| Difficulty: | Number: | Miles: | Altitude: | Obstacles: | Time: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy 3 | FR 154, 407 | 10.78 | 8,420 to 9,520 ft. | Rock outcrop | 1-4 hours |
Canyon Lakes Ranger District
Fort Collins, CO 80526
There is also a southern section that is accessed separately which ends at the Lookout Mountain, FT934, motorized trail.
Closure:
July - Best
August - Best
September - Best
October - Possible snow drifts, east end
Accessed:
Lookout Mountain, FT934 - Dirt Bike, Mountain Bike, Horse, Hike
As you leave CR44H where FR407 connects you will pass an area with three campsites along Box Prarie Creek. FR407 will head back east along the creek, cross the creek and begin to climb up into the forest. The road is a two track with some rocky sections and small puddles.
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Start on FR407 from 44H photo by: Adam M |
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Shortly the road will turn and head southwest. After about a mile you will come out into an open meadow with the burned forest from the Cameron Peak Fire ahead of you.
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Meadow photo by: Adam M |
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After crossing the meadow the road will turn south. Here the regrowth is starting.
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Regrowth photo by: Adam M |
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Next you will come to an intersection with a spur road on the right. This is FR154B which will climb up and reconnect with FR154. Stay to the left. You will now be on FR154B. You will quickly come to another intersection. The road on the left is FR154, as well as the road on the right. The road to the left will head down to private property, and most likely a gate. Stay to the right and you will head up into the forest toward a ridge. Since the Cameron Peak Fire the forest has a ghostly look to it with its white limbs and black trunks.
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Ghost forest photo by: Adam M |
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The road will continue to climb an you will have a small rocky section to drive through. The road will then level out and loop around the side of the ridge heading northwest.
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More burned area photo by: Adam M |
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After turning to the northeast you will come to an intersection with a road on your left. This is FR154A which climbs up higher on the ridge heading in the same direction. The MVUM shows that FR154A will come close, but not connect with FR154 again. On the ground it appears that it will connect. Stay to the right and continue on FR154. Next you will come to another spur road on your right. This is where FR154B reconnects with FR154. Continue straight ahead on FR154. You will continue along the ridge heading northeast. As you come out onto the spine of the ridge you will pass a spur road on your left. This is probably FR154A reconnecting with FR154. There will be a campsite on your right near this intersection. Stay to the right and start to head down along the ridge. At a switchback there will be another campsite. You will get back into forest that had not been burned.
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Spared forest photo by: Adam M |
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After doing two more switchbacks you will come to a campsite on your right a bit below the road. Continue on FR154 and you will tie into CR44H at the point where the Navigation above brings you to. From here you can head back to Fort Collins by going right, or head over Pennock Pass by going left.
The southeast group I have not driven. Following is a short description based on Google Earth.
To get to the southeast group you have to take the Ballard Road, FR129, off of CR44H. After just over a mile on FR129 you will come to a switchback with a road heading off to the right. This road on the right is FR154. It will be better than a two track, but still have some rocky sections. Following FR154 you will pass a few spur roads on the right that appear to go to campsites. You will come out into an open area and then head back into the forest before dropping down and crossing Buckhorn Creek. Here the Donner Pass, FT926, motorized trail crosses the road. You will climb back up out of the valley and head west through the forest. You will come to another intersection. Just prior to this intersection is where the official public road ends. The road beyond the intersection goes to private homes. The road on the left at the intersection shows as open on the MVUM, but closed on the Forest Service Interactive Map.
Going back to FR129, you will have to drive the entire length of FR129 to get to FR154C and FR154C1. Where FR129 ends is a T with the road on the right, FR154C1 going back over to the private property. The road on the left, FR154C, will head west and then south through the forest for 2.37 miles before ending at the Lookout Mountain, FT934, motorized trail.