Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Louisville, 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

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

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

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

Chipmunk Gulch is a short, scenic route near Ward, Colorado, perfect for beginner offroaders and those looking for a quick mountain getaway with great camping. Stretching approximately 0.7 miles through the Arapaho National Forest, this dirt trail sits at an elevation of around 9,000 feet and offers...
Learn more about Chipmunk Gulch

West Magnolia is a scenic, beginner-friendly offroad route winding through the Roosevelt National Forest near Rollinsville, offering a network of intersecting forest roads, dispersed camping, and access to historic mining ruins. Spanning approximately 4.2 miles, this trail starts at an elevation of ...
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Calm out and back trail ending at a hut on private land. Be sure to not trespass on the private land. Some small ruts and rocks, along with some off-camber berms. A technical rock patch that requires concentration and good tire placement. Lots of campsites throughout the trail that are secluded from...
Learn more about Gold Lake Trail

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

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

The route begins in the middle of Cave Creek and is both USFS 217C and 217D. If you head up the left side of the trail there is a nice hill that offers some good rock climbing for the more mild vehicles. Once you reach the end of the left side, it opens up to a nice little fire ring accompanied by a...
Learn more about Rifle Road

The trail to Left Hand Reservoir is a nice out and back trail that leads to a good reservoir for fishing. A great trail to be surrounded by trees, mountains, and some good friends. It contains a lot of big ruts that were washed out by water to flex out your rig. The trail has lots of tree stumps, ro...
Learn more about Left Hand Reservoir

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

Barrett Street begins as a paved road before quickly transitioning to gravel as it climbs above Central City. The route is generally smooth and easy to travel, with broad views of town, several scenic pullouts, and a few short offshoot trails worth exploring. Watch for loose gravel, local traffic, a...
Learn more about Barrett Street

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

Apex Road is a scenic, historic route perfect for beginners and intermediate offroaders looking to explore Colorado's rich mining heritage while enjoying beautiful mountain vistas. Starting from Central City and heading north to Tolland, this trail transitions from a smooth, graded gravel road in th...
Learn more about Apex Road

Upper Russell Gulch Road is an easy gravel route through a historic mountain community. The road is wide, smooth, and suitable for most vehicles in dry conditions. The route passes forested hillsides, old utility structures, and several historic buildings. There are no major obstacles, though driver...
Learn more about Upper Russell Gulch Road

Columbine Road is an easy gravel route through open meadows, aspen groves, and forested mountain terrain. The road provides access to Columbine Campground and a large OHV staging area. Regular cars were on the road; nothing challenging here. The road is generally wide, smooth, and suitable for most ...
Learn more about Columbine Road

Church Placer Road is an easy gravel route through forest, aspen groves, open meadows, and mountain terrain. The road is generally smooth and wide enough for full-size vehicles, with only a few rocky sections, loose gravel, light washboarding, and a cattle guard along the way. There are no major obs...
Learn more about Church Placer Road

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

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

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

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

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

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