Dry Union ![]() |
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Maps: |
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USGS 7.5' Map: | Leadville South, Mount Sherman | ||||||||||||||
Statistics: |
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County: | Lake | ||||||||||||||
Adopted by: | |||||||||||||||
Managed by: | San Isabel National Forest, Leadville Ranger District Bureau of Land Management, Royal Gorge District |
810 Front Street Leadville, CO 80461 3028 E. Main St. Canon City, CO 81212 |
719-486-0749 (719)269-8500 |
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Summary: | Dry Union is a forest road south of Leadville that follows Dry Union Gulch. It connects over to Empire Gulch and Beaver Lakes, FR140, through a private residential area. | ||||||||||||||
Attractions: | |||||||||||||||
Seasonal Closure: |
Natural - Closed by heavy snows | ||||||||||||||
Best Time: |
June - Best July - Best August - Best September - Best October - Early snows may block the road |
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Trail Heads Accessed: |
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Camping: | There are two dispersed campsites about half way up the gulch. | ||||||||||||||
Base Camp: | Not a good area to base camp as there is a lot of private land in the area. | ||||||||||||||
Fall Colors: | Good - There are large aspen groves along the upper part of the gulch. | ||||||||||||||
Navigation: | From Leadville, CO head south south on Harrison Ave toward W 8th Street for 0.5 miles. Continue onto US-24 E/Silver Drive for 7.1 miles. Turn left onto County Road 10/County Road 7 and go 1.0 mile. Turn left onto County Road 52 to start up Dry Union Gulch. From Buena Vista, CO head north on US-24 W toward W Sterling Ave for 26.7 miles. Turn right onto County Road 10/County Road 7 and go 1.0 mile. Turn left onto County Road 52 to start up Dry Union Gulch. |
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History: | |||||||||||||||
Description: | |||||||||||||||
Starting from County Road 7 you will turn off onto a gravel two track road and immediately come to a gate. Pass through the gate, closing it behind you to head northeast toward Dry Union Gulch.
After a quarter mile you will come to a spur road on your right that is not a designated route. It heads west toward private property. Continue on County Road 52 to the left. Just past this intersection you will start up Dry Union Gulch. After another quarter mile you will cross onto forest service public lands. The road will continue up the gulch with mostly bare slopes on the left and forested slopes on the right.
After heading up the gulch for a bit you will come to an intersection just before crossung under some high power lines. The road to the right is an old road that goes to Little Union Creek and then reconnects with Dry Union Creek. This road is not on the Forest Service motor vehicle use map and is not a legal route. Continue left and go under the high power lines. The road will climb higher into a side drainage and then pass another spur road on the left that is not a designated route. Continue to the right as you climb higher toward the aspen forest. The road will go through a small open area and then come to a dispersed campsite on the right. There is also an old non designated road to the left that heads back down toward the Little Union Creek road. Stay to the right and you will head into the aspen forest.
Not too far past the last dispersed campsite you will pass another dispersec campsite on the left followed by the reconnection of the old road from Little Union Creek coming in on the right. Continue left as the forest becomes pines. Shortly you will be back into another aspen forest as you work your way down and along Little Union Creek. The road continues through the aspen forest coming to a small open meadow where the road turns to the north. There will be a private home at this curve. This is also where FR111 ends and you continue on County Road 52.
The road will leave the aspen forest and head back into pines. After heading north for three quarters of a mile through the pines you will come to a larger open area. There will be a two track road on your right as you make a small curve. This spur road goes to the Empire Reservoir and the Emma and Marceline Yurts. Continue left to the west and you will cross through the large open area and head back into the forest. Shortly you will tie into a driveway to a private home where you will head down toward Empire Gulch. When you come to a T intersection go to the left staying on County Road 52 which will take you through the Beaver Lakes subdivision and connect with Beaver Lakes, FR140, which is part of the graded road that connects Beaver Lakes back to County Road 7. |
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Data updated - December 23, 2024 4WD Road driven - August 31, 2024 Copyright 4X4Explore.com - 2000-2025 |