Burnt Mountain
Maps:
USGS 7.5' Map:	Crooked Creek Pass, Meredith, Nast
Statistics:	Difficulty: Number: Miles: Altitude: Obstacles: Time: Easy 3 FR506 9.49 8,820 to 10,040 ft. NA 2-3 hours
County:	Eagle, Pitkin
Adopted by:
Managed by:	White River National Forest, Sopris District	620 Main Street, Carbondale, CO 81623	(970)963-2266
Summary:	Burnt Mountain road runs from Woods Lake south to Elk Wallow campgroud following a high voltage power line.
Attractions:	Camping, Trailhead
Seasonal Closure:	Agency - November 23 to June 13
Best Time:	June - Late in month July - Best August - Best September - Best October - Watch for early snowstorms
Trail Heads Accessed:	Tellurium Lake, FT1917 - Hike, Equestrian Last Chance, FT1945 - Hike, Equestrian Burnt Mountain Loop, FT3506 - Hike, Equestrian, Motorcycle, ATV (<50in)
Camping:	There are a lot of dispersed sites at the north end of the road.
Base Camp:	This would be a good place to base camp and explore roads around the south side of Crooked Creek Pass.
Fall Colors:	Good - The road passes through many aspen groves.
Navigation:	North end: From Basalt, CO. head northeast on 2 Rivers Road toward Hillcrest Drive for 1.7 miles. Turn left onto Homestead Drive and go 0.6 miles. Turn left onto Frying Pan Road and go 19.4 miles. Continue onto County Road 4 for 5.1 miles. Turn left onto Eagle-Thomasville Road (Crooked Creek Pass) and go 2.7 miles. Turn left onto Brush Creek Rd/Eagle-Thomasville Road and go 5.5 miles. Turn right onto FR507, Woods Lake Road. North end: From Eagle, CO. head southwest toward Grand Avenue for 463 feet. Turn left onto Capitol Street and go 0.8 miles. Turn left onto Brush Creek Road and go 1.0 mile. Turn left to stay on Brush Creek Road and go 8.8 miles. Turn right to stay on Brush Creek Road and go 7.4 miles. Turn left onto Brush Creek Road/Eagle-Thomasville Road and continue to follow Eagle-Thomasville Road for 4.7 miles. Turn right onto Brush Creek Road/Eagle-Thomasville Road and go 1.1 miles. Turn left onto Woods Lake Road, FR507 and go 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Burnt Mountain road, FR506. South end: From Basalt, CO. head northeast on 2 Rivers Road toward Hillcrest Drive for 1.7 miles. Turn left onto Homestead Drive and go 0.6 miles. Turn left onto Frying Pan Road and go 19.4 miles. Continue onto County Road 4 for 6.4 miles. Turn left onto County Road 4B and go 2.6 miles. Turn left onto Burnt Mountain Road.
History:
Description:
The north end of the Burnt Mountain road starts off of the Woods Lake, FR507, road near Lime Creek. The road is graded and drops down toward Lime Creek. Just before a bridge over the creek will be a spur road on the right that goes to a few dispersed campsites. Cross the bridge and there will be spur road FR506.2L on the right that also goes to a few campsites. The road will now climb up above the creek through a large meadow and then enter the pines passing a campsite on the right. After a short distance the road will come out of the trees into an open area and cross the small creek in Slim Jim Gulch. Slim Jim Gulch heads northeast up into the mountains. The road will continues across this open area and then head back into the pines. Next you will pass a spur road on the left that goes to the Harry Gales Hut. Continue right across another small opening passing another campsite on the right before entering into aspens. North end through aspens photo by: Adam M More aspens photo by: Adam M The road will continue through the aspen trees becoming a rougher two track. You will pass under a high voltage power line and continue through the aspens. You will pass another campsite on the left and then come around a ridge passing a campsite on the right and then the Tellurium Lake trail on the left. The road will head east and under the same power line again as it crosses the head of Silver Creek. Above Last Chance Creek photo by: Adam M The road will get a bit rogher again and cross back under the power line. It will cross another ridge and drop down into Last Chance Creek drainage through two long switchbacks passing under the power line three more times. View south across Last Chance Creek photo by: Adam M The road will get a bit tight through the aspens as it drops down to Last Chance Creek. As you cross the creek there will be a campsite in the trees on the right and the Last Chance trailhead on the left. Last Chance Creek drainage photo by: Adam M The road will now climb up the south side of the Last Chance Creek drainage passing under the power lines and then making a sharp hairpin turn. At the hairpin the Burnt Mountain ATV Loop trail will take off to the right. The road will head back under the power lines and then cross a small saddle crossing into the North Fork of the Fryingpan River drainage. At the saddle there is a campsite on the left. South end through aspens photo by: Adam M The road will drop down through the aspen trees making two switchbacks. At the second switchback the Burnt Mountain ATV Loop Trail will come back into the main road. After this switchback you will pass under the power lines again. After coming around another small ridge you will drop down to County Road 4B. A left will take you to the Elk Wallow Campground, a right will take you to County Road 4 and then on to Basalt.
Data updated - December, 31, 2021      4WD Road driven - September 5, 2021      Copyright 4X4Explore.com - 2000-2022