Trail Overview
This route follows a portion of the historic Denver and Rio Grande railroad grade through the Leadville area. The trail is primarily a narrow dirt and gravel two-track with scattered loose rocks and a few mildly uneven sections, but there are no major obstacles along the route. Much of the trail is only one vehicle wide with very limited room to pass, so watch for oncoming traffic. The route travels through a forested area dominated by lodgepole pine with scattered aspen, low shrubs, and rocky hillsides. Several sections pass near homes, so please be respectful of residents, keep speeds and noise down, and stay on the designated route. This can also provide a quieter alternative when Lake County Road 3 has heavier traffic.
Difficulty
The trail consists primarily of packed dirt and gravel with scattered loose rocks and mildly uneven sections. There are no major obstacles, ledges, or technical sections, but the narrow, one-vehicle-wide route and occasional rocky areas require basic tire placement and attention.
History
Leadville's surrounding mountains are heavily connected to Colorado's mining history. Mining booms beginning in the 1860s transformed the area, with gold, silver, lead, zinc, molybdenum, and other minerals driving development over different periods. Many roads and routes throughout the mountains originated as access to mines, claims, settlements, and other industrial sites. Remnants of this history can still be found throughout the area, including mine workings, foundations, structures, and old transportation corridors. Leadville was also once home to the Unsinkable Molly Brown, who lived in the city during its mining boom and met and married J.J. Brown there. Doc Holliday also called Leadville home during the 1880s, spending time in the city's saloons and gambling halls during one of its most colorful periods. Leadville itself is recognized as a National Historic Landmark District.
