4 Posted By: Boomerang Info: Trailhead is easily accessed by small SUV’s, and though I have AWD it wasn’t needed (Ford Escape). As this vehicle has only decent clearance (8.5"), but I never scraped a rock, I would say all 2wd’s with some clearance would have no problem on this road - I saw several other vehicles this size at the TH including an Outback, a CRV and a RAV. The water crossings were uneventful at this time of year. | ||||
Posted By: YEONDERIN Info: Both creek crossings running very high, especially during hot afternoon. Couldn‘t do much more with a Dakota longbed. Lower crossing has a deep hole on upstream side that will swallow your right front wheel (going up) if you turn too high. Upper crossing was easier. Road is good to TH. | ||||
Posted By: colorado yooper Info: Took the Forester loaded with 4 adults, a kid, gear, and a dog up to the meadow just before the 4WD trailhead on the 18th and out on the 19th. Only hit bottom 3 times (lightly) and my fault. River crossings were OK. I did move a few big rocks out of the way and cut a small aspen out of the trail today. There is a big tree that blocks the upper trailhead (14 inches circ) and some snow drifts yet. | ||||
Posted By: stevevets689 Info: Took my Jeep Cherokee and was able to drive past the first creek crossing up some switchbacks and was stopped by a major drift a couple hundred yards before the second crossing, about 2 miles short of the summer trailhead. First creek crossing was wide but not deep at all, no problem. Watch for rocks. Large drift continues until the second crossing which was difficult in ski boots. There are a couple small drifts after that but nothing major (i.e. requiring snowshoes or skis) until about a mile later, at the end of a large meadow. Coverage from there on is fairly widespread. | ||||
Posted By: JsinDeAZ Info: Was able to get about 2.1 miles up the road. Snow drifts are way too deep after this point (maybe 75% chance with a tractor). Rocks had fallen in road and we stopped and moved them in several spots. One big slide across road was barely passable to one side. Creek crossing expanded considerably in the one day we were up and it’ll probably get wider with runoff. Still lots of snow up high. | ||||
Posted By: PKelley Info: Just letting everyone know that the first 1/4 to 1/2 mile of the Nellie Creek Road is plowed and that much of it is passible for 4WD with good tires. Hey it cuts a mile off of the hike right now..... More to follow in the coming weeks. | ||||
Posted By: pioletski Info: Henson Creek Road is plowed and dry a short way past Nellie Creek. The 4wd Nellie Creek Road is still snowpacked. | ||||
Posted By: globreal Info: For access to Uncompahgre Peak, County Rd 20 (Henson Creek Rd) is driveable to County Rd 23 (Nellie Creek/4WD road) as of Dec. 13, 2010. I was told this road is plowed throughout the winter (to the Nellie Creek turnoff) however, they don‘t plow it on weekends. | ||||
Posted By: timf Info: Bone dry without a trace of snow as of 10/14 & 10/15. Zero snow at 12K‘ and light snow at 13K‘ on Uncompahgre. | ||||
Posted By: tlee83 Info: After reading about the road up to the Uncompaghre TH, we were concerned that our RAV 4 wouldn‘t make it, but we had absolutely no trouble and made it all the way. Other vehicles at the top - 4Runner, Tacoma, Highlander, Tundra (it was a Toyota party), and 2 Jeep Cherokees. As we were driving down a Chevy Blazer was going up. I felt there were several places to pull over in case you meet someone going opposite way. Glad we didn‘t have to hike that extra 8 miles! | ||||
Posted By: FCSquid Info: Road is easily passable to the upper trailhead with 4x4 and decent clearance. Any stock 4WD with clearance should have no trouble getting to the top. | ||||
Posted By: unclegar Info: Clear to the top. Two stream crossings weren‘t too high. According to a local the level peaked about a week and a half ago and is declining now. Pretty rough for a CRV but it is possible. :-) | ||||
Posted By: highplaces Info: Same as 5/16 report. Able to drive to within 1.5 miles of summer TH. Beyond this the road is impassable due to snow, dirt slides and rockfall. | ||||
Posted By: JosephG Info: Nellie Creek is dry until ~1-1.5 miles from the summer TH. Approximately 1.7 miles up from Henson Road, there is a wide, but shallow, creek crossing. After the road forks at 2.3 miles, there are receding, passable snow drifts. After ~2.8 miles, snow drifts sporadically cover the road making it impassable both because of the drifts and rockfall. | ||||
Posted By: BillMiddlebrook Info: Henson creek road is open to the Nellie Creek 2WD trailhead. Nellie Creek 4WD road is still snow-covered and vehicles must park at the bottom. There were some long, rough sections along the 4WD road, so snowmobiles will also have a tough time right now. We were able to carefully ride the sleds 2.5 miles up the road. | ||||
Posted By: Kiefer Info: Hansen Creek Road is plowed down to bare dirt a short ways past the outhouse (which is stocked BTW). A 2x4 vehicle can make it to the lower trailhead. If you have truck or Jeep, DO NOT try and take it up the 4x4 road. It‘s packed down fairly well but there is a healthy amt of ice buildup underneath. The road is packed all the way to the 1st creek crossing and after that, a decent trench goes all the way to the upper 4x4 trailhead and beyond. There‘s a few places to turn around and park as well along the road. | ||||
Posted By: theredmex Info: Drove up 2 Jul with no problems in a 4runner. Some muddy spots due to recent rain & streams were easy to get through. Camped up close to trailhead in a great spot. If you‘re in Lake City for dinner, check out Restaurant & Cafe Sol. Delicious! I had the Virado a Paulista and my fiance had the Salmon Tapas. Both were great!! Mocha Moose Coffer around the corner has great Espresso and Coffee Milkshakes. | ||||
Posted By: Ericjlindy Info: Free of snow. Streams are fast but no problems crossing. Watch for fallin rock. | ||||
Posted By: IWannaGoHigh Info: Went up 5/28. Wet and muddy in a few spots, creeks are running high. Made it to 1st creek crossing in a stock Honda Pilot (scraped a few spots, but not bad). Higher clearance could probably make it to upper TH. Logs have been placed over creek to cross on foot. | ||||
Posted By: pete Info: On 9/8/08 the road was a bit challenging but not bad with a high clearance 4WD. Nothing compared to S. Colony IMHO. Not sure how a Subaru would do but I‘d be comfortable with any 4WD truck or SUV on this road. The first 200 yards were representative of the rest of the road (though runoff could change that), so check this section out and decide if your vehicle is up to it. Note that the restroom at the upper trailhead is closed. The forest service sign says it‘s due to freezing temp‘s. But someone I spoke with in town said it was closed in July also. There is a public restroom facility on Henson Creek Rd. about 100 yards past the Nellie Creek turn off. Good camp sites at the upper trail head with even better sites a half mile below, where the road opens into a large meadow for the first time on the drive. Several other sites along the road as you drive up. | ||||
Posted By: ronbco Info: 8/23/08: My view is that this road should not be attempted by a vehicle without considerably high clearance. It is steeper and rougher than I expected and the "speedbumps on steroids" are very large. I consider it almost as demanding on a vehicle as S. Colony Lakes. A vehicle with a long wheel base such as the Suburban I drove will hit bottom several times. But the reward of Uncompahgre is worth it! | ||||
Posted By: 3-Bean Info: 8/15/2008 A little rougher than Matterhorn trail (the last 3 miles of Matterhorn anyway). The trail is steep and needs 4 wheel low to climb. 2 river crossings were negligable. Got a 2000 Dodge Durango up it with minor scraping. | ||||
Posted By: ChloeBlue Info: I drove up the road on July 15th - - it took 45 minutes to drive from Lake City to the upper trailhead, in a stock 4Runner. The first river crossing (closest to Lake City) is currently the highest/the rest of the road is passable with some skillful driving. Watch out for the abundance of 4-wheelers. |
