Radium
Maps/GPS:
USGS 7.5' Map:	Radium, Gore Pass
Statistics:	Difficulty: Number: Miles: Altitude: Obstacles: Time: Easy 2 FR 212 7.00 8,400 to 9,116 ft. NA 1/2 hour
County:	Grand
Adopted by:
Managed by:	Routt National Forest, Yampa Ranger District	300 Roselawn Ave (PO Box 7) Yampa, Colorado 80483	(970)638-4516
Summary:	Radium is a connector road between Radium on the Colorado River and the west side of Gore Pass.
Attractions:	Scenery
Seasonal Closure:	Natural - Closed by heavy snows.
Best Time:	June - Best July - Best August - Best September - Best October - Early snows possible
Trail Heads Accessed:
Camping:	There are a few dispersed camp sites along the road.
Base Camp:	This area would be a good place to base camp and explore the roads around the Gore Canyon and the Colorado River.
Fall Colors:	Good - The road runs through aspen groves at the north end.
Navigation:	From Wolcott, CO. head north on CO-131 N for 13.6 miles. Turn right onto County Road 1/Trough Road and go 9.6 miles. Continue onto County Road 1 for 0.3 miles. Turn left onto County Road 11 and go 2.5 miles. Turn right to stay on County Road 11 and go 3.8 miles. Turn left to stay on County Road 11 and go 1.8 miles. At the intersection take the left to start Forest Road 212. The right is Forest Road 214. From Kremmling, CO. head west on US-40 W/Park Ave toward 5th Street. Continue to follow US-40 W for 6.2 miles. Turn left onto CO-134 W and go 13.4 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 206 and go 300 feet. Turn left on to Forest Road 212.
History:	Sir Robert Gore first traveled the Indian trail over Gore Pass on a hunting expedition in 1855. For many years thereafter, Gore Pass was the only route west from Kremmling into the isolated Egeria Park, Yampa, Oak Creek, Steamboat Springs, and Hayden area. By the late 1860s, the Gore Pass Trail was a firmly established, well-traveled wagon route that served as the major route into the region until the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad reached Wolcott in 1887, after which a Steamboat-Wolcott stage and freighting service was established.
Description:
Radium is an easy road that connects the small town of Radium on the Colorado River with Highway 134 below Gore Pass. Starting from the north end you will head south into the aspens and cross a small saddle above Blacktail Creek. The road will be wide and graded. At one small curve in the road you will pass a dispersed campsite. Blacktail Creek will be on your left as the road runs around low hills and above small drainages that empty into Blacktail Creek. Road along north end photo by: Adam M Road along north end (1999) photo by: Adam M You will come out of the aspen into a more open area. Here the road will narrow and become a two track. There will be a large meadow to your west called Big Park, private property, as you head down a low ridge and come to a faint road on your right that goes to a fenceline at the edge of Big Park. Heading down to Blacktail Creek (1999) photo by: Adam M Looking north along Blacktail Creek photo by: Adam M View to the east (1999) photo by: Adam M Stay to the left and head down off the ridge, crossing Blacktail Creek. You will follow the creek and come back into a small grove of aspen. There will be a dispersed campsite on your right. Past the campsite the road will stay in the aspens. You will come to a road on your left that goes to a private home. The property on the east side of the road is private along this stretch. As you come out of the aspens you will pass another dispersed campsite on your right. The road will drop down and pass a spur road on the right that goes to a dispersed campsite, then cross the East Fork of Blacktail Creek twice before climbing up a shallow gulch to top out on a large flat open area. Looking north near Flying H Ranch photo by: Adam M Looking north near the East Fork of Blacktail Creek photo by: Adam M The road will cross the open area and drop down into a shallow gully and then head into pine forests. The road will then climb another low ridge toping out above French Creek with a spur road on the left to a dispersed campsite. The road will turn south and run along the side of a small peak above French Creek. Looking north above French Creek photo by: Adam M After dropping down to cross French Creek, then climbing up the east side of the gulch, you will come to a large intersection. The road to the left that heads up hill is Hunter Road, FR214. The road to the right that heads down hill is County Road 11 which will drop down to Radium along the Colorado River. County Road 11 will cross the Denver and Rio Grande Western tracks and the Colorado river before connecting with Highway 1.
Data updated - December 15, 2022     4WD Road driven - September 5, 2022     Copyright 4X4Explore.com - 2000-2022