| Difficulty: | Number: | Miles: | Altitude: | Obstacles: | Time: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate 5 | FR 517 | 19.86 | 8,620 to 10,720 ft. | Rocky sections | 3-5 hours |
Canyon Lakes Ranger District
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Closure:
July - Best
August - Best
September - Best
October - Possible snow drifts in trees
Accessed:
North Lone Pine, FT953 - Hike, Pack and Saddle, Mountain Bike
Killpecker, FT956 - Hike, Pack and Saddle, Mountain Bike, Motorcycle
Roaring Creek, FT952 - Hike, Pack and Saddle, Mountain Bike
From Red Feather Lakes head northwest on W County Road 74e/Red Feather Lakes Road toward Birdie Street for 1.3 miles. Turn left onto Manhattan Road and go 2.4 miles. Turn right onto Forest Road 517.
 |
East end of road looking west photo by: Adam M |
|---|
As the road continues west you will head into an area that was burned in the Cameron Peak Fire in 2020.
 |
Heading west photo by: Adam M |
|---|
The road will climb a bit and pass two dispersed campsites on the right, and then two dispersed campsites on the left. The road will move a bit closer to Elkhorn Creek to your south and then cross the old Bellaire Ditch before turning north for a short distance.
 |
More burned area photo by: Adam M |
|---|
The road will turn west again and pass two more dispersed campsites on the left. You will come to an intersection with FR517F on your left. This road goes 0.18 miles down to Elkhorn Creek where it is gated. The MVUM shows this road looping back up to FR517, but it is no longer open. Staying to the right at the intersection the road will head north for a short time through more burned open areas before heading west again. You will now be on a ridge between Elkhorn Creek to the south and South Lone Pine Creek to the north. After heading up the ridge for three quarters of a mile you will come into a heavier forested area that was burned in the fire.
 |
Burned forest photo by: Adam M |
|---|
The road will get rougher as you continue to climb toward the saddle between Middle and South Bald Mountain.
 |
Rougher road photo by: Adam M |
|---|
The eroded sections of road will have large rocks to navigate as well as the narrow sections through the trees. There will be three major areas with tougher rocks and ruts to deal with as you climb up to the saddle.
 |
More obstacles photo by: Adam M |
|---|
 |
Tigher sections through the burnt trees photo by: Adam M |
|---|
 |
One of the rougher sections photo by: Adam M |
|---|
 |
Ray C heading into the obstacle photo by: Adam M |
|---|
 |
Continuing through the forest photo by: Adam M |
|---|
As you head through the forest remains you will pass a wide area at a curve. This is where FT970 connects with the road.
 |
More climbing photo by: Adam M |
|---|
After working up through the burnt forest you will come to an area that was not burnt. This gives you an idea of what the lower sections use to look like.
 |
Living forest photo by: Adam M |
|---|
In a somewhat more open area of the forest you will pass an illegal spur road to the left that goes to the top of a small hill between Middle and South Bald Mountains. Continue on the main road for about a quarter of a mile and you will pass FT953 on the right. Just past this intersection you will finally come out into a small open area with Middle Bald Mountain to the north.
 |
Middle Bald Mountain photo by: Adam M |
|---|
When you head down out of the open area on the saddle you will go just under a quarter of a mile and come to an intersection with FR517A and FR517B to the left. FR517A is a dead end road that goes 4.43 miles and heads around to the south side of South Bald Mountain. FR517B is a short 0.82 mile dead end spur off of FR517A. Continuing to the right on the main road you will pass FT956 on your right. Stay on the main road, which will become a wider graded road, and go just under three quarters of a mile and you will come to an intersection with FR300 on your right. Stay to the left to stay on FR517.
 |
Wider road photo by: Adam M |
|---|
The road will turn to the southwest and go 0.40 miles before coming to an intersection with FR517.1 on your left. This is a 0.31 mile spur road. Continue on the main road.
 |
Looking west toward the Continental Divide photo by: Adam M |
|---|
The road will remain wide, but be a bit rougher. After more than a half mile you will come to a low open area with many intersections and a dispersed campsite on the right. This is as far as I drove FR517.
The following description is based on Google Earth.
At the intersection the first left is FR517E which is a 0.34 mile spur road. A little further along is a another intersection. FR517 continues to the left, the right is Roaring Creek, FR173. Staying on FR517 you will continue through the forest heading down a shallow tributary of Roaring Creek. After a mile you will come out along side some open areas where multiple tributaries converge and form Roaring Creek which flows south. The road will head into the forest again and then come out into the east end of a lareg open area, Nunn Creek Basin. There is an intersection here. The road going left heading south is the Greenridge Trail, FR177. Stay to the right. The road will take you around the north side of these open meadows. The road will cross some mud holes and pass the remains of a building. About a half mile from the building you will go through a large mud hole and then cross the headwaters of Nunn Creek. As you head into the trees you will come to an intersection. The road to the right is FR517D which is a half mile long connector road that goes to FR318. Stay to the left on FR517. When you come out of the trees you will pass a short spur road on your left that goes to a campsite. Continue following FR517 and the road will turn to the north. The next intersection will be with FR318D on your right, which also connects with FR318. Stay to the left and head to the west. Finally you will come to a large intersection with FR319. Going right will take you to the Deadman Road, going left will connect with FR177.