Trail Overview

Sunlight Road is a 33.6-mile out-and-back trail that starts and ends off State Route 296 and gives access to plenty of dispersed camping along the Sunlight Creek. The first part of this road passes along private lands and is well-maintained. Once you pass the Ranger station, the road begins to degrade, and you will find mud holes up to 12 inches in depth to negotiate. There is a short, narrow section of shelf road that is single vehicle width. As you get close to the end of the trail, there are three possible water crossings, depending on the time of year, that can be up to 12" in depth. The trail ends at a closed gate which gives access to Spring Creek;this extension of the trail is only open between 16 July - 30 September. This is a great place to do some dispersed camping along the creek. This is bear country, so ensure food items are in a secure container.

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Difficulty

This is a well-maintained County Road up to the Ranger Station and Bridge, after that the road condition deteriorates with mud holes under 12 inches in depth and three possible water crossings all under 12 inches in depth.

Technical Rating

Toby Kern

Aug 31, 2025

Open

The slide by Sulphur creek was passable with any 4x4 or motorcycle, water crossings were low, maybe a foot deep. We made it to 9200’ on the galena spur, there is a slide there that is impassable.

Bill Baxter

Aug 22, 2025

Open

Trail was open and in good shape until the slide about a mile from the Sulphur Creek junction. Just a clarification of someone’s earlier trail report - the slide is a shale slide, not a “shell slide”. The shale is rather loose, and the rocks slide over each other quite easily, with a corresponding loss of traction. A Jeep Compass 4x4 with open diffs could not make it across. However a high clearance 4x4 with a locking differential could. Many Grizzly bears in the area so take the usual precautions.

Levi Haupt

Jul 26, 2025

Open

There is a shell rock slide that is covering the trail with 6-8ft of material on the trail 17.9 miles from hwy 296, or 2.2 miles from the sunlight creek crossing. Dirt bikes and 4 wheelers may be able to pass while riding over the slide but some were walking dirt bikes over. 4x4 vehicles are able to cross. The bank of the sunlight creek is steep between 4-6ft tall. The creek was close to 2ft deep. Stock height 4x4 vehicles were crossing but high clearance would be beneficial.