Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Durango, Colorado

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Junction Creek

Amazing views, camp spots, hikes. It's a very easy road, with some uphill climbs, but a 2WD can do it in good weather conditions. The road can be muddy when wet.Dirt or rocky road with…
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Total Miles
19
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Railroad Grade

Lots of camping before this road, and some camping at the end of the road, with cows, hope you like a good morning moo and cow pies! Lots of mud when wet, and water crossing,…
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Total Miles
6.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Helmet Peak

Very tight road, not recommended for a wide wheelbase or tall vehicle, beautiful views, very rocky, muddy when wet. Dirt or rocky road, typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossings…
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Total Miles
4.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Hillside Drive

Hillside Drive, , Forest Road 436 is an easy and delightful drive up a hillside in the San Juan Forest. You cross the Dolores River to start, then head upwards with Burnette Canyon on your…
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Total Miles
15.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Hermosa Park

Leaving Purgatory Resort, Forest Service Road 578 quickly climbs to Hermosa Park utilizing well maintained narrow dusty switchbacks. Once peaking Forest Service Road 578, it drops you into a beautiful valley with jaw dropping views…
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Total Miles
8
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Lime Creek Road

Lime Creek Road follows the beautiful Lime Creek steep with history going back to a hunting trail used by the Ute Indians, to prospectors/pioneers converting the trail to a road in the late 1880s to…
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Total Miles
10.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Chicken Creek Road

Rocky road in some spots, nothing to difficult though, easily done with a high clearance rig, muddy when wet. Dirt or rocky road, typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter shallow water crossings…
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Total Miles
8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Ditches Road

Lots and lots of camping, big area for RVs and large groups. Water crossing halfway through the trail, lots of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails. It can be muddy when wet.Dirt or rocky road,…
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Total Miles
2.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Millwood Road

This road runs along private property, so please keep in mind and be respectful; when wet, this road becomes a crazy muddy mess; you will find huge mud tracks and potholes that will hurt if…
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Total Miles
10.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Spring Creek Road

This is a short drive in a residential area, but if you're looking for beautiful aspen trees, I recommend checking this road out. The road does get muddy when wet. There are a few hiking,…
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Total Miles
2.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Spring Cr Pt Road

Can be muddy when wet. The road offers a decent view at the end overlooking a valley. There is a gate, so please close it behind you! If you like cows, you'll have plenty of…
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Total Miles
3.2
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

West Bolam Pass

Just in-between Rico & Ames off of Colorado's Highway 145 scenic San Juan Skyway lies Forest Service Road 578 which leads you up to Bolam Pass with breathtaking views of Sheep Mountain, San Miguel Peak…
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Total Miles
7.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Piedra Road-Fr Rd 631

Piedra road will lead you north out of Pagosa Springs past the airport and a few neighborhoods. It eventually turns into a forest service road with two large parking areas and trailheads at the beginning.…
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Total Miles
34.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Largo Canyon to Crow Canyon

This out and back trail leads to several panels of petroglyphs and a ruin that all require a short walk to view. Simple oilfield dirt roads lead you to the canyon entrance that will take…
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Total Miles
21.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Devil Mountain-Fr Rd 626

Camping, Jeeping and Hunting on Devil Mountain-Fr Rd 626 There is some space when you first turn onto the trail from Hwy 160 to air up or down. After that area the Devil Mountain trail…
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Total Miles
10.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Cty Rd 6 - Christ of the Mines Shrine

This is a short little drive on the north side of Silverton. It starts on 15th street at the county courthouse. This easy drive takes you by the Christ of the Mines Shrine with wonderful…
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Total Miles
1.1
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Devil Creek Wildlife Management Area-Fr Rd 627

The Devil Creek trail is a short trail leading to the 561 acre Devil Creek Wildlife Management area. Part way up the trail is a very interesting rock on your left. At the end of…
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Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / 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

Middle Fork Mineral Creek

This short offshoot from Ophir Pass leads to a very small campsite next to a river. There are two rock fire rings in the area. If you cross the river, the trail splits left or…
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Total Miles
0.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

South Fork Ilium Road

South Fork Ilium Rd, Cty Rd 63L connects to US 145 opposite the Ophir Pass trail. If you have just come down off Ophir, this road allows for some day use spots for respite and…
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Total Miles
5.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Upper House Creek Road

This trail is very muddy in spots and has small water puddles. It offers lots of camping with hiking and biking trails. Dirt or rocky road, typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter…
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Total Miles
5.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Boggy Draw Road

This trail has camping spots and offers biking, hiking, and riding trails with beautiful views. The road can be muddy when wet and has ruts in some places. Dirt or rocky road with gentle grades.…
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Total Miles
3.6
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Chattanooga Trail

This road will lead to the trailhead for the Columbine Lake hike. Vehicles are often parked on the shoulder, so use caution. The beginning of the Northern part of the trail will have you crossing…
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Total Miles
1.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / 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

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

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

Sandbench-Fr Rd 642

Sandbench road branches off of Piedra road up on top of the ridge. There are a few disturbed primitive campsites. There were several signs marking sale boundaries, so will probably be some logging operations in…
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Total Miles
2.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / 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

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

Beaver Point Road

There are big open pastures with lots of cows, so watch out for cow pies! Dirt or rocky road with gentle grades. Safe for most 4WD and high-clearance 2WD vehicles. Roads are typically two vehicles…
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Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp