Little Sand

This is a rewarding out-and-back trail that climbs into the foothills outside Jaffray, leading you onto elevated mountain shelves with spectacular panoramic vistas. The drive starts with a somewhat loose, rocky hill climb as you work your way up from the valley floor. Once you crest onto the upper bench, the grade levels out into a pleasant cruise with only the occasional seasonal mud hole or pothole to navigate. The higher you climb, the more dramatic the scenery becomes. Dense timber eventually gives way to open ledges and long vistas that showcase the rugged rock faces and peaks of the surrounding Rocky Mountains. While this isn't a major camping destination, you will pass a few relatively flat grassy meadows that can accommodate self-contained dispersed camping if you are looking for a quiet, seldom-used spot. Several side spur trails also branch off the main track, offering extra exploration and making this a prime access corridor for hunters and wildlife watchers. As you travel along the shelf, you have a good chance of flushing ruffed grouse or partridge and spotting deer and elk. The trail eventually dead-ends at a private property boundary marked by a locked gate. Keep turnaround logistics in mind as you approach the end. There is just enough room at the gate for a single vehicle to turn around, so if you are traveling in a multi-rig group, it is much easier to turn the convoy around at the last open meadow before the gate. Expect weak cellular reception along the route, with roughly one bar fading in and out.