Bill Moore Lake

Total Miles
5.3

Technical Rating

7

Difficult

Best Time

Summer

Trail Type

Full-Width Road

Accessible By

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Bill Moore Lake
5

Trail Overview

A lot of people choose to spend a weekend playing around this area. There are a lot of different trails to try out as well as some interesting historical sites. The trail connects to Red Elephant Hill and Mill Creek Loop. ATVs and UTVs will especially enjoy this trail. There is a staging area at the trailhead. Open all year.

Photos of Bill Moore Lake

Bill Moore Lake
Bill Moore Lake

Difficulty

Difficult. Upper part has several steep, loose, rocky sections. Some stock, high-clearance SUVs can do it, but at least one locker is highly recommended. Use F.S. 183.1A bypass around worst section if your vehicle does not have differential lockers.

History

The town of North Empire, located 1 mile north of Empire, housed many of the men working in the highly productive Conqueror Mine. During the 1860s and '~70s the town had several boarding houses and a small cable-operated railroad. Even with the railroad, most of the travel was still done by horse and wagon. Only traces of North Empire remain today.

Technical Rating

7

Status Reports

Isaac Herman
Sep 08, 2024
Open
Rough/Deteriorated
On a dry day this trail can be a 6-7/10 if it was snowed out I don’t think it would be possible to make it all the way to the lake. This trail is a good challenging ride for a slight experienced off roader. They’re alternative routes on the trail which I had accidentally taken on the way back that pose challenging obstacles. If you have more than 35inches of tire, a decent lift and a rear locker. Then it should be a cake walk. Did not expect it to be as challenging as it was based off other reports. This trail would get new riders sweating. Only one other truck I saw up there and it was a Tacoma on 37s. Don’t forget to disconnect your sway bars and throw it into 4-low occasionally.
Brent Lamborn
Jul 27, 2024
4x4
Open
Trail almost completely dry. Rocky in some areas but somewhat flat most areas. I had my sway bar disconnected. Didn't use my lockers. If the trail was wet/muddy some areas would be tricky. Amazing view once you reach the lake! Water is clear. Groundhog was on poser rock.
Reiter S
Jul 06, 2024
2023 Jeep Gladiator
Open
Normal
Rough/Deteriorated
The trail is free of snow drifts, so making it up to the lake is possible! Just be ready for a bunch of mosquitoes as you're on approach. Using bug repellant on your vehicle's entrances (door frames, window frames) can help reduce them if you're running with a solid top. Some parts of the trail will need some gumption to get up, like the first switchback not too far from the small parking area. A stocko taco was able to do it with a bit of a run. Be ready for loose rock in many parts of the trail, but overall it is pretty accessible! Wheel placement and differential awareness will help out on much of the trail, otherwise it's a steady-as-it-goes run.
Michael V
Jun 30, 2024
2023 Toyota Tacoma
Open
Muddy/Wet
I would not have this at a 7 as we did have a stock 4 runner do it as well as a stock Range Rover. They took easier lines but it’s doable. Open all the way. Drift snow is gone but mud is very present where snow normally is

Access Description

From Empire, head north on Main Street (North Empire Road) in center of town. Continue uphill beyond pavement. Bear right at fork at 0.7 mile to parking on left at 1.0 mile.

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