Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Lakeside, Colorado

This is a super fun, single lane road to amazing camping. You'll camp above the reservoir and fish, canoe, kayak and relax. No swimming. Open to licensed and unlicensed vehicles. Trail is open from May 15 to November 30.
Learn more about Gross Reservoir

Little Bear Creek Road (FS 151) provides an excellent scenic alternative to paved routes when traveling between the CO-103 corridor and Idaho Springs. This 6.2-mile well-maintained dirt road offers stunning mountain views while remaining accessible to any vehicle - despite intimidating warning signs...
Learn more about Little Bear Creek Road - FS 151

Magnolia Road East accesses the Aspen Meadows residential area but allows you to avoid the heavy traffic of Boulder Canyon. This is a smooth dirt road any vehicle can navigate, and it has beautiful scenery. It is a double-track road with many driveways, so watch your speed.
Learn more about Magnolia Road East

This trail begins off of Squaw Pass Road. At the trailhead, you will see a sign for "Historic Arapaho Springs". This is an easier trail in dry conditions, accessible by stock 4WD vehicles and higher clearance 2WD. In wet or snowy conditions, 4WD is recommended. The trails are comprised of dirt and r...
Learn more about Old Squaw Pass East

This is an easy, one-way trail with a few places to pass and some rocky and washed-out sections. You'll find a handful of dispersed campsites and great views of Idaho Springs. The end of the trail is a gate leading to private property, and there is plenty of room to turn around.
Learn more about Santa Fe Trail

This trail can accessed from either the Squaw Mountain Lookout trail or the Old Squaw Pass East Trail. The trail is blocked in the middle by a gated section of private property which prevents you from accessing the full trail at one time. The trail consists of dirt and rock road that is easily acce...
Learn more about Old Squaw Pass Central

Nevadaville Loop is a graded, wide gravel road that offers a flowy and easy drive through Colorado's historic mining country. The route is washboarded in places but remains free of obstacles, making it suitable for most vehicles in dry conditions. Along the way, you'll pass through the residential a...
Learn more about Nevadaville Loop

Two Brothers Road is a simple dirt road with scenic views, lots of leftover mining equipment as well as sealed mine shafts littering the road, and, depending on the time of year, wash-boarding so bad your fillings will rattle out. At the north end of the road, concrete briefly interrupts the dirt be...
Learn more about Two Brothers Road

This trail begins off Highway 119 and just south of the start of the Pickle Gulch trail. The majority of this trail consists of a dirt road, with some single-lane sections winding through private property. Pay attention to and respect private property signage. You'll see many ruins of old mining act...
Learn more about Missouri Gulch Road - CR 15S/15N

Virginia Canyon Road is a simple dirt road with scenic views and lots of leftover mining equipment. While the road is generally plenty wide, there are occasionally times when you will share the road with mining company trucks hauling large vehicles and taking up space. This may require some maneuver...
Learn more about Virginia Canyon Road

Apex Road is a scenic, graded gravel road that runs from south to north through Colorado's historic mining country. The southern portion is smoother and well-maintained, suitable for most vehicles in dry conditions. As you continue north, particularly after turning onto Elk Park Road, the trail beco...
Learn more about Apex Road

This trail is easily accessed off of Squaw Pass Road. As the name hints, the trail takes you takes you to Squaw Mountain fire lookout which is about a 1-mile hike from the end of this trail. The trail consists of a 1-mile dirt road that is relatively maintained. It is passable by most passenger vehi...
Learn more about Squaw Mountain Lookout

The Michigan Hill trail starts from the Pickle Gulch Campground. This trail is a relatively easy trail for most off-road vehicles, although there are some narrow points on the trail. This trail winds through mining country. There are lots of mines in this area, and the usual holes and tailings piles...
Learn more about Michigan Hill

Enjoy this simple trail that leads to some pretty camp spots. If you're lucky, you might even be able to see a moose! Most vehicles can do this road, although it does have some spots that might rub a lower clearance vehicle. This is a common area for people living the van life to stay, so it can be ...
Learn more about Peewink

A fun, out and back trail with a great campsite a few hundred feet up the trail, and an abandoned mining site just past that. The trail is fairly narrow. 4WD wasn't required, but definitely helpful on the loose rock and dirt. The trail culminates at the border with private property and a closed gate...
Learn more about Buckeye Mountain Road 512.1

Kids will love this small area with intersecting forest roads and camping. To camp, enter at the north end. No dirt bikes allowed on this trail. Open May 15 to November 30.
Learn more about West Magnolia

This trail is an offshoot from Apex Road. If you want something slightly more technically challenging than Apex, this is a fun alternative to explore. The trail is fairly tight. 4WD is required in a couple of steep sections with loose rock. Some of the trail runs through private property, but there ...
Learn more about N Clear Creek Road

787 is one of the longer ATV trails in the Rampart Range Recreation Area at almost 8 miles long. It starts at the most northern staging area on Rampart Range Road right off State Highway 67, at the same trailhead as the Beginners Trail. This one is made up of tons of tight little curves. It zig-zags...
Learn more about 787 ATV Trail

This trail continues from the famous Switzerland Trail on the north side of Gold Hill Road and exits on Sawmill Road. It offers varied rocky terrain similar to the southern Switzerland Trail, with the addition of deep mud holes, scenic views, and an early option to explore the in-and-out Knob Hill t...
Learn more about Switzerland Trail - North

You're likely to see hikers on this trail, and it is a popular camping destination on the weekends. Check for postings on what camping is dispersed and what is designated. Be bear aware and plan accordingly. Trail is open all year.
Learn more about Gordon Gulch

This is a super fun, single lane road to amazing camping. You'll camp above the reservoir and fish, canoe, kayak and relax. No swimming. Open to licensed and unlicensed vehicles. Trail is open from May 15 to November 30.
Learn more about Gross Reservoir

This is an easy, one-way trail with a few places to pass and some rocky and washed-out sections. You'll find a handful of dispersed campsites and great views of Idaho Springs. The end of the trail is a gate leading to private property, and there is plenty of room to turn around.
Learn more about Santa Fe Trail

Apex Road is a scenic, graded gravel road that runs from south to north through Colorado's historic mining country. The southern portion is smoother and well-maintained, suitable for most vehicles in dry conditions. As you continue north, particularly after turning onto Elk Park Road, the trail beco...
Learn more about Apex Road

The Michigan Hill trail starts from the Pickle Gulch Campground. This trail is a relatively easy trail for most off-road vehicles, although there are some narrow points on the trail. This trail winds through mining country. There are lots of mines in this area, and the usual holes and tailings piles...
Learn more about Michigan Hill

This is a super fun, single lane road to amazing camping. You'll camp above the reservoir and fish, canoe, kayak and relax. No swimming. Open to licensed and unlicensed vehicles. Trail is open from May 15 to November 30.
Learn more about Gross Reservoir

Apex Road is a scenic, graded gravel road that runs from south to north through Colorado's historic mining country. The southern portion is smoother and well-maintained, suitable for most vehicles in dry conditions. As you continue north, particularly after turning onto Elk Park Road, the trail beco...
Learn more about Apex Road

The Michigan Hill trail starts from the Pickle Gulch Campground. This trail is a relatively easy trail for most off-road vehicles, although there are some narrow points on the trail. This trail winds through mining country. There are lots of mines in this area, and the usual holes and tailings piles...
Learn more about Michigan Hill

Enjoy this simple trail that leads to some pretty camp spots. If you're lucky, you might even be able to see a moose! Most vehicles can do this road, although it does have some spots that might rub a lower clearance vehicle. This is a common area for people living the van life to stay, so it can be ...
Learn more about Peewink