Log In 

South Colony Lakes Trailhead

  
8/24/2023
Posted On: 8/24/2023 By: mmbakken
Info: The 2WD trailhead is accessible from South Colony Road from the East, but not from the North via Colony Lane. If you're coming from the Alvarado campground, do not follow Google Maps directions. The road basically ends about 1/2 a mile short of the trailhead. There's some tire ruts there but it's definitely not a 2WD road.
 
8/20/2023
Posted On: 5/28/2024 By: Marmot72
Info: After getting my '18 Forester up and down from the TH without incident, I declare this road, in its present state, as Subaruable! There are four rocky sections that required slow, careful navigation with the "X mode" (full-time 4 low) switched on.
2
 
4
8/5/2023
Posted On: 8/5/2023 By: aldsw
Info: This is one of the rougher 4wd trail head roads I've been on. We had no issues in our Nissan Armada but do worry what unseen damage was done. We followed a Jeep Cherokee on the way up and they had a heck of a time. There were times they only had two wheels on the ground at a time. As others have said, with the right skill, any 4wd / decent clearance vehicle will make it, but at what cost?
 
1
6/19/2023
Posted On: 6/20/2023 By: Yossi
Info: The road is annoying yet passable by any car with high clearance and 4wd but the better your vehicle the easier the drive will be. It is quite rocky and there is almost no reprieve from having to carefully navigate rocks. Many mid size SUV's were present so it seems with enough patience and skill most med/high clearance SUV's can make it. Still found it to be a frustratingly rough and slow road in a stock 4Runner.
 
6/18/2023
Posted On: 6/19/2023 By: Eagle Eye
Info: I would call the road on the 'good' side of its summer condition, having been there a lot. It seems like some repairs or filling in has been done to sections of the road. A warning is that there are many cows grazing in a field/no fence on the North side of S Colony Rd just past the 2wd parking area. There were 3 or 4 cows in the ditch or in the road when I was leaving.
 
6/9/2023
Posted On: 6/12/2023 By: BRadleyC
Info: Drove stock Ford Ranger Tremor Edition up to 4WD trailhead with no issues. Several rough sections which required slow speed and careful line selection. No ice nor snow encountered on way to 4WD trailhead. Was glad to have skid plates and not sure I would have tried it without undercarriage protection. Truck has 9.7 inches of ground clearance .
 
5/31/2023
Posted On: 5/31/2023 By: Scott Conro
Info: After four trips up the road in my GMC 1500 4WD in 2017/2018, I decided to never do it again. However, I was told the road was regraded recently and not too bad. The previous two posts somewhat confirmed that information. It is, in fact, just as bad as it was five years ago and wish I didnt put that strain on my truck. It would have taken the same time to walk the road.
 
5/29/2023
Posted On: 5/29/2023 By: terribletigzy
Info: I parked at rainbow trailhead which is past most of the difficulties on the road. Made it up in a stock Subaru Forester. This road was at the absolute limits of this vehicle and only recommend attempting in a subie if you are confident in your abilities and are willing to pay the potential consequences if you have a problem. Most of the road isnt too bad, but there are 3-4 sections where a good line and the right amount of speed are needed.
 
3
5/29/2023
Posted On: 5/30/2023 By: ssowalskie
Info: I made it up to .1 miles away from the 4WD trailhead in my stock Subaru Outback. It was a rough way up (and an even rougher way down) but is definitely Subaru-able if you pick the right lines (and are okay with a little white-knuckle driving). However, I didn't make it all the way up because of a large pool of standing water right before the 4WD trailhead (see picture). I might have been able to make it, but wasn't sure how deep it was and didn't want to risk it. Vehicles at the 4WD trailhead were all SUVs with slightly better clearance.
1
3
5/27/2023
Posted On: 6/19/2023 By: GaryBroome6
Info: Road is completely clear of snow and ice all the way to the summer TH if you can survive the giant holes and half buried boulders.
 
5/6/2023
Posted On: 5/7/2023 By: supranihilest
Info: Tree mentioned in previous update has been cut back from the road. Intermittent snow and ice patches all the way to the 4WD trailhead. We were able to drive about half a mile from the 4WD trailhead. Nobody had gone farther when we parked early in the morning but by the time we came back down at least one person had driven all the way to the trailhead in what was probably an ATV or side-by-side. Personally I'd wait another week or two before going all the way, to avoid getting stuck in the remaining snow, but it is possible now.
 
4/23/2023
Posted On: 4/23/2023 By: colin j
Info: Drove to the National Forest boundary; any vehicle that can make the trailhead in summer can make it here, though parking is an issue. There isn't a lot of snow beyond this point; however, 500 ft beyond the boundary is a large downed tree. Vehicular access to the trailhead is impractical until the tree is removed.
1
11/23/2022
Posted On: 11/24/2022 By: bmcqueen
Info: I was able to drive to the summer TH in my 4Runner. Plenty of snow on the road, but the existing tracks made it very doable. Subject to change with the next snow of course.
 
10/15/2022
Posted On: 10/16/2022 By: infinitealpine
Info: Made it to the upper TH in a stock RAV4. I'd say it's probably at the limits of my vehicles capabilities but doable if you take it slow and pick your lines carefully. Plenty of room to park when I had arrived at 9am.
 
10/9/2022
Posted On: 10/12/2022 By: Eagle Eye
Info: I would say the road is on the poor side of its summer conditions, still. Probably the end of a busy season where a lot of damage and big rocks have been dug out. Someone mentioned a big muddy water pool and its near the end of the drivable road, near the upper TH. Its in a slight dip in the road, I estimate a foot/foot & a half deep, maybe 15 feet long & unavoidable. Its a good road to have high clearance and 4WD, LT light truck (strong sidewall) not P (easily punctured sidewall) passenger tires.
 

This page is only available to registered 14ers.com users. If you don't have an account, you can register in the forum.

Log In_