Wondering if I have any more rough trail head roads to look forward to. On one extreme, there's the Maroon Bells lots where one never leaves pavement and used for my 3rd 14er. On the other you have the Lake Como Road which I avoided by doing Lindsey/Blanca/LB/Ell and Centennial 13ers from the Lily Lake TH (South Zapata Lakes also goes easy) which is a rougher one. Second worst I hear is Nellie Creek for Uncompahgre (my 2nd 14er), though I hear Matterhorn is also due. South Colony was a peach, especially after riding to it via Rainbow (not doing that again). Sneffles had a spicy one, but not that bad. Scouted most of the Castle/Con' road a ways past the bridge and figured it was just more of same.
So leaving out Como (for now, may play with it later), any left that'll pose a greater challenge? Gather some have seasonal conditions before the mud dries. My ace in the hole is my approach vehicle is a 1WD SWB (<8') that only needs about 4-12"-wide path of 'good' road so I can skirt many isolated obstacles, however riding up curb-to-curb melon rocks tires the arms as you have to counteract wheel deflections to keep it up (Horn Creek TH to Rainbow). Alpine Loop including Mineral, Corkscrew, Hurricane, California went fine.
Likewise, any that connect THs or towns? Black Bear, Imogene, and some others look interesting.
Here's an idea of the stretch between Horn Creek TH and where it intercepts Rainbow Trail (runs N-S along the feet of the Sangres crossing/linking multiple trails). This was about six feet wide (see boot at bottom of photo) though some parts narrow to four feet. Easy on a 4-wheel ATV with wide tires, but on 2W you generally have to pick a wheel track which on the side of a mountain means either flirting with wheels slipping off down into rocks and trees, or clipping rocks that stick out on the uphill side. ATV don't have as much hanging outside their wheels as bikes do like foot pegs and bags.
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Finally. There is an easier way, the Horn Creek "spur" from the lower parking area (no outhouse), but there are a lot of "nice" stretches on Rainbow like this when it's level and not traversing a slope, otherwise it can be steep, rocky, and narrow with the occasional switchback just for fun.
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First water crossing. Between Horn Creek and SCL, all creek crossings beyond trickles have sturdy bridges. You can see the horizontal wood through the leaves taking the right fork. Perfect for a bike, though this one may not be wide enough for an ATV. Some have arcing steel girders like you find in parks, and span gulches, but no idea how they got them up there without a helicopter. Rainbow is too narrow and twisty and no roads go up there.
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EDIT: Added poll. Left off Rainbow Trail because you can only ride it (ATV, motorcycle) not drive it (e.g. Jeep). Really don't get why it's even on the TH road list since people are actually driving South Colony Lakes road then walking Rainbow. Even if you find the Humboldt trail off Rainbow, there is NO WHERE to park. Anyone else here that has also motored on Rainbow?
"A few hours' mountain climbing make of a rogue and a saint two fairly equal creatures.
Tiredness is the shortest path to equality and fraternity - and sleep finally adds to them liberty."
) unless you start running some gnarly ridges.
