Dolly Varden Road (Windy Ridge)

Dolly Varden Road (Windy Ridge)

Dolly Varden Road (Windy Ridge)
Dolly Varden Road (Windy Ridge)

Distance

7.9 mi

Technical Rating

3 Easy

Best Time

Summer

Trail Type

Full-Width Road

Accessible By

Trail Overview

Officially this is Dolly Varden Road or FS 783, however, the signage will say Windy Ridge, which it is more commonly known as. At tree line, you will encounter the Windy Ridge Bristlecone Pine Scenic Area, one of only a handful of old bristlecone pine forests in Colorado. If you proceed further, a network of roads ensues, many of which are private or closed, with one exception to access the summit of Mount Bross making this the second-highest unpaved road in Colorado. While there are many routes, this is the only one in which you will not encounter marked closures, end up in dead ends, or find yourself in extremely dangerous situations. Along the way, you will pass numerous mine sites, as well as more mines above the tree line. Many of these mine sites are private property, some marked, some not.

Weather

Status Reports

Steven Barclay
Oct 01, 2024
4x4
Obstructed
A little snow covering the trail close to the end by a steep drop off. it might be passable but too dangerous for us. I would also rate the trail a 4.
Michael V
Sep 14, 2024
2016 Land Rover LR4
Open
Rough/Deteriorated
Fun road. It gets white-knuckled at the end as you approach the summit, with many switchbacks that I had to reverse to make the turn. Cool mines along the route.
David Groover
Aug 31, 2024
2023 Toyota 4Runner
Open
Normal

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