| Difficulty: | Number: | Miles: | Altitude: | Obstacles: | Time: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy 4 | FR 505 | 8.5 | 10,200 to 12,800 ft. | Steep climbs - 2 | 3-4 hours |
Divide Ranger District
Del Norte, CO 81132
Closure:
July - Best.
August - Best.
September - Best.
October - Upper sections may be snowed in.
Accessed:
North end from Creede, CO. head north on South Main Street toward East 1st Street for 0.3 miles. South Main St turns slightly right and becomes Coounty Rd 503/West Willow Creek Road. Go 2.9 miles. Take a sharp left to stay on Coounty Rd 503/West Willow Creek Road. Continue to follow West Willow Creek Road for 3.9 miles. Continue onto forest service road FR 503 and go 0.6 miles to a parking area. Continue north out of the parking area on a two track road. This is the northern end of Rat Creek 4WD road.
From the end of the graded West Willow Creek road (FR503), where the Equity Mine is, you will drive through the mine property to a two track road the heads further up the valley. This is a continuation of FR503. It will follow West Willow Creek for less than three quarters of a mile before it crosses the creek and contiues along the creek for another half mile. At this point the road heads up a steep hill on the west side of the valley climbing above timberline. You are now on the Rat Creek road (FR505). You will weave through rock outcroppings and low alpine shrubs heading west and climbing higher toward the Continental Divide.
As you cross over the ridge you have been climbing you will come to an intersection. The right turn, FR505.1B, will take you to a dead end at the top of the Continental Divide.
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Continental Divide photo by: Adam M |
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The left will continue following the main Rat Creek road. It will immediately head down into a large wide valley that is the drainage for Rat Creek. You will drive through groves of pine trees and cross the creek a few times as you head down the valley. After approximately 2 miles you will come to another intersection. A right turn will take you on FR505.1A which dead ends at FT787, which allows motorcycles and ATVs. The left will continue on FR505 and keep heading down the valley.
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Old Boiler in meadow photo by: Adam M |
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Rat Creek photo by: Adam M |
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The forest will become denser as you continue to follow FR505. After about 1.5 miles you will begin to climb up the saddle between East Butte and Bulldog Mountain on a ledge road. There will be a few openings in the trees that will give you views toward Creede.
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Ledge Road photo by: Adam M |
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Once over the saddle the forest will be even thicker and you will pass quite a few side roads. Stay with the main road, FR505. In less than a mile the road will work its way to the bottom of a gulch and then open up into a wide meadow. The road will continue south where it ties into the Bachelor Loop Road at a large curve. From here take a right onto the graded road and follow it into Creede.