Trail Overview
This Forest Service trail is a well-maintained route that consists primarily of packed dirt with occasional sections of loose gravel. In dry conditions, it is an easy drive and should be accessible to most vehicles with moderate ground clearance without the need for 4WD. Near what initially appears to be the end of the route, the road opens into a large cul-de-sac-like area, but the trail actually continues beyond it. From this point, the road becomes narrower and sees considerably less traffic before ending approximately a quarter mile farther ahead. There are limited opportunities to turn around and essentially no suitable parking near the end, where the route continues as a non-motorized trail. There is a small cut into the hillside approximately 100 yards before the end that provides a place to turn around, but if you plan to continue on foot or horseback, it is best to park near the larger turnaround area.
History
The Reed Creek Road and Mill Creek area lies in the historic North Routt County landscape surrounding Clark and the upper Elk River. The valleys and mountain drainages were used long before modern roads were established, with Native American groups traveling through the region and later trappers, hunters, and settlers using the surrounding valleys and passes. As settlement expanded in the late 1800s and early 1900s, roads such as Reed Creek Road developed primarily as access routes for ranching, timber, hunting, and Forest Service activities. Much of the surrounding land eventually became part of the Routt National Forest, preserving the area’s extensive forests, meadows, and mountain watersheds. Reed Creek Road today provides access into this remote country, including the Hinman area and surrounding Forest Service lands. The Mill Creek watershed remains an important natural feature of the area and has also been part of the region’s modern forest-management history, including the 2017 Mill Creek Fire, which burned more than 450 acres northeast of Hayden.
