Elk Creek

Elk Creek is a fun and more challenging ATV trail through San Juan National Forest. The west end starts off of First Forks Road, behind a gate. It's a wide two-track through grassy glades under tall ponderosa pines. The beginning of the trail is the easiest, being dirt with small ruts. It gets rockier as it starts to zig-zag up the mountain with lots of switchbacks. The switchbacks are wide and gradual, but some of the traverses in between each switchback are steeper and rockier. There are big football-sized loose rocks in the middle of the trail. It keeps winding through the shrubbery, gaining almost 2,000 feet elevation. The whole route is one long sustained climb for almost 6 miles, with the east end being the steepest section. It intersects with Horse Creek trail, which you can take back west to make a loop back to the road you started on. This trail is open 5/15 - 11/30 for motorized use.