Trail Overview

This four-mile trail starts and ends off the Coal Mine Road. It takes us closer to the actual Factory Butte formation and offers a stunning moon-like landscape. There are some big drop-offs to navigate. After about a mile on the North start, the old road has been swallowed by a new "river". The new route bypasses and follows the river and reconnects near the Factory Butte Slope. The trail is made from Shale but feels like ash/sand.

Photos of Factory Butte Road

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Difficulty

The trail is covered in blue gate shale. It feels like sand at times and you can get stuck like sand. Be cautious in wet weather. Could be hard to travel. Be cautious of sudden drop-offs.

History

The trail is a very different composition. The Blue Gate Shale Member is made of dark to medium gray claystone, with scattered bivalve fragments, silty laminae, rare bentonite, and very fine-grained sandstone beds. It is part of the Mancos Shale, a cretaceous-age geologic formation. Shale is a sedimentary rock that is formed when clay, silt, mud, and organic matter are compacted over time. The color of shale is generally determined by its organic content, with darker colors indicating a higher organic content. Mineral components rich in ferrous iron can give shale blue, green, or black hues.

Technical Rating

Cody Schofield

Oct 15, 2025

Open

super easy! the ground was dry enough you didn't sink too bad. make sure to follow the map because you will wonder off the trail. Acouple off camber turns and ups and downs but nothing that isnt super manageable

Disco Overlander

May 18, 2025

Open

it just rained. muddy and fun. fun to be back

James Buck

Mar 31, 2025

Open

Coal Mine road is gravel to Factory Butte Road which is sandy/silt, but good condition.