Upper Section of East Fork San Juan River Rd-Fr 667

Trail Overview

Difficulty

Intermediate

History

History of East Fork Road, The East Fork road goes back to the late 1800's. There was a need for a road going into Pagosa Springs from the San Luis Valley for Settlers, Miners and the Army. The wagon trail was started by the Army in 1879, however abandoned before completed, then possibly completed later by private parties, or taken over by the State of Colorado. Maintenance later fell to the counties it crossed through and the road was considered dangerous. There were great hopes for it linking the Elwood Mining Camp, homes in the area and developing more resources. With floods and other problems none of this materialized. Later the road was used for a telephone line and had to be maintained for that. Now a gas pipeline runs alongside the road while it is used by tourists and hunters. As you traverse this area you will be crossing an area of Colorado little changed from the early 1900's. It is rich in history. An excellent reference can be found here: http://pagosasprings.com/the-history-of-elwood-more-than-know/

Technical Rating