Trail Overview
This 12-mile adventure is suitable for high-clearance 4x4 vehicles. Most typically, people access this road from the Continental Divide (CD), where it serves as an extension of the Frying Pan road that dead ends on the CD at an elevation of 9,300 feet. Starting from the CD, the road traverses through some beautiful stands of white bark pine alternating with open mountain meadows and ridges. The road passes through several burned areas. This is a very beautiful segment of the single-lane dirt and rock road with few obstacles to negotiate. After about 6.5 miles, the road intersects with the BLM Everson Creek Rd. Most of the traffic turns onto the Everson Creek Roadwhich eventually leads to the Lemi Pass Road. However, BLM and Forest Service markers continue to encourage travel on the Black Canyon Ridge Rd that transitions through open sagebrush terrain and becomes more difficult with rutting, water crossings, and a series of gates. A persistent adventurer can, eventually, find a passage to the Bannock Pass Road. This road is signed as FS 5932 on the ground.
Difficulty
The first 6.5 miles of this road contain a few moderately steep ascents and descents that are rocky and are best used in 4WD. Some rutting is also present but easily straddled. The second lower 6 miles is narrower and more rutted, with several water crossings. It may be necessary to travel on trails through flat sagebrushy primitive tracks.
