S. Winfield/Lake Ann Trailhead

Posted On: 10/9/2026 By: HokieTom
Info: I made it up 0.4 mile after taking the last left on Road 390. There is a large parking area on the right, just before the road inclines and narrows. I had a Chevy 2WD Trax. Any 4WD vehicle should have no problem, until snow occurs.

The problem areas are right after the above parking lot, large rocky areas and a stream crossing

Posted On: 9/13/2026 By: jessishiking
Info: My second time on this road — some parts are better and some are worse than 3 years ago. Took about an hour from US 24 in a Jeep Rubicon. Did not need to use 4WD at any point but was glad to have it in case. The 2WD road has a crux that requires solid clearance — I imagine the ambitious Subaru driver could potentially make it work but you’d run the risk of damage. Only Jeeps and a tourist group of ATVs at the 4WD TH. Best part of the road is how wide it is compared to many other 4WD roads — plenty of pull-offs and room for passing.

I’d say this road is comparable to N. Halfmoon Creek (though muuuuuch longer), easier than Yankee Boy Basin or Baldwin Gulch, harder than Kite Lake.

Posted On: 8/31/2026 By: 14eri0n4t
Info: My buddy's Ram1500's rock rails got brutalized in a few places (esp. after the rain) on that narrow road from the 2wd lot up to the trailhead.

Posted On: 8/22/2026 By: ruggedland
Info: Made it up in my stock Lexus GX (8.3” clearance) without issue. Saw one RAV4 at upper trailhead. Rest are Jeep/4Runner/Taco or similar

Posted On: 8/5/2026 By: rvdolson
Info: About an hour drive in from US 24. Most of the road (at least up to the start of the 4WD road) in should be navigable by any vehicle with reasonable clearance as long as you can tolerate nine miles of jarring from a mostly unmaintained road. Just pick good lines. The last two miles of 4WD road probably could be done by an AWD, but you truly need high clearance. Got through it without bottoming out in my stock 2020 Grand Cherokee with the air suspension set to 9.7". Only 4Runners, a Tahoe, and trucks at the trailhead, though a Hyundai Palisade managed to make it up behind me.

Posted my dash cam video of that final stretch here for anyone interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh4yOZqI89s

Posted On: 7/3/2026 By: nikitalbot
Info: Drive up was pretty ok! You have about 14 miles total of off-roading if you go to the upper TH. We made it up in a Crosstrek (8.7in of clearance) but we were definitely one of the only SUVs at the top. Mile 12 (once the 2WD area ends) is when it gets worse, but not horrible. There are two spicy spots going up but everything else was pretty easy. Going back down we didn’t even notice these spots.

Posted On: 6/25/2026 By: cfoster
Info: Drove up in Tacoma and the road was completely dry other than the rocky creek crossing that was low compared to other years. If I had been in my old outback it may have scraped some as it does seem like the road was worse than a few years ago, but no issues at all in a tacoma.

Posted On: 5/25/2026 By: tlgold1990
Info: Definitely a little worse than previous years but still not terrible in my opinion. Need some clearance and still had a few snow/ice patches but typicallt only one side of your vehicle is on it, not going to send you off the road. Just take it slow to avoid hitting the dips and rocks too hard.

Posted On: 5/6/2026 By: yardman
Info: This is pre-storm (5/5-6/26) report. Three patches of lingering snowpack on the road to Huron trailhead. The most serious is the first near the stream. If that looks good to you, there is nothing else on the road that would be of concern. If going to the Winfield trailhead for approach to La Plata from the south, that road is wet, but clear of snowpack.

Posted On: 4/12/2026 By: daway8
Info: Snow free up to and at Winfield. If you branch off to the right at Winfield towards South La Plata trailhead you'll hit a shrinking but still wicked looking snow shelf at the creek just around the corner from the buildings. Going left at Winfield towards Lake Ann it's dry for the first little bit up to several good pulloff areas but then there are a dozen or so snow drifts that have been through enough freeze/thaw cycles that they more like icebergs with crusty half-melted snow on top. None are especially big but just large enough that I didn't feel like risking the 4Runner on slanted ice. Once out of the most shaded area, the road is dry. An aggressive rig/driver might be able to make it all the way to Lake Ann but most folks will probably want to give it a few more weeks.

Posted On: 4/5/2026 By: agane
Info: Drive to Winfield is doable by any car with more than an inch of clearance. Snow starts just outside Winfield. Would not recommend any but the bravest going past the 2WD lot right now. Snow build up results in a big, unavoidable drop which caused my Forester to come down hard on the front passenger wheel. Got me less than a quarter mile up the road before the road got too bad too. Just not worth it. Snow is melting quick on the road, though. Should look much better in just a few days.

Posted On: 3/1/2026 By: bryanpeck3
Info: Snow/ice worsens after Missouri Gulch TH (Vicksburg). Bailed about 2 miles after Missouri Gulch TH (2 miles before Winfield) in a RAV4 with snow tires. Only a few inches of snow but had difficulty with control and had to maintain momentum to get through snow.

Posted On: 1/13/2026 By: Near-miss
Info: Snow covered starting at 9500ft. Past Winfield towards the upper 4WD there is one pull off that is packed down. Any AWD/4WD can make it.

Posted On: 12/22/2025 By: two lunches
Info: clearance is not required get to Winfield, but AWD/4WD would be incredibly helpful in a couple of slick places (though probably not required, either)

from Hwy 24, the road begins bone dry and in kind of rough shape before the potholes and washboard fill with packed snow and ice. i'd estimate that the first 6 miles of CR390 are dry before giving way to splotchy then ultimately full coverage with packed snow.

we made it to Winfield without issue and stopped at a large lot just above it with room for probably 8-10 cars; there’s maybe one more accessible parking area 1/4 mile beyond where we stopped, but based on the only set of tire tracks that went beyond ours, it looked like one person had either attempted the first ice flow that crosses the road, or stopped just short of it before changing their minds about continuing further.

the ice flows were the most noteworthy obstacle on the road, so if you can make it past the second one you're good to go, if you're into that sort of thing. (which i am not)

anyway, happy trails!

Posted On: 11/30/2025 By: yaktoleft13
Info: Little late posting, but road was passable until the parking area .4 miles below the lulu gulch turnoff. Immediately afterward, there's an ice flow blocking the road. My buddy couldn't get up in his Tacoma with off-road tires. A side by side recently made it up though.