirt with small rocks, and could be done in a small car, but as you get further…
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Total Miles
4.2
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Red Table Road

This trail is very rocky,you will find soft red dirt on this trail that will become mud in wet conditions.There are multiple water puddles, some came be deep, with no bypass.It is a fun trail…
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Total Miles
12.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp

Deadman FSR 427

A simple trail that connects more trails on Kenosha Pass with Jefferson Lake and the famous 1776 Colorado Trail (Hiking). The first 3/4 mile follows private land with no dispersed camping. After the private land…
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Total Miles
1.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Wahl - FS 809

Wahl FS 809 is a connection trail for the Kenosha Pass trail network. This trail provides smooth open terrain running, steep hill climbs, and a water crossing. Water crossing may exceed 12 inches during spring…
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Total Miles
3.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Red Table North 464

This road is pretty simple with a few spots to pull over and get a good view of the red rocks.As far as difficulty it's pretty easy, a little bumpy but nothing a stock 4wd…
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Total Miles
3.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Clear Creek

Sitting just to the north of the Collegiate Wilderness, this trail offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy great views and see well preserved mining camps. There are plenty of dispersed camping along Clear Creek. There…
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Total Miles
10.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa