7/3/2025 Posted On: 7/3/2025 By: tbauck Info: Stock SUVs and trucks are making it up here. You need about 8" of clearance. The worst spot is about mid way | ||||
8/18/2024 Posted On: 8/18/2024 By: sherby Info: Managed to get to the 399/394 intersection with a stock Subaru Outback. The worst part is a flat area in the private section where you can't park. | 1 |
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7/12/2024 Posted On: 7/14/2024 By: pbergmaier Info: The road all the way up to the gate was quite easy 4WD. Not sure why it has a 4/6 difficulty rating. Was more like 2.5/6. Decent clearance does help in a couple spots, but I've seen way worse. I did it in my stock Grand Cherokee (~8" clearance) with zero issues whatsoever. My buddy, who has a Dodge Ram, never even had to put his truck into 4WD. | ||||
7/6/2024 Posted On: 7/8/2024 By: jjmirk12 Info: Made it to the upper trailhead in my stock 2008 rav4. The lower crux is by far the hardest part; if you can make it past there you can make it to the upper TH will no issues. The lower crux is about 1.5 miles into the road. I did scrape at the lower crux on the way up but with proper spotting on the way down there was no scraping. I found going drivers right as far as you can when going up at beginning of the lower crux was best. | ||||
10/8/2023 Posted On: 10/8/2023 By: mjohnson1960 Info: Made it to the upper TH in my stock Xterra S without any trouble, though I did scrape my skidplate once down on FR391 in the "lower crux" flat section with the many big mudholes (it was dark and I should have been taking it slower!). Had no problems on the return. As reported the road is wide and flat there so there are plenty of options. The road to the upper TH really isn't too bad for high clearance vehicles if taken slowly. Conditions were just right after recent snow, not too wet and not too dry. | ||||
9/30/2023 Posted On: 10/1/2023 By: stickmann Info: Probably the limit of my stock Forester but made it to the upper TH. The route to the lower trailhead has the crux "muddy" and deeply rutted section but it is wide so you have lines to choose from. It felt like you can either pick a good line and think it is easy or miss and get sucked into a rut and bottom out. The rest of the lower section is pretty manageable. The upper TH is narrow and rough. A lot of bigger, pointier rocks with hidden ruts behind them and uneven sides that are difficult to avoid. Very few areas to turn off. I found the road to the upper TH (394) harder than the lower section (391), contrary to most of the previous comments. Clearance is more important than traction for this whole road if it's dry. | ||||
8/13/2023 Posted On: 8/13/2023 By: tcphoto87 Info: I drove my VW Tiguan to the upper lot without any difficulty and just taking it slow. Honestly the hardest part of the road was the rutted puddle/muddy section in the first half of the way up. I was surprised to not see a single other car at either lot. The road to the upper lot was just more narrow but otherwise I didn't think it was necessarily more difficult to reach as long as you have decent clearance. I took a video of the ride up and down but it'll take me awhile to edit it together. | 3 |
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9/1/2022 Posted On: 9/2/2022 By: PikaSteve Info: Small puddles and short rutted rocky sections in first mile leading to lower crux at mile 1.2. Lower crux is a flat section with a mix of craters, ridges and rocks (see photos 1 and 2). Upper crux at mile 3.8 just past two switchbacks is a boggy, rocky area (see photo 3). Upper crux is currently dry and, compared to October 2021, appears to have had some drainage improvement and rock removal. As others have said, if you can make it to the lower trailhead, you can probably make it to the upper trailhead. | 1 |
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7/16/2022 Posted On: 7/16/2022 By: EndWillows Info: Snow free until the upper trailhead. One tight section where a log can scrape your roof if your car is too tall. Was not a problem in an Xterra. The upper road was easier than South Colony Lakes and I would say it is subaruable with an experienced driver. There was a dug out muddy section in the lower part of the road that I think was harder than anything to the Upper Trailhead, so if you can pass that you will be fine. | ||||
6/18/2022 Posted On: 6/18/2022 By: Grover Info: Clear to the gate at ~11,400. No snow. Trees that had fallen across the road were removed / sawed through. | ||||
10/31/2021 Posted On: 10/31/2021 By: wintersage Info: The lower portion has a lot of ruts and craters as others have mentioned. In the morning these can be icy. I parked 0.4 mi from the gate near the clearing pictured in the trailhead description. | ||||
9/6/2021 Posted On: 9/7/2021 By: cougar Info: Rough ruts as mentioned hold water long after rain. 80pct of road isn't bad. 394 split is above the faded 391 sign at 3 way split with 382. Maps don't show thus split. Road up higher overall isn't bad aside from a washed out wide rutted area full of bigger rocks, want clearance for that. Saw a Nissan Rogue at the upper 4wd th. | 5 |
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8/2/2021 Posted On: 8/3/2021 By: GordoByrn Info: First mile will give a feel for grades, potholes and rutts. 1/4 mile muddy section after ~1.5 miles would be beyond my Subaru abilities. I was in a 4Runner with A/T Revo 3s. First muddy section is in the private land area. After that, it is pretty reasonable to the lower trailhead. To the upper trailhead, again, beyond my Subbie skills. Took it slow in 4Lo. There is a rutted muddy "crux" about a 1/3rd of the way up. Campsite nearby if you don't make it. Will be better when it dries out. Campsites at the gate. I wasn't the guy who drove up to them. Leadville 4a Leave pavement 435a Lower TH 505a Upper TH 525a On the way out: Leave gate area 10:35a Hit pavement again 11:15a This was going really mellow | 2 |
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6/6/2021 Posted On: 6/6/2021 By: angry Info: Mostly dry. The lower portion of road is the worst with deep ruts. Subaruable. One small drift right below th (approximately 400ft from gate) only adds an extra couple minutes of walking. | 1 |
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6/20/2020 Posted On: 6/20/2020 By: Danger_D Info: Snowfree all the way. Getting to the "lower" trailhead at 3.2 miles was harder than expected. My RAV-4 handled it fine, but a normal sedan won't make it. From the lower trailhead to the gate was slightly harder, and I gently scraped twice. Maybe not a beginner 4WD trailhead. Lots of camping on the road up the the lower trailhead (after the private land) but it filled up insanely fast. Only 2 marginal campsites on the road up to the gate. Right at the gate is a big field you could camp in, but its sloping quite bit |
