De Beque, Colorado

1940s Pepsi bottle at Coon Hollow

 

The main attraction is the area west of town on the south side of South Shale Ridge. A lot of colorful badlands canyons drain the ridge and those will be mud bogs early in the season. The area has lots of campsites with Verizon and TV signals. County V.2, aka Winter Flats Road, goes into the area and is bumpy gravel to mp 10.5. Then it smooths out to Akali Canyon where it turns to high clearance. The main road can be followed thru a pass west of Corcoran Peak and on north to county X.5 then back to town for a loop of 50 miles. 4wd might be needed at some rutted spots on the steeper grades. The only good water I saw near a road is at the start of the Main Canyon hike. There is a country store in town with gas. Posted October, 2023.

2. PYRAMID ROCK el 5540 is fenced off with closed signs but I assume that's for vehicles. I made a loop from the south. I rode the west road then around to the south road to a left fork that is fenced near point 5009. I walked to a wash at N39 18063, W108 16010 and stayed straight to an obvious drainage ahead. It goes up left then bends right to the east ridge. I went up to the summit then came back and down to 18521, 15947 where a grassy slope leads down to the main east saddle. I only had one way to go to get on the east peak and had an easy ridge to 18602, 15250 where a spotty trail goes down the left side of a drainage. I then walked the main wash down to a fence and followed trails along that back. 2 hours, 18 minutes with 800 noticeable gain. Good badlands and I didn't disturb any of it on this loop. Posted 2023.
3. COON HOLLOW is an interesting area west of De Beque. A good loop goes up the jeep road then back on the south rim. County V.2 goes in paved then gravel then easy 4wd to the parking spot south of peak 5464. A cow trail runs along the south base of that peak and meets a road that leads to the jeep road running up canyon. I walked it to el 6300 where it turns west. A faint road branches left to a defunct stock tank then it's easy on to the rim at a saddle el 6400 . I went over peak 6640+ then down the SE ridge but hit steep drops at a rim. So I should have gone down a gully at N39 18536, W108 20597    to the rim then right to a gully with a tunnel at 18442, 20694. The tunnel doesn't go thru so I went over it then down the drainage to a bridge and crossed on it then had easy shelves and then a dirt bike trail. I just stayed on the rim to peak 5945 then dropped off a rim at 18339, 17974 then down the final ridge at 18393, 18129. It's a 5 or 6 hour hike, 1500 noticeable gain, 11 miles. Easy terrain, good pj forests. I put a track on peakbagger under peak 5945. The jeep road up canyon is good for all two wheelers until where it climbs up and that gets tough even for jeeps. Posted 2023.
4. UPPER COON HOLLOW has a lot of forks with good looking badlands. Short loops can be done. The road up canyon is easy 4wd to a washout at the 5560 line. A bypass goes left into the main wash but has sharp dips. Two wheelers make it thru. I strolled up the canyon west of peak 5830 and came to a big fall el 5950. I went up the left slope there at N39 19698, W108 21263 then walked the ridge to 19864, 21677 and could see a gully down to my left leading into the next canyon west. I walked it down to the floor then downstream to a slide of dark dirt that nearly blocks the way. I should have got on the right bank there because I came to a big drop below the slide and had to climb out anyway. I went down a drainage at 19552, 21495 to get back in. Near bottom I could have stayed on an easy rim and hit bottom at 19557, 21366. I walked down to the road and back. 2 hours, 20 minutes with 400 noticeable gain. WASHOUT CANYON - the canyon at the washout el 5560 runs north into some good badlands. It's an easy stroll for nearly a mile to a fall blocking the main left fork . The right fork gets bouldery but might go thru. A longer hike is to walk the west rim then down a skinny rim to the west. The rim goes up easy to a good pj forest el 6700.  I walked west thru that then should have tried the long ridge going south to 29 on the topo. It looked OK from below, but I went down the gully on the west side of it and had a tricky little drop. Once down it's easy to move right to the skinny ridge and walk it down nearly to the saddle west of peak 5830.   It gets too skinny along the way and I had to drop left then come back to center at el 5880. 2 and a half hours, 1200 easy gain. The skinny ridge is the best in the Coon Hollow drainage. Posted 2023.
5. PEAK 6855 - I did a loop over that in upper Coon Hollow to the jeep road then down the south ridge. I rode up canyon to where the road climbs up and parked el 5700. 4wds would have to park a mile sooner. Then I walked the main canyon west past peak 6030 and the canyon narrowed down with mudslides trying to block the way but it's not hard to get thru yet. At a fork reading N39  19069, W108 22699 el 6250 I went right for 200 feet then up the right bank. I had clean slopes up to 19354, 22818 el 6900 where I leveled off toward the jeep road. I dropped too low along there and should have gone up to 19551, 22785 near the road. The road is nearly gone. It crosses a tiny stream where a bear lives. I walked it then veered south over peak 6855 and to the south ridge at 19491, 22098 el 6750. I dropped to a class 3 break at 19470, 22133 then at 19401, 22104 I dropped off the left side of the ridge then came back to center then down to el 6400. I then dropped left to a drainage at 19269, 21950 and crossed to the far side and walked the rim down. 4 hours, 15 minutes, 1000 noticeable gain, some easy class 3. I found a 1940s Pepsi bottle near the start half buried. An ebike is the best vehicle for the road up Coon. Posted Sept, 2023.
6. MOUNT LOW el 5801 is a lonely one but good loops are possible. I started up a scenic wash along the Coon Hollow road at N39 18875, W108 17302 and strolled up nearly a mile to a main fork el 5150.  Taking the right fork would make a good short hike, but I went left to get on the ridge between the forks. I followed the ridge up over point 6058 and on up to the main ridge east of peak 6520. I then rim walked down and left of peak 6268 then down a ridge at 20547, 17263 and on to a wash at 20543, 16818. I walked that to a drop and went down the left side to a rim and walked it to a huge shelf el 5650 and followed that to the peak. Routes go up the south side of the summit block. Just survey junk was there. I retraced back to a faint ATV track and walked it down a clearing and it might go where I needed to go but I took a direct line to 19917, 15551 where I could go down a slope to a wash which I followed south to the main road. 5 hours, 20 minutes, 1400 noticeable gain. An ebike works for the 2 mile shuttle. An easier version would be to start on the new road to Twin Peaks and walk one way down. Posted 2023.
7. SULPHUR GULCH has one way options using the north rim road. I was camped at point 5370 and rode my Zizzo down the rim for 3 and a half miles to a road at point 4971 cutting over to the rim. A game trail there at N39 16445, W108 15714 leads down. I soon hit a tiny stream which I saw on the sat image but thought it was an early season stream. I barely stayed dry strolling up to a main fork el 5040 and took the right fork. It had a stream but soon ended and I walked under camp then to a fork and stayed left then came to boulders. I might have passed those on the west rim but I weaved thru then stayed right in a fork and easy ground to the WF road then back. 2 hours, 18 minutes, easy hike. Next time I'll wear wading shoes. No sign of cattle ever. I went to retrieve my bike and returned on the much better road running up to the south side of Pyramid Rock. Posted Sept, 2023.
8. HORSESHOE CANYON is an easy one but not as good as Sulphur Gulch. I parked on the north rim NE of point 5725 then rode my Zizzo down to point 5413 and dropped in at N39 16012, W108 17502. I went down to the last cliff above a flat then left to a slide to get down. Then I walked the flat to the mouth of White Sage and down. I strolled up  to the exit at 16508, 20761. 2 and a half hours for the hike, 100 noticeable gain. I wouldn't do this again but I might come down from the WF road and exit at point 5725. That looks to be unburned. Posted 2023.
9. 6 CANYON is what I call the one draining into Sulphur Gulch near peak 5865. It would be easy walk to the mouth and admire the formations but the canyon is blocked high up. I made a good loop up a ridge to the east then down the west rim. I parked at mp 9 where there is a sharp curve near peak 5540. I walked the wash there and stayed right at the first fork and on into a fork at N39 17585, W108 20904. I went on up it another 400 feet then up a ridge on the right and all the way to a plateau at el 6350. I turned west to a gully at 17932, 21642 el 6200. I went up that then leveled of along the south side of peak 6440+ and had it easy to a canyon. I went up the far side at 17910, 22047 el 6150 then on to the rim of 6 Canyon at 17930, 22292 el 9300. I dropped down there and followed a streambed into the canyon but it goes into a sinkhole. So I went left down a gully at 17937, 22417 and up to the west rim then down. Near the bottom is a wide gully on the right that leads down to washes and those lead to Sulphur Gulch which leads to the road. Nearly 4 hours and about 1000 gain, rarely steep. Really good color and bizarre erosion. Over a mile could be saved by spotting a bike at point 5799 but Sulphur is a nice wash walk. Posted 2023.
10. PEAK 6642 - I made a loop up the south ridge then down an east ridge. Leave a bike on the WF road at mp 12.1 where a faint road goes to a stock tank. Then drive on west 1.3 miles to point 6025 then hike up the south ridge and over the peak to a bright gully on the north side that leads into the canyon running east of the peak. At N39 18364, W108 23896 el 6500 start climbing out at an easy angle to the east rim at 18378, 23795 el 6600. Drop down the other side then stay along the 5960 line on open ground to the ridge with the number 1 on the topo. Go SE down that main ridge to 17687, 23105 el 6200 then drop down the right rim of a gully. When it turns to badlands soil, move to center on easy rocks and when those end move back to the right at a tree then down. At bottom a good side trip is the next canyon downstream with good color. Then head for the stock tank road on the topo and out. 4 hours, 1200 gain, all easy. 3 hours if skipping the canyon. Good pj forest, mostly j. Posted 2023.
11. 6025 CANYON is a good short one at mp 13.4 on the WF road. At point 6025 a road goes north and then bends left in a quarter mile. I got off there and went right into the canyon and up to N39 18444, W108 24472. I went up the left slope there to 18422, 24499 and leveled off and soon merged onto the rim and strolled down thru a good juniper forest. I aimed for a ridge at 18015, 24626 that goes down easiest to the mouth. Under 2 hours, 200 noticeable gain. Posted 2023.
12. ALKALI CANYON is the longest badlands canyon along the Winter Flats road. I made a loop in the major forks. I parked near mp 17 and walked up canyon to the fork just south of the 6 on the topo. The 6 fork is best but blocked just south of the 6. So I took the east fork to N39 18222, W108 28655 where I could cut back over a saddle into the 6 fork. But first I checked out the east fork to the end and it's good but might skip it next time. I then went up the 6 fork and came back to a point at 18121, 28718  and climbed out and on  SW to 18078, 28947 where I could drop into the next fork. I hit a shelf at el 6400 and walked it upstream and merged into the main creekbed then left that at 18084, 29225 and west over the rim toward a basin in the west fork with two tiny 6600 circles. I dropped into the west fork at 17868, 29509 and any further downstream would not work but upstream would. I strolled up the fork to the basin where a fence was the only eyesore I had all day. I got behind it for some good badlands pics. I then walked the south bank to 17692, 29494 and dropped south into a drainage with ponderosa pines. In a few feet I moved right past a boulder to get to the main creekbed then down it to the mouth where brush was in the way but I used a trail on the left bank to hit the creekbed of Pine Gulch. Shortly down that is an unmapped road at 17401, 29659 el 6400 on the right bank. With a bike there I would have had a smooth ride back but I didn't study the sat image. The road pulls away from the creekbed and then I left it and shortcutted down the creekbed and hit the road again and back to the start. By skipping the east fork and using a bike for the last 3 miles this would be a 5 hour hike with 500 noticeable gain. I made it OK in shorts but could have easily guessed wrong and needed long pants. Cattle don't go into the upper forks but bears do. If just doing the 6 fork or east fork I would try coming in from stock tanks to the east and aim for the east fork at 18125, 28573. That would be easy. Posted 2023.
13. KNIGHT BENCHMARK el 6701 is on the east rim of Main Canyon. It's a short hike but I made a day of it by riding rim roads. At 11.1 on the WF road is an easy 4wd road going south to 3 forks at N39 14023, W108 21274. Left goes out to rims and far right goes to the rim of Pine Ridge where a cliff is in the way. There is stairway on the right at 14138, 22257 that goes to the top then to the left is a road. It looked like a road was constructed to the top but no one noticed the cliff. I just walked the road to the rim then on to the summit. It's a nearly 3 hour easy hike. I rode back to the 3 forks and headed for the rims. The north rim of Asbury Creek is easy 4wd to point 5855 above I-70. The rim of Main Canyon is for OHVs and I went as far as an overlook above Cameo near point 6288. Everything but the Main Canyon rim is firm and ebikeable. Some fat tire ebikes might work on the Main Canyon rim. No rocks. I put a track for all this on peakbagger. Posted 2023.
14. ASBURY CREEK is by far the best canyon along the river. A trail goes in from the south rim along the canyon on the east side of peak 6044 but it takes an OHV to get at it. The sat image shows the OHV trail dropping in and it ends on a slickrock shelf. Then the foot trail goes along the right side of the canyon at that level and soon gets fuzzy. I went too low but found out on the return that the trail resumes at N39 11196, W108 19192 and bends right to a white cabin in view on the sat image. I went down along the east side of peak 6044 and hit bottom then had an easy stroll up canyon past point 5485 to an arch at 11909, 20347. I made a U-turn down canyon to a trail on the right bank at 11292, 18503 el 5200 that goes up then down to a trail on the right side of a gully at 11136, 18271 that leads down to a spring. It pours over a fall there el 5000 that ends travel. I then retraced back and was able to find the trail out. Next time I would stay on the trail to the cabin and try to go direct to the spring then go up canyon to the arch. I saw no way up to the north rim. I spent 5 hours but got lost. A Verizon signal on the rim makes it easy to navigate the OHV trail. It's easy 4wd to a fork east of peak 6004 then a fat tire ebike might work for the last 5 miles on the OHV trail. The GPS track I put on peakbagger for Knight BM shows the roads. Posted Oct, 2023.
15. UPPER MAIN CANYON - a one way hike can be done from the road crossing el 5950 downstream to the Round Mountain Trail that shows on newer maps. I rode the WF road to mp 19 and turned left down to the crossing. I left my pack there then rode on 8 miles and parked where the road drops to a gas well. I then rode my Zizzo bike back to my pack and dropped in on the north bank where the road pulls away to avoid brush. A tiny intermittent stream was there and I had an easy stroll down to the RMT. The last mile is best because horses can't get in. I got on the right bank at N39 12924, W108 23262 then walked a trail downstream for a tenth mile and hit the RMT. That goes up and bends left at 13146, 23454 and then at el 6200 it goes right somewhere but I just kept going up to the road at 13627, 23794 el 6350 and walked it back to the start. This is a bit over 4 hours and 1000 gain for someone with a 4wd and ebike. I took 5 hours as I walked the road some. This is the best part of the canyon but I would take wading shoes in May. All roads easy 4wd. There is free campground on Round Mtn just west of peak 6820. Posted Sept, 2023.
16. HUNTER CANYON SOUTH FORK is best done as a one way with minor rappells up to 50 feet. The trail up out of Adobe Creek would be one way to get in. I made a hiking loop from the top down. I parked along the road (a good camp is near there) west of Corcoran Peak and dropped down a ridge at N39 18593, W108 31842. I followed paths thru light brush then near bottom moved right and hit bottom at the 6360 line but I should have stayed left on a path that hits bottom at 18756, 31922. Either way works then it's a dry,open creekbed and at el 6200 there was a seep and plenty of water. At el 6000 I came to a 50 foot drop and I walked the north rim then down a little ridge at 18767, 33362 to get back down below the drop. But soon I had a 6 foot drop at el 5880 and decided to bail. I went straight up the south slope on a faint trail at 18743, 33422 and about halfway to cliffs I leveled on a safe trail for a tenth mile to 18722, 33524 then directly up on game trails. At 18660, 33491 el 6200 there is a trail bending left up to another trail at 18591, 33471 and leads up to a burn area. I stayed on the right edge of the burn until I saw a trail going up thru it then stayed on center in thin grass to a road at 17867, 33792. That road is on the topo and tops out at el 7450. If I had my folding bike stashed there I could have coasted the last 2 miles back. 4 hours, 17 minutes with 1500 gain. Next time I would reverse this now that I know it goes. An ebike for a shuttle would make it easier. Rappelling thru would start at the 50 footer with trees for anchors.  The remaining drops would be less and I know there is a 20 footer near the mouth and it had a pool. Fresh bear tracks were in there, even below that 6 footer that turned me back. Take bear spray. He'll be pissed now that I've exposed his hideout. The best road in is graded county X.5 running north of Corcoran Peak then turn south on the road thru the west pass. That road is high clearance with ruts but no rocks.  Posted Sept, 2023. 
17. TWIN PEAKS el 7442 has a new road on the north side to el 6800. The Roan Creek Road goes NW out out of De Beque to county X.5. Go 2.7 miles on that to a sign for Rustic Ranch then go left on a good road then stay on the main road. Some cars can make it to el 6250 then it's easy 4wd to N39 20666, W108 19854 el 6700. I could see a steep route up to the main ridge but didn't know I would be doing a traverse, so it's better to come down that route. So stay on the road then start up a ridge at 21020, 20641 el 6850 and up to a game trail at 20914, 20808 el 7200 that leads to the main ridge then up. Going down the main SE ridge has a couple of class 3 drops of 4 feet or so. That's narrow and to be avoided in howling wind. Short hike. The 6 miles of dirt road is ebikeable. Posted 2023.
18. ALKALI CREEK is a top notch wild area 6 miles east of De Beque with super easy walking, north of Castle Peak. A good road goes up Horsethief Creek then bends north to Smith Gulch. I parked on BLM land at N39 19479, W108 07357 and could have drove a car all but the last quarter mile. It's all public road. I then followed the topo up a fork of Smith to get into Alkaline and went up to the first major fork just below el 6200. I took the east fork along the south side of Housetop Mtn and it had a stream and little falls then at el 6600 there is a 20 foot fall with a flow. I saw the resident bear has a trail up around the right side so I went on to a fork at el 6900 and then turned back to the main fork below 6200. I took the other one and it had a stream for a third mile. I stayed left at main forks to water running over bedrock at 17914, 04264 el 6650. Not far past there is a tricky fall then one past that and so I turned back to the fork at el 6400 and went south in that but it gets bouldery and not worth it. I put a track on peakbagger under Horse Mountain. That took 8 and a half hours and only maybe 200 feet gain that wasn't super easy. Just going to the falls in the east fork would be less than 12 miles round trip and that's the best fork. All forks have plush forests of large conifers. I stayed dry but might not in May. Hikers who like to thrash around in brush will need to pack their own because there isn't any. And bear spray might be good in case that's a dopey bear who doesn't know he's supposed to be afraid of humans. Or invite a friend that you can outrun. I saw a million bear tracks in dry mud but nothing recent. No sign of cattle ever. I put a track on peakgagger under Horse Mountain. Posted Sept, 2023.
19. SMITH GULCH is a well preserved little jewel on the north side of I-70 east of De Beque. I rode in on the road shown on the sat image but on the ride out I saw the No Trespassing sign. So next time I would go on Memorial Day and park 2 miles west on BLM land at an underpass. Then I would ride my folding bike on old highway 6 to it and walk under the freeway and on up canyon. I saw no signs along there but it is private. If that fails, then the north side of the freeway could be walked to where BLM land nearly touches it then circle over to the canyon. It would be worth all that only if the stream is flowing and that can be checked at the highway. A little over 2 miles up canyon are little falls. The left bank passes those then merges back to the creek. I had to get on the left bank again but the right bank might be better to get at the source of the water. I spent 2 hours but it would be twice that if I had to walk from the underpass. No sign of cattle ever. Posted Sept, 2023.

Flat Tops Wilderness Area, Colorado

Wall Lake

The hard way to Sand Peak

Ute trails

Elk herd

Elk herd

The rim past Flat Top

Colorado River Road

Hunns Peak

Orb on Sand Peak

I spent the summer of 2023 circumnavigating the area with a camp trailer. Late summer is best here when bogs and mosquitoes are few.  The roads  from Meeker to Trappers Lake don't have dispersed camping, but graded county 8 beyond the Trappers turnoff has a lot of spots on to Ripple Creek Pass and over Dunckley Pass. Both passes have a Verizon signal. Meeker is the only town that I couldn't get a Verizon signal but the town square has wifi. At mp 19.2 on county 8 there is a turnoff for Avery Lake and an electric well that dispenses good water at the push of a button. The road into Stillwater Reservoir has only fee camping starting at $5. Just the past the Gardner Park turnoff there is one of those cheap campgrounds on the left with a restroom. Posted 2023.

1. FLAT TOP MOUNTAIN el 12354 is an easy one. The standard route is trail #1122 from the end of the road el 10250 at Stillwater Reservoir. It goes to the west saddle el 11200 then it's a tundra walk. 5 hours, 2200 gain, 9 miles, not steep. DOME MOUNTAIN el 12227-  a one way hike can be done by going over Flat Top and  along the rim then down to the Sunnyside Trail #1861. It's an easy tundra walk (and one of the greatest )to Dome Mtn. A 1911 marker is along the way at N40 00181, W107 04053.  Then comes a class 2 descent to the SE saddle. It's an easy side trip up to Dome Peak el 12172. From the saddle, I went down the drainage toward the trail but that's a bad route. I was lucky to find a descent route but it's bound to be way better to go east out of the saddle and down a tundra ridge running down the east side of Dome Peak. I could see it from the summit but the drainage looked OK too but it wasn't. I hit the trail at N39 59625, W107 02297 el 10800. The trail runs like the FS topo shows but I missed a fork at around el 10200 and had to cross a clearing to get back to the trail that leads to the Sunnyside TH. I had my folding bike stashed there and coasted down past Gardner Park to FR900. It took 7 hours to go the 11 miles from TH to TH then an hour to go 5 miles on the bike. The 200 feet up Dome Peak is the only noticeable gain once past Flat Top and it's optional. I could skip the bike shuttle and  hike the whole 16 miles in under 9 hours now that I know where I goofed.  The best road in to the Sunnyside TH is county 3 at mp 38.5 just south of Yampa. It turns to 4wd but easy late in the season when mudholes are dry. The same goes for FR910 that connects to FR900 by way of Gardner Park. That road is a little rougher. The FS topo shows all this.  Posted August, 2023.
2. DERBY PEAK el 12186 - a counterclockwise loop can be done from Stillwater TH, not to be reversed. I walked the trail past Mosquito Lake to the plateau then south on trail #1803. I left it at N39 58927, W107 09965 and followed tundra to the long west ridge. I went to a game trail at 58292, 08208 that goes up to the right to tundra. I could soon switch back left on tundra then top out on the summit plateau. I went over the summit then to 58525, 07370 left of center where it was easy to walk down the ridge then north along the rim to a gap at 59522, 07656. I went thru then down a drainage to a lake. The best route (but I didn't try the center) is along the right side of the lake to the rim then some tall brush gets in the way. But there is only 50 feet or so of it to get to a clearing at 59760, 07589 where there is a game trail running down thru the cliff band. It turns south and levels off then splits. I stayed on the lower one and it soon goes straight down on soft dirt. At bottom I walked to a game trail at 59821, 07381 on the west side of Hooper Lake then crossed some bushes at 59867, 07304. Then I just took an easy angle up to hit trail #1860 to get back.  8 hours, about 2000 gain, not steep, 14 miles. The descent route is class 2 but snow will linger. Posted August, 2023.
3. DEVILS CAUSEWAY el 11800 is the most popular hike I took. It's a narrow ridge that shrinks down to 4 feet wide. A good loop starts at the end of the road el 10250 at Stillwater Reservoir and follows trail #1120 past Mosquito Lake then up to the plateau and joins trail #1803. And that trail is accurately shown on the regular topo but not the FS topo. It goes on over the Causeway then back down the start. 5 hours, 1600 gain, 10 and a half miles. Reversing this would mean steeper uphill hiking. Posted 2023.
4. THE SLIDE el 10200 is a feature nearly 7 miles north of Tonopas. Cars can go north from town on  gravel FR285 for nearly 6 miles to a camp spot then ebike the rest. A display is set up at the rim. ATVs and ebikes can go SE from there on 2F to hike Green Ridge el 10555 but it has a lousy view. I would just ebike from Tonopas. These roads are on the topo. Posted 2023.
5. COLORADO RIVER ROAD connects highway 131 for 35 miles to Dotsero. The lower half is paved and the upper half is graded and treated to supress dust. There are pullouts to spend the night. One at mp 19 has a restroom. A tiny free campground is at mp 4. No Verizon signal. There is a bike path along I-70 connecting Dotsero to Gypsum. A BLM campground is just west of Gypsum. Sunny but cheap. Posted 2023.
6. DERBY MESA LOOP is a 16 mile graded road that starts near the Burns post office and comes back down a mile from the post office.  It tops out in about 7 miles where there is sign for a 4wd road going to trails 1858 and 1860. In another couple miles the 4wd road for Crescent Lake branches off and has a lot of camping space there. That road goes nearly 12 miles to the lake. The last mile and a half is for rock crawling jeeps. Stock jeeps and SUVs were making it to Emerald Lake. With an ebike I would start on the southern leg of the mesa loop and see if I could make it to the apex and coast down. Posted 2023.
7. RED DIRT CREEK - at mp 15.3 on the river road is a high clearance road up along the creek. In a fifth mile it forks. Left goes to Poison Creek. Right goes up along Red Dirt Creek past off grid houses, one was ransacked including modern vehicles. A bogus sign says it's a private road but I had a public road for 3 miles to the forest boundary. Then it's a trail on a closed road. This is good for cycles and ebikes. Posted 2023.
8. BLOWOUT HILL el 8687 has a 4wd road to the summit. At mp 11.6 on the river road is a good road going up Trail Gulch. In 4 miles turn right on easy 4wd and follow the topo. A few ruts are a challenge. Two wheelers work well because rocks are few. Total mileage one way from pavement is 9.5. The road goes on to Dotsero Crater but I used an easy 4wd road from I-70 frontage road to get to that. Next time I'll try going straight thru. Posted 2023.
9. W MOUNTAIN el 11890 can be done as a long but easy loop from Sweetwater Lake. The road in leaves the river road at mp 6.9. I parked near the end el 7800 below the Hilltop Ranch then rode my bike back to the lake and walked up trail #2032.  Soon there is a shortcut trail going left. It soon rejoins the main trail. At el 9600 there is a roaring stream coming down from the springs just below Hack Lake. I didn't filter that and had no more running water until a fork of Turret Creek. I followed the trails on the topo to the tundra then walked to a post at N39 50696, W107 08409 el 11200. I weaved bushes there then on to more bushes where an elk trail goes thru at 51006, 08472. That got me to the summit plateau and I strolled on to a cairn at 52472, 08256 with a broken jar and no book. I kept going on the tundra then dropped on the edge of talus at 53031, 09489. In a tenth mile it leveled off and I cut right to get down to a huge flat. A pond there had something that looked like large tadpoles. I walked on to the south side of peak 11531 where an elk trail goes down but I didn't see it until 52913, 10492. It's better to find it sooner to avoid ultra steep dirt slopes. I stayed straight on it then it leveled off to the right to 53041, 10586 then it drops into the forest. There are many ways thru the forest. Here's what I did. I went to a clearing at 53127, 10659 then to a stream at 53246, 10749 where I stood on a boulder and could see that I could push thru bushes for 50 feet to get across the stream. I went on across a clearing at 53235, 10838  then to 53258, 10998 and along a meadow at 53266, 11113. Then I had only 450 feet more to hit the Turret Creek Trail just above the falls. I had one wade on that near the end of the hike. 10 hours, 22 minutes. The app has the mileage at 20 and gain at 4500 but all easy grades. The trails need long pants due to weeds hanging over. The off trail part I could have done in shorts. Mosquitoes were long gone and deadfall was not an issue. Posted August 29, 2023.
10. HUNNS PEAK el 11235 is an easy tundra walk but a long drive. At about mp 1.7 on the river road is where the Coffee Pot Road (FR600) starts and goes 29 miles to Deep Lake. Cars make it that far but bumpy in places. Before the lake there is turnoff for Bison Lake. I followed the topo for 4 miles and parked where FR644 branches off then walked over peak 11128 to get to Hunns. It has a BM on a one foot pedestal and two dates stamped on it. That last 4 miles of road turns to 4wd but is ebikeable. Lots of dispersed camping along the 29 miles in and I had a Verizon signal until about halfway where the Deep Creek overlook road forks to the right. Posted 2023.
11. FLAGPOLE MOUNTAIN el 10607 - FR801 can be used to make a loop over the mountain. From Silt I followed county 311 to FR801 going up Divide Creek. A car could make it 10 miles up that to camp spots then the remaining 10 miles is easy 4wd when dry. Ebikes are a possibility since rocks are few and it's hard packed, just a bunch of ruts. The road tops out at el 10400 and it's a short walk to the summit and there is a flag with a solar light. I rode on down the western leg of FR801 which is decent gravel with a couple of spots that might need 4wd if ascending. A lot of camps along that road have a Verizon signal.  This is all on the FS topo and sat image. Posted 2023.
12. EAST ELK CREEK has a maintained trail running down it, #1841. It can be walked from the lower TH for 4 miles to a waterfall in the Spring Creek fork at el 8200. The upper TH is where the topo shows it but it hits the creek at the 9400 line, not 9600. The road to that, FR603, is the craziest. It's good one lane and OHVs not allowed. FR652 is the one to the TH and easy 4wd, when dry, for nearly 3 miles. I walked down from there to Spring Creek then up that trail but it fades at el 9200. No brush beyond there but a lot of tall grass and it better be dry (it wasn't). I went up the left fork staying high on the left bank to el 10400 where I could go straight up to a faint road on the rim. I then circled west of peak 10940 on elk trails back to the road but that's over 16 miles. It would be a lot shorter to walk the old road past peak 10942 then down to the trail. I would try that plan if backpacking in from the lower TH and setting up base camp at the main fork el 8000. I saw spots there. Another option would be a one way hike from the top down. It would be a dozen miles if starting at the beginning of FR652 but a lot of time shuttling.  A third option would be to go up the Hadley Gulch trail then down the East Elk trail, IF it's still there. I measured that trail on my laptop as 7 miles up to the #1841 upper TH by way of FR651 for a total hike of 16 miles. All the roads are ebikeable but how many batteries? Posted Sept, 2023.
13. BUFORD ROAD - that's the main graded road, FR245,  connecting New Castle to Buford, not open to OHVs. The spur road to Meadow Lake is also good but everything else is crap. Lots of dispersed camping. Posted 2023.
14. BLAIR MOUNTAIN el 11440 has a jeep road over it. I made a 70 mile loop on my DRZ 125. Cars can make it to Meadow Lake from New Castle or Buford. 2 miles before the lake is sign for Blair. FR601 goes 9 miles to it. It's easy 4wd until el 11000 where there is a short section of minor steps. Stock jeeps have no trouble going on to the summit. Ebikes should be able to get close. I saw bike tracks along there. South of Limestone BM is where the trouble starts and strictly for seasoned drivers. It's steep rubble the size of footballs going down below 11000 then FR651 is the one I took to get back up to 11000 ( I had to walk the bike up the last 50 feet ) then down to FR603 which is a good road. It has a million switchbacks down to pavement. That took 6 and a half hours. Next time I'll just go to the summit and make a U-turn. That's pretty easy. Posted 2023.
15. RIFLE MOUNTAIN PARK - highway 325 goes north from town then pavement ends at the park in a gorge. It's a good bike ride 5 miles up thru the gorge onto national forest land where there is a main fork. Left goes shortly to a guest ranch then it's endless mudholes and ruts to the plateau. The right fork is tedious embedded little rocks for 5 miles to the Buford road on the plateau. Be smart and make a U-turn. Camping was $10 per vehicle in the gorge. Nice creek in there. Not much to do unless you're a climber. They need to put a cell tower on the rim. Posted 2023.
16. GRAND HOGBACK ROAD- that's a paved road then good dirt road running on the north side of the Hogback connecting New Castle to Meeker. I rode it to Meeker then back on the Buford road for a 100 mile loop. Posted 2023.
17. NORTH MAMM PEAK el 11123 has a good trail most of the way out of Beaver Creek. A paved then graded road goes to the TH el 8650 out of Rifle. Signs point the way. It's a smooth trail with soft plants hanging over and they bettter be dry. At el 10500 I left  the trail and walked tundra along the north side. I hit a cow trail that topped out at el 10750 then stayed low along some ponds until I ran out of tundra. I angled up thru talus to a steep dirt chute on the north side of the summit then up. 6 hours, 2600 gain, 12 miles. No camping at the TH or along the road from Rifle but you could walk the first tenth mile on the trail and camp at the creek. I put a track on peakbagger. Posted 2023.
18. ROAN CLIFFS HIGH POINT el 9286 has an easy 4wd road the whole way and it's maintained to stay that way. County 244 leaves Rifle at Fravert Reservoir and meets county 242 at a T and that goes on up switchbacks to the rim. The public road goes on past Gardner BM to a locked gate at point 8636. Going north on the rim likely has a public route out but I only went 3 miles. Good camping along the rim. Posted 2023.
19. SLEEPY CAT PEAK el 10848 is out by itself. The least bad road from the south is FR250 from Lake Avery. It's not worth driving that unless with an OHV. I didn't check the road in from Yellowjacket Pass. I easily rode my 125 to the OHV trail going up the south ridge. I parked at el 10050 where it turns bad. I walked to the end then an old trail goes up the ridge. I walked that a short way until I was 250 feet from a game trail on the right at N40 07279, W107 32277. I walked that then went up steep at 07395, 32056 and topped out to the right of a minor bump. I strolled on up the ridge to the summit. Junk up there is likely remnants of a fire lookout. The summit was cleared to improve the view. 2 hours, 800 gain. I kept riding east thru Lost Park and Long Park then up FR230 and down the east leg of it to county 8. Countless mudholes were dry or skirtable. There are a lot of gorgeous meadows and no cattle. These roads are good for two wheelers but a 125 is as heavy a cycle I care to ride. Heavy cycles are tricky to balance between deep ruts and hard to drag out of quagmires. FR250 may get bladed some day. Sheepherders use it. Posted July, 2023.
20. MARVINE CREEK TH - I didn't hike there but I saw a million horses at the TH. That would be some stinky hiking. Outfitters take tourists up there. Posted 2023.
21. SAND PEAK, PAGODA PEAK - these two have an ATV trail running along the south side from Ripple Creek Pass. I tried to ride in that way but too swampy for a two wheeler. So I went down to mp 35.6 and took the Deadhorse Loop Road which is FR230. It's easy for two wheelers and jeeps. At el 10400 the ATV trail branches off and was able to ride to Sand Peak and stroll up that. Snow blocked me from riding on to Pagoda. I kept going on FR230 to Long Park then down to county 8 but that last bit is ultra steep. The ATV trail is closed to motorized vehicles every Sept 1. That would be the time to try a mtn bike from the pass then down FR230 to mp 35.6. Posted July, 2023.
22. TRAPPERS PEAK el 12002 has an easy route up from Wall Lake. I followed the Wall Lake trail from Trappers Lake then when I got to Wall Lake I left the trail when I was 190 feet from a clearing which is at N39 56938, W107 14659. I went on to the edge of a meadow at 56873, 14677 then a game trail climbs out of the meadow at 56763, 14733 and heads toward the east saddle. It's obvious from there to the saddle then up the ridge. I retraced back and took a trip to Flander Benchmark. A craggy ridge is just before that peak. An elk trail goes around the far right edge of it then it's clear to come back to center then there is a tenth mile of light brush to get at the summit.  I returned to the trail and went west to the Big Fish trail. I crossed a bog to get at it but should walked the bank of the stream and avoided crossing. It goes down like the topo shows then just before Florence Lake there is junction with the newer Himes trail at 58752, 17083 el 9850. That trail is what I took back to the start but it gains 500 feet so an easier option would be to stay on the Big Fish trail down to the Himes Campground with a second vehicle waiting. 10 hours, 13 minutes and about 3000 noticeable gain. The app has it at nearly 19 miles. Just doing the peaks and returning down the Wall Lake trail would be a lot shorter but not as good as a loop. Or skip Flander and do the loop. Posted July 11, 2023.
23. BIG MARVINE PEAK el 11879 is the easternmost major peak in the wilderness. A spotty trail goes up it. I started at Trappers Lake on the Wall Lake Trail el 9750 and followed the topo to the junction with the East Marvine Trail just past Twin Lakes. That trail is just a string of cairns on tundra. At N39 57269, W107 18994 is where the trail to the peak branches off, also marked by cairns. It has light brush but a more open route is at 57442, 18986 though slightly longer. Both lead to a cairn at 57322, 19334 and the trail is obvious from there. 8 and a half hours, 18 miles, with 1300 gain to get on the pleateau then 800 on the final trail to the summit. Including Plateau Benchmark would add 4 miles. I saw no loop possibilities but a one way down to the Marvine TH would be feasible. Posted July, 2023.
24. LOST BENCHMARK el 11928 is north of Trappers Lake. A long loop can be done. I parked at the Trappers Lake TH then coasted down on my bike to the Skinny Fish TH. I walked up the good trail 1812 to el 10900 where there is a sign for a shortcut trail. That's steep so I stayed north a little more then cut up to trail 1803 then on up to the peak. The trail gets faint on the tundra but not needed anyway. I went on and shortcutted along the west side of peak 11723 then near peak 11582 I was on a heavy use trail. I walked it down to the Trappers TH. 8 hours, 20 minutes, 17 miles, and about 3000 gain. This could be reversed with a motorized shuttle but trail 1812 is so easy and smooth that it's not a big deal. Having the cold wind at your back on the tundra is a bigger concern. Posted 2023.
25. HIMES PEAK TRAIL - a one way hike idea is to take that trail just past Florence Lake then go down the trail along Big Fish Creek to a second vehicle at the Himes Campround. I can't speak to the whole route but the Himes trail was clear. Make sure the river bridge hasn't washed out. An ebike would work well for a shuttle but with a pedal bike I would reverse it. Posted 2023.
26. LILY POND TRAIL - this is an easy one way by starting near Ripple Creek Pass and walking the divide trail then down the Lily Pond Trail. It just so happens I was camped at the lower TH on county 8 at mp 39.1. I rode my cycle to the upper TH at mp 44.2 then followed the topo. There are two gushing springs reading N40 04615, W107 15161 at a large meadow near the junction of the two trails. I barely stayed dry crossing that meadow to get on the descent trail. The pond is aptly named. 3 and a half hours, hardly any strenuous gain, 8 miles. Nice meadows. This is a good wuss hike. Sandals would be handy for the soggy meadow and a wade near the lower TH. Ebikes work for the shuttle. Posted 2023.
27. DUNCKLEY FLAT TOPS el 10270 is a good traverse. I left my cycle at a cattleguard on county 8 at mp 58.7. Then drove on to Dunckley Pass el 9763 and parked. A road starts up from the pass then a steep hiker trail goes on from the end of it to the plateau. To do the high point aim for a clearing on the right edge at N40 12343, W107 09713 then follow the topo. From there I weaved east into a clearing and walked to an old road at 12745, 10385 and walked it along the rim. I dropped off at 13825, 12512 then down to a long clearing at 13710, 12634 and down that to another clearing at 13225, 12583. But nope, that clearing was too soggy. I should have stayed right of it directly to 13192, 12659 where I weaved to anyway then down to the road a few feet up from the cattleguard. The last quarter mile has deep, soft plants. Easy to walk thru but slow because I couldn't see where I was stepping. 3 hours, 400 strenuous gain, 5.6 miles. Next time I'll skip the high point and just walk the south rim. The high point has no view. Ebikes work for the shuttle. A longer hike would be to find a way down to the Gill Reservoir trail. That trail goes to county 8 at mp 58.1. Posted July, 2023.
28. PYRAMID PEAK el 11532 has a trail up from Sheriff Reservoir. Trail #1117 goes up to the divide then leave it and walk south around a bump then up the ridge. I tried the north side of the bump but too rocky. 4 hours, 2000 gain. Posted 2023.
29. TROUT CREEK has a forgotten trail from Sheriff Reservoir to el 10200. I made a loop up Sand Creek then down Trout. The Sand Creek trail starts out across the dam. There is a tricky signed fork near Crater Lake but the correct trail is left toward Sand Lake. I got off the trail at N40 07833, W107 06429 el 10600 and easily crossed to the far bank of Sand Creek. I went upstream a tenth mile then right on easy tundra and entered a forest at 07698, 06711 el 10700. I weaved thru that to a clearing on the divide at 07568, 07148 el 10800, just north of peak 11005. I followed an elk trail down to the end of the clearing then it switched back sharp left and I went down to 07490, 07310. Then I went straight down on deadfall for a few feet then cut right to a boggy clearing. I stayed on the right edge of it to 07492, 07386 then straight down in a drainage to Trout Creek. I went down the bank a few feet to a clearing at 07461, 07626 and soon the trail appeared. It does veer away from the creek to 07954, 07988 then on to the inlet of the reservoir where a log saved me a wade. That took 3 hours, 36 minutes for 7 miles but I never rested because it's so easy. There is 1100 easy gain. I barely stayed dry so late season is  best when bogs are few. There is a lot of deadfall on the route between the creeks but most of it I could weave or step over. Posted July 27, 2023.
30. ORNO PEAK el 12133 has a forgotten trail up the north side from Sheriff Reservoir el 9700. I made a loop up it then down trail #1117 near Pyramid Peak. The Sand Creek trail starts out across the dam. There is a tricky signed fork near Crater Lake but the correct trail is left toward Sand Lake. It tops out in a clearing and fades. It goes to the right across a drainage and I used game trails at N40 07120, W107 06213 to weave thru light brush to get to the trail again at 06989, 06136. It goes along the left bank on tundra and crosses to the right at 06799, 05967. The trail tops out at 11050 then I turned east on the trail shown on the topo. I could see it better at 06130, 05392 and walked it to a saddle el 11250 then turned left on a trail on the edge of tundra. I walked it along the east side of peak 11378 then on to 05192, 05551 el 11400 on the south side of peak 11515. It goes west into a saddle el 11450 then up the ridge and then angles up to the right to the summit ridge west of the peak. 100 elk were standing on the trail just before topping out. They know a good hike when they see one. I went to the peak then came back and walked the rim to peak 12027 and then a little more to a good view at the end of travel on the rim. I then dropped to the left on steep tundra to an elk trail at 05522, 08256 el 11200. I walked it to 05745, 08521 el 11000 then 05878, 08600 el 11100 then to 05938, 08667 el 11050. I had an easy forest on to a clearing at 06061, 08736 el 11050 then down that to an elk trail at 06163,08838 el 10950. I could then easily walk NW just below the 11000 line to trail #1117 at 06916, 09249 el 11000. A quarter mile before the trail is a good stream that has to be rising out of the ground not far uphill. The trail is easy to follow back to the start. 8 and a half hours, 16 miles. The gain to the summit is 2500 and hardly any is steep. There is some minor gain cutting over to the descent trail. Be sure to have the track I put on peakbagger. This is the best hike I did around this area. Posted July 23, 2023.
31. SAND POINT el 11182 has a good gravel road up from Chapman Reservoir to el 10000. A bumpy 4wd goes on another mile to el 10300. Ebikes should work and maybe beyond because there was no sign at the closure about it. It's not in the wilderness. The closed road goes on the where Middle Hunt Creek is coming down and that would be shortcut but I stayed on the road to the top. Right away a trail forks right to Killarney Reservoir. After a short way on that it's easy to veer right to the rim and walk it to the summit. On the return I retraced back on the rim to Middle Hunt Creek and walked the left rim of it down to the trail. 4 hours, 900 easy gain. Posted 2023.
32. CROSHO LAKE has a narrow high clearance road to it. It would make a good ebike ride but other than that it's for fishermen. Posted 2023.

Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area, Colorado

Hahns Peak

Sand Mtn

Meadow on the way to Mt Zirkel

Pristine Lake

Big Agnes on the left

 

2. ELK RIVER AREA - County 64 branches off from highway 129 at Clark and goes up Elk River and pavement ends in 6 miles and dispersed camping starts right there. The road goes another 6 miles to the end at Slavonia, cars can make it. FR440 and 443 are good roads with camping. Clark has a popular store. Posted 2023.
3. FLOYD PEAK el 9447 has a logging road almost to the top. A car can make FR440 to 441 then almost to a gate el 8400. A sign on it says no motor vehicles. Does that include ebikes? I could have rode one the whole way. But I walked the road around to the east saddle then up. 3 hours, 1000 gain, easy. The best water was a stream running under the road el 9080 south of the summit. Posted 2023.
4. MOUNT ZIRKEL el 12180 is an 18 mile hike, 21 miles if including Flattop Mountain el 12118. Long but easy. The trail from Slavonia goes to Red Dirt Pass then it's a tundra walk to the summit with a little talus near the top. Then back at the pass it's steep up to the table of Flattop with the most perfect tundra. You could play golf up there. Take some clubs. The BM on that summit is dated 1949. Then the south ridge is easy to Ute Pass where the trail leads back. 11 hours, 35 minutes, 4500 gain. Only the 400 up Flattop from the pass is steep and it has a spotty game trail switching up it. I started out with little water because there are springs below the junction with trail #1161, the best at N40 47361, W106 39813 el 10100. The scenic meadow past Gold Creek Lake at el 9800 would make a good base camp. Posted 2023. 
5. BIG AGNES MOUNTAIN el 12059 is a reasonable day trip at 11 miles round trip using the standard southern route. I walked from Slavonia to Mica Lake but just a few feet before the lake I went up an easy ridge on the right. It leads to a wide drainage that goes up to the south saddle. I filled up at one of the many springs along there at N40 49550, W106 42000 el 10800. It's easy tundra up the drainage then at 11250 the route goes left up a steep tundra slope reading 49562, 41614. At 49709, 41530 el 11800 there is a trail going left to a ridge then up that a little is the summit block. Go left around it then up to a notch then right of center to get to the last bit. It's all obvious. On the return I shortcutted to the trail on tundra I could see from the summit. I retraced to 11200 then leveled off near the base of peak 11777 then walked down a tundra shelf to a ridge at 49012, 42079 el 10600. It goes down easy and bends left to hit the trail at el 10000. 7 hours, 3800 gain, the last 800 is steep. Posted 2023.
6. LOST RANGER PEAK el 11932 has a trail the whole way. The main attraction is Pristine Lake on the return loop. The closest west side TH is North Lake. It's a good road until the last mile and a half where it turns high clearance but level enough to be easy on a bike. I walked it to North Lake then just past it is a trail forking right to an outfitter camp. That's the return trail. I stayed on the main trail to a 1937 BM on the summit at N40 41428, W106 40368. I then walked south staying left of center to dodge scrub and bottomed out at the main saddle el 11500. I went down an easy drainage and got on the left bank at 41074, 40957 and stayed left to 41184, 41060 then down to the lake. I walked left around the lake shore but right looked slightly easier. I went on to a ridge at 41701, 41135 then down at 41819, 41093 then weaved easy deadfall to 42365, 40933 el 10400. I went up on a grassy elk route then left to an elk trail going steep at 42523, 40787. That soon leveled off at a better trail with an old cairn. Then I had easy tundra to 42877, 40735 and on to the left bank of a drainage at 43321, 41010. I walked along that and it steepened then a path thru the trees appeared on the left leading to the outfitter camp and the trail back. 9 hours, 17 minutes, nearly 4000 gain, 17 miles. No brush issues but bogs would be early in the season. I hit a few but didn't sink in. Deadfall is easy but a lot of trees have yet to fall in the burn area below Pristine Lake. Posted August, 2023.
7. ZIRKEL CIRCLE is a popular 10 mile loop by way of Gilpin Lake. Peak 11164 is an easy side trip. I started on trail #1150 at Slavonia and walked past Gold Creek Lake to trail #1161. A gushing spring is just below the trail there but a better one is up the trail at N40 47525, W106 39958 el 10450. At about el 10600 I veered left on easy tundra reading 47708, 40241. I took an easy angle up under crags to get to the summit. Then I descended staying higher along the base of the crags then down to 47744, 40297 el 10800 where I leveled off and met the trail at the saddle where it drops to Gilpin Lake then back. 6 hours, 15 minutes, just over 11 miles, 2800 gain. Posted 2023.  
8. THREE ISLAND LAKE LOOP - up trail #1164 then down #1163 by way of the lake is what I did. I took the option to go over peak 11072. I parked at the upper TH el 8500 for the lake, cars make it that far, then rode my bike on another mile and a half to trail #1164 on high clearance and nearly level road. I walked to el 11000 then left the trail on tundra and strolled to the peak. There is a rocky bump before the peak. I went left OK but saw that elk go right to get past it and so that should be better. I went over the summit then down the north ridge looking down on Beaver Lake. Deadfall was not hard to negotiate. I bottomed out at N40 45378, W106 41423 el 10500 then on to 45400, 41252 and then I had it easy to the trail at 45501, 41060 el 10300. I went down to the lake where I saw hikers for the first time that day then out. 6 hours, 15 minutes, nearly 3000 gain, 12 miles. Staying on the trail the whole way would be faster but lacks the views. I posted a track on peakbagger under peak 10889. I could see that peak has an easy route up from the east saddle but no view. Posted 2023..
9. STEAMBOAT LAKE AREA - highway 129 goes north from Steamboat Springs to Hahns Peak town. It has gas, a Verizon signal and a store. 129 goes on to Columbine where pavement ends at a fork of two graded roads. Dispersed camping starts soon along those roads. Posted 2023.
10. HAHNS PEAK el 10839 has a trail to the top making it the biggest tourist hike in the area. Across from the general store in Columbine is where FR490 goes in. 2wd parking is at a fork el 9000 then 4wd parking is at el 9400. The road does go on to a tiny parking area where the trail departs at el 9700 but only about 3 jeeps could fit. There is a tiny camp spot in the saddle SE of peak 9677. The trail is easy to follow to the lookout on top. It's a 3 hour hike and 1400 gain from the 9400 parking area where most start. Ebikes should make it there. Posted 2023.
11. SAND MOUNTAIN el 10879 has a trail making for a good loop hike but the road in is crappy. FR42 goes west from county 62 at Steamboat Lake to FR480. Ebikes could make it that far and I saw bike tracks more than a mile beyond there. It's 4 miles up FR480 to the TH but softball size rocks are scattered on the road. Jeeps have no trouble but it's slow going. A better option for most is to stay on FR42 to the second junction with FR480 at el 9600. Any 4wd makes it that far and I saw bike tracks there but that is far as I went on that route. I rode my 125 up the lower leg of FR480 to the TH then followed the trail to the south summit then walked the crest to the north summit. Then I retraced back to the south saddle then down the drainage. It's easy to walk along the edge of talus then at the bottom of it there is a game trail going right to good springs at N40 45649, W107 03074 el 10150. It's only a few feet to the main trail then out. 3 hours, 1500 gain, easy terrain. Backpacking in and setting up at the springs would be a good weekend outing. There is room for one or two vehicles to camp at the TH and I was getting one bar of Verizon. Many bars on the summit. Posted 2023.
12. DIAMOND PEAK el 10428 has a pleasant route up the south ridge over peak 10149. I rode in from Steamboat Lake on rocky FR42 but it's bound to be better to come in from the west. I parked on FR42 near a campsite el 9400 and walked to a ridge at N40 47103, W107 05027. I went up it to 47100, 04733 and weaved on to 47099, 04522 then on to the south ridge. I walked that over peak 10149 then down to a game trail at 47880, 04188 and stayed on it to 47920, 04158. I kept going down to the last saddle then up to the summit. 4 hours, 1800 gain, 300 of it on the return. Most of the deadfall here I could weave or step over. I saw bike tracks the whole way on FR42, some came by when I was hiking. Posted 2023.
13. NIPPLE PEAK el 10324 has a secret logging road up the SE ridge to el 9650. FR488 is a good road for the first 4 miles or so then easy 4wd to a fork el 9050. I wouldn't drive beyond there unless with an OHV or ebike. I made it to deadfall at el 9250 on my cycle then walked the main road to the end el 9650 then up the ridge to N40 52103, W107 01784 and then to the SE saddle el 10000. That has deadfall off the charts so stay below it then up to the base of the summit block and left to a steep slope on the SW side. I retraced to the road then took a shortcut south but that's a crap shoot in deadfall. I got lucky but it's better to stay on the road to el 9500 then shortcut down. 3 hours, 1100 gain. That was a 2 hour hike 15 years earlier when I could ride to the end of the road. It would be a good ebike ride in from pavement. Posted 2023.
14. DOME PEAK el 10524 has ATV trails all around it. The best one is up from the Hare TH. A car can get there. I rode my 125 up and parked on the CDT and walked to a game trail at N40 53405, W106 48220 to get around a bump. Then on to a trail at 53123, 48492 then to the summit at 52320, 49251. I then rode the CDT to the saddle south of peak 10359 where the trail turns nasty. It's an easy stroll up the south ridge to a BM at 55940, 49509. I kept riding the rough CDT west to FR500 then down. Next time I'll just go up and down from the Hare TH. A loop on foot would be to walk north from Hare TH to Manzanares trail then back down the Hare trail. Posted 2023.
15. CDT - FR500 is a smooth 4wd road that goes up to the CDT. But then the road goes to hell in both directions. A jeep has no trouble going north to peak 9731 and that's where the trouble starts. Trail #1101 is a rocky mess and it goes down to the good FR83 el 9250. I would walk it before taking anything down it. But I ignored that advice and walked my 125 down it. At FR83 there is an ATV trail going left that connects to FR412. Posted 2023.
16. STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
17. BUFFALO PASS el 10300 is at the south end of the Zirkel Wilderness. The road out of Steamboat Springs is good for cars to Dry Lake. Then it's another 8 or 9 miles on bumpy 4wd due to embedded rocks. Two wheelers can thread a lot of that. I saw bikes going up it. I was riding my 350. Posted 2023.
18. RIVERSIDE BIKE TRAIL -  this is smoother than average concrete and easy to see on the sat image. I rode from Walmart downstream for 5 and a half miles to the end near an ATV dealer. Then came back and went upstream but that's shorter and not as good. I don't know who runs the town because everybody is on the trail. And they're in a hurry. The 15 MPH speed limit is a joke. Ebikes are going full throttle. Wear a helmet and a full set of dirt bike armor. Posted 2023.
19. 
    

Oatman, Arizona Flowers 2023

 ⦁ The south side of Boundary Cone has a variety of flowers. The biggest patch of purple flowers were at N34 57933, W114 25149.

⦁ Boundary Cone has canyons on the north side that get good poppy blooms. The first one has a jeep road that goes to a private gate near the Paragon Mine. The second has a jeep road that goes along the south side of peak 3065. I walked that road then came to a short stretch of private land. It wasn't posted but wouldn't be hard to get around. I went on and cut thru the saddle east of peak 3065 on a trail and back in the third canyon to the White Chief Mine. 2 hours. That's the best poppy tour in the area. Posted 2023.

⦁ Grapevine Canyon area has the biggest poppy fields. I took the Silver Creek road to the Mossback Wash road and up that on easy 4wd for 3 miles to the wilderness boundary. The simple tour would be to walk to peak 2748 in the middle of the poppies. I elected to do a loop. I walked the road into Grapevine Canyon and over the saddle east of peak 3628 then down along the right side of the drainage to get thru cliffs. An obvious plateau below has a trail that drops down to the creek near the springs and goes along the left bank for a stretch then on by peak 2748. 4 and a half hours, easy. That's a worthy hike without the flowers. Posted 2023.

Lake Havasu City

Peak 1331 in the Aubrey Hills

Mohave Springs

Pool at Mohave Springs

Indian trail on Mohave Spings Mesa

Large rock ring on Mohave Springs Mesa

Rock ring at Bill Williams Mtns

Rovey's Needle

 ⦁ Dispersed camping areas are at the north and south ends of town as shown on the sat image. Craggy Wash has TV towers nearby.

⦁ CROSSMAN PEAK el 5100 has ancient mine trails to the summit out of the SW canyon, making for a good loop. Take Bison Street out of town and when pavement ends it goes a mile and a half into a wash on the left. Then in 1.4 miles stay right at a fork then go a mile to fall el 2650. Any 4wd makes it there but only jeeps, OHVs and possibly ebikes go on. The road ends a mile and a half beyond the fall at el 3200. A popular trail runs along the right bank but leave it for a ridge at 32391, 11879 el 3500. The trail soon appears and alternates from left to right of the ridge center. Go on up to a mine with steel pipe right of center. The trail then goes up to the left and then at 32630,11862 it starts contouring left of the ridge and stays left. Stay on the trail below the ridgetop until you're 400 feet from 32737, 11538 which is where it switches over to the right side of the ridge. It goes up along the right side of the ridge to the main saddle ahead el 4700. At the saddle, go thru the gate and then the trail goes up along the right side of the fence. It heads straight to the peak with no switchbacks. At 32802, 11331 it goes up to center then it's a short way to the reg. To loop back, retrace to the main saddle el 4700 then down the trail and cut to another trail at 32660, 11438 el 4400. It goes along the slopes to a saddle above a popular mine then down to the mine and back to the start. It's a 5 hour hike if starting at the fall with 2500 gain and the first 800 is up the easy wash. I cleared these trails a decade earlier but I take pruners because catclaw never sleeps. Posted 2023.

⦁ MOHAVE SPRINGS MESA has a deep canyon cutting it in half. A good loop can be done on the rims starting at Mohave Springs. Take highway 95 to a gravel plant near mp 172 and turn in to the gate then follow the fence around the south side to a high road at N34 25066, W114 10931. The road will stay high a while then drop right into a main wash. It goes up that and will go up the right bank to bypass a bad spot then up to a fork on high gound at 26842, 06729. Both roads go, but left is shorter and less steep. It goes to a mega wash then it's a mile down that to the fork with the springs. It's a third mile up the fork to a pond with a tiny stream. It's easy to climb up to the right and get on the mesa then on to an Indian trail at 26943, 04608 that goes on to 26787, 04122 then fades. I then crossed a drainage then on to the east rim where the Indian trail drops off at 26699, 03399. I walked that to the south tip at some survey junk. It's easy to drop SW off that but later I saw shorter routes that drop NW off around 24955, 02318. Then there is a wide drainage north of point 1864 that leads up to the west half of the mesa. I went up along the right side of that then found a spotty Indian trail on top. At 26235, 03632 it lasts a half mile then appears again at 26623, 03795 then in nearly a fifth mile it forks. I stayed left to 26757, 04198 then 26773, 04379 then back. It's a 5 or 6 hour hike with nearly 400 noticeable gain. The roads are easy 4wd with no rocks but washboard and 8 or 9 miles each way. This is an outstanding hike for now but burros are moving in and it won't be worth the drive out there once they trash it. Posted 2023.

⦁ BILL WILLIAMS MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 2700 is the best peak hike on this page. Take highway 95 to mp 167.1 and turn up a wash and in half a mile it forks. Right is the shortest but has a steep hill at a utility road. I stayed left on my cycle and got on the road with a milder hill and came back on it to N34 21453, W114 08365 where a faint road runs along the bank. In 2/3 mile I parked and walked an Indian trail into the wash then up to a main fork at 22940, 06676. I went right to a 30 foot fall el 1650 then up a gully on the right into a minor saddle. I walked level a short way to another saddle then back down to the creekbed and up to 23186, 04897 el 2000. There I went up to the left on a ridge to the crest then left to the reg at 23590, 04740, placed by M&L in 1988. I used the topo to keep going on the crest but still made two wrong turns. But one of those mistakes led me to a rock ring in a saddle at 24032, 05595 el 2400. I descended a nearby canyon at 24083, 05590 el 2350 and it took me back to the start. 6 hours, 800 noticeable gain. Next time I'll park at the steep hill and ride a bike for the rest. Posted 2023.

⦁ CRAWLER PEAK el 2504 is what I call the one in the north Bill Williams Mtns. Rock crawlers drive the canyons that drain it making for some interesting loop hikes. Take highway 95 to mp 170.3 and turn on a dirt road that soon drops into a wash. In another half mile there is a tricky fork, stay right and on to the ascent canyon at N34 25687, W114 06969 el 1850 which is nearly 5 miles in. I parked .7 air mile before it and walked to it and followed crawler tracks up it keeping right at forks. At 25094, 06956 el 2150 I got on the right bank and just kept going up  to the white capped summit at 25100, 07109. I then walked south on the main ridge for a quarter mile to a saddle then down to the right on a ridge into a canyon and followed crawler tracks back to the start. 2 hours, 400 noticeable gain. Posted 2023.

⦁ AUBREY HILLS HIGH POINT el 1537 - a popular trail goes to a spire, known as Rovey's Needle, NW of the peak making for a good loop. Park on highway 95 at mp 164.1 and walk the trail up a major wash and over to the spire. Then drop to the flats and go up the right bank of a wash at N34 19653, W114 06015 el 1100. Soon you have to drop in then exit left at 19493, 05921 and go up into the west saddle el 1350. The reg is at 19464, 05800. Then go back to the saddle and down the drainage toward the highway. Exit on the right bank at 18968, 05902 el 750 and walk Indian trails thru a saddle and down a wash at 18909, 06098 el 750. It leads to the highway and it's a scary one mile walk back so it's best to have a shuttle to stay alive. 3 and a half hours, 500 noticeable gain. A jeep road goes to the spire from a huge abandoned mine along the highway but not worth the tedious drive. Posted 2023.

⦁ BLACK MOUNTAIN el 2986 has loop possibilities. Take highway 95 to mp 172.5 at a dirt road on high ground. BLM #4362 is the correct road to the right in a wash at a kiosk. That road goes all the way. Go up that staying left at main forks and in a couple of miles it will merge with the road on the topo going up Standard Wash. Go on to a fork past point 2175 and go right to the base of the peak north of peak 2081. I walked up over the bank at N34 28645, W114 03506 and over into a valley on the south side and up a ridge at 28308, 01920 el 1800 and just kept going up to the reg at 30230, 02641. I then walked the high ground following the topo around to the SW side of pe0ak 2805 then down a ridge there at 29550, 03383 el 2600. 4 and a half hours, 1200 easy gain. It's rocky but stable and not too bad. The reg placed by Vitz in 2005 had 2 entries and that won't increase much considering the crappy roads. It's a dozen miles of easy 4wd with few rocks but lots of washboard. A 1915 marker is in the middle of the wash at 28433, 02189. I saw wild cow tracks near the summit. Posted 2023.

⦁ LIZARD PEAK has a loop trail up it from Sara Park at the south end of town. From the main parking area it's about half a mile to a fork at N34 26158, W114 16189 at a sign for trail 4456J. It goes up steep to the peak then a rougher trail goes down to the north saddle where it gets better. But below that is a gully with a 5 foot drop but no big deal. A narrow ledge nearby is how I went down to the bottom then turned left to the lizard made of rocks. A fork below that leads back to the main trail. 80 minutes, 600 noticeable gain. Posted 2023.

⦁ AUBREY HILLS LOOP -  peak 1361 is on private land but a good loop can be made around it on BLM land. I parked on highway 95 at mp 172.8 where BLM road #4466 goes SW but has a locked gate. I rode a bike down it for half a mile to a substation then into a main wash and walked that downstream until I hit private land. I went over the rim there at N34 23871, W114 12322 then up a wash at 23853, 12498 heading toward peak 1331. I went up that peak via a class 2 route on the SE side then retraced down and around to the SW saddle then down the wash toward the lake. I exited the wash thru a saddle on the right at 23882, 13432 then downstream and over into a fork at 23784, 13813. A trail leads to that  fork 400 feet before. The fork goes over into a main wash with a white rock fall. I went up that main wash past an old car to some minor falls at 24900, 14338. The first one is easy and the second one has a sheep trail wide right. Next comes a bike trail on a road then at 25002, 14093 I made a hard left for 400 feet to another trail running thru a gap then I went on to a wash at 25110, 13830 to the left of the trail. I followed low ground to a wash at 25174, 13630 and back to the substation. 5 hours with 400 noticeable gain. Pleasant terrain. In hindsight I believe I could have descended peak 1331 off the NW side. I never could see a safe route up peak 1361.  Posted 2023.

⦁ PEAK 1059 is just north of Cattail Cove SP. An easy loop can be done around it in washes. I parked on highway 95 at mp 169.5 and started on an Indian trail at N34 23172, W114 10068. It likely was their route to Mohave Springs. I walked it into a canyon south of the peak then on to the mouth and went up the next wash to the right. I went up a little fork at 22022, 11340 to get over the rim to the next major wash and walked up along the north side of the peak and around to a trail at 22616, 10663. It goes over a divide and back into the first canyon. There is an option to go up from the divide on an easy ridge past a guzzler and on to the summit at 22347, 10857. I did that and the whole hike took 2 and a half hours with less than 300 noticeable gain. Posted 2023.

⦁ LOWER STANDARD WASH LOOP - the washes east of Standard Wash make a good loop. I parked on highway 95 at mp 171.4 where a dirt road goes north up Standard Wash. I walked the highway south a few feet to a Keep Right sign then down a wash to the correct wash at W34 23836, W114 11577. It goes down to the lake with some minor drops. Before the lake I went left on an Indian trail at 22653, 12383. It goes a third mile to a deep wash where I went down a gully at 22481, 12125 to get in. I went up that wash with some minor falls then on to a road at 23718, 11463 that leads back to the start. That road must be how Standard Wash was accessed before the highway was built. 2 and a half hours, easy grade. Posted 2023.

⦁ PEAK 3883 is a dominant peak around Craggy Wash camp area. I made a loop. Go east from Home Depot on Whelan for a mile and a half and turn left to a substation. Go past it a third mile and turn up a wash at pole #3958. Go a bit over 3 miles in the main wash to a fork at N34 35213, W114 18395. Go right for half a mile and park past the power lines. I started up a fork at 35128, 17745 and soon came to a main road. I walked it to the Wing Mine then on up the wash and got on high ground at 34801, 16984. That played out and I dropped right to a wash and followed it thru a gap at 34623, 16012. A third mile before that the right bank is easy to walk. The gap leads to the main south canyon that goes to the east saddle. At 34681, 15570 el 2400 I followed a faint trail on the right bank on around a right bend for a quarter air mile then dropped back in at a left bend. I got on high ground at 34946, 15017 el 2950 between forks and went straight up a ridge in front of me. This is where I saw an ancient trail running on the far side of the canyon thru the east saddle, but too late. I went on up until it was easy to move right and get just above the east saddle. I left my pack and went to the summit with no sign of humanity. I dropped to the saddle and used the trail to go north. It's at 35385, 14997 then 35508, 15121 and at el 2950 it drops to the easy wash. I went down that to where the left bank gets low and cut over to a low ridge at 35894, 15515 el 2750. I went .13 mile down that then dropped left to an easy wash and down that for a while and cut across a bench to a canyon at 36584, 16959. I went up and stayed right at the first tricky fork and to a fork at 36292, 17197. I went right and hit a dirt bike trail that took me over the divide then I dropped to a wash at 36057, 17177 and followed it back to the start. 6 hours with about 1000 strenuous gain. The south canyon is the best I've seen in the range. The drive in is gravel washes but severe washboard. Posted 2023.

⦁ PICTURE ROCK is a rock art site at the north end of Lake Havasu as shown on the topo. Burro trails make for a long but easy hike thru the Havasu Wilderness. Turn west off highway 95 about 10 miles south of I-40 at mp 192. Drive about a mile and a half down the wash then go right over the rim. Don't get tricked by a couple of decoy roads just before. Follow the road into the next wash and go down it a short way and park at a cable. Walk the wash nearly a fifth mile and a faint trail takes an easy angle up to the rim. Follow the trail on the north rim of the wash to a dip then drop to the right down a drainage on on to a trail at N34 36797, W114 24995 then on to a canyon going north 36800, 25001. Go up that and soon a big fall stops dirt bikes. Hikers can go around to the right and on to a trail 37381, 25090. Take the trail for about 350 ft then take a left fork into the wash. Keep going upstream past an arch to a saddle then down the other side and to a wash at 37546, 25832.  Look for a trail thru a low cut over to this when you're a tenth mile away. Go up this to a second saddle at 37554, 26007. Descend about half way to the water then veer right up thru a smooth saddle where another arch is in view to the east. Contour over and then down to Picture Rock. Go left around the rock base in tall reeds to the petroglyphs facing the water at 37449, 26254. DON'T CLIMB ON THE ROCK ART! The Indian spirits are watching and they know where you live. The reeds may be flooded if the lake is high but not that day as the lake was 2.6 feet below full pool. It took me 20 minutes to push thru the 100 feet of reeds but only 6 to come back. For the return, I tried an alternate thru the gorge south of peak 1557 and it paid off. I retraced back then went left on a trail at 37333, 25034 and it soon splits. Left bends to a spring, but a better spring is straight ahead in the gorge at 37274, 24910 . It had a trickle flowing out of bedrock into a good pool. A flood could bury that one. I followed the wash on up then started up to the right in a wide drainage at 37457, 24624. It topped out with a 6 foot climb up a class 3 cliff with a wash on top. I then went left up the wash to the divide at 37456, 24355 el 1150 but found out it's better to walk high on the far bank of the wash with a good view down a steep canyon. Either way gets to the divide then down the other side in a popular canyon. It has some minor class 3 drops then at 37190, 23845 el 800 there is a cave on the right bank and a good trail skirting a bouldery section. A big drop waits at the mouth. It is bolted but a trail goes left around it and back to the start. Going to Picture Rock and back the same way is a 5 hour hike with 300 noticeable gain. Coming back thru the gorge is a 6 hour total hike with another 300 gain. That is worth doing on it's own. Ebikes can make half or more of the 2 mile drive in. Posted 2023.

⦁ POWELL PEAK el 2349 seems to be the highest in the Havasu Wilderness. Take highway 95 to mp 164.5 and turn on easy 4wd. Go half a mile to a main wash then go north along rusty poles for about a mile then left for 3 and a half miles along tall towers to a trail at N34 40370, W114 22093 el 1450 . Walk that then to another one at 40298, 22632 to get around to a main wash on the south side of the peak. An easy ridge at 40346, 23499 el 1850 goes up from the wash to the summit at 40653, 23457. Retrace back or drop to the south saddle then down the canyon. Once it levels out the left bank is easy for a long way. Go to 40651, 22599 then circle left around minor hills to get back to the start. 2 and a half hours, 600 gain. Posted 2023.

⦁ TUMARION PEAK el 2084 has a class 2 route starting up the east ridge until the last 50 feet where it's borderline class 3 with minor exposure. A direct road in departs highway 95 at mp 192.5 but has a locked gate. But there is no sign banning ebikes. Otherwise, use the road at mp 192 and go 3/4 mile then turn north up a wash for nearly a mile to the direct road. Use the sat image. The direct road goes a mile and a half to a gate at private land. A road goes left there and that's where I parked then crossed a wash and walked a burro trail to N34 37815, W114 22806 where I could see the peak. I kept going toward it and met with the fence along the private land and followed that to the refuge fence. Then I turned toward a trail at 38143, 23314 that led me to a wash. I went up that to a trail at 38465, 23631 and walked it to a fork at 38509, 23939. Both go but right looked smoother so I took it for .15 air mile to a fork then went left into a wash then down it to a trail at 38661, 24256 on the right bank. I went on down to a canyon at 38936, 24563 and up it to a trail at 39659, 24636. That took me over a low saddle then I went left up a wide drainage to the saddle el 1600 on the east ridge. I went up that to the first cliff band at 39645, 24917 el 1750. I walked right along the base for a few feet into a chute then it was obvious how to circle up around to the right side of the summit block reading 39659, 25025. Then it's near class 3 for the last 50 feet. 5 hours, 700 noticeable gain. Posted 2023.

⦁ PEAK 1665 - the main attractions around this one are the canyons. A loop makes for the best hike in the Havasu Wilderness. Turn west off highway 95 about 10 miles south of I-40 at mp 192. Drive about a mile and a half down the wash then go right over the rim. Don't get tricked by a couple of decoy roads just before. Follow the road into the next wash and go upstream a fifth mile where a road goes steep up the left bank. I parked there but could have gone another tenth mile. I walked the main wash staying left along the base to a trail on the left bank at N34 37415, W114 23052. I walked that for a third air mile to another fork then left up to a saddle el 1150 on the SE ridge of the peak. I walked up the center thru 37772, 23941 then right of center on a shelf which took me back to center then to the east saddle el 1350. I could see a good route up to the left on bedrock then back right to the summit. The SW end has a BM. I dropped down the west ridge at 38052, 24271 then down to the SW saddle el 1300. I left my pack and went up the peak south of the saddle. It's obvious but then at 37814, 24384 it's best to level off and merge into a minor drainage then up to a saddle at the end of that. Then just move up left to the summit. I went back to the SW saddle then NW down the canyon using a trail on the left. At 38387, 24983 el 850 I cut over the divide on a major trail and on to 38048, 25312 el 700 where I could see an arch to the SW. A wash below that is the route. I crossed washes to a ridge at 37869, 25834 el 700 then dropped to a major wash and went left and on the wash below the arch. A trail runs along it then pulls away on the left bank and next I went left on a trail at 37333, 25034 and it soon splits. Left bends to a spring, but a better spring is straight ahead in the gorge south of peak 1557 at 37274, 24910 . It had a trickle flowing out of bedrock into a good pool. A flood could bury that one. I strolled up the gorge then started up to the right in a wide drainage at 37457, 24624. It topped out with a 6 foot climb up a class 3 cliff with a wash on top. I then went left up the wash to the divide at 37456, 24355 el 1150 but found out it's better to walk high on the far bank of the wash with a good view down a steep canyon. Either way gets to the divide then down the other side in a popular canyon. It has some minor class 3 drops then at 37190, 23845 el 800 there is a cave on the right bank and a good trail skirting a bouldery section. A big drop waits at the mouth. It is bolted but a trail goes left around it and down to a hidden trail at 36985, 23703 that leads back to the start. And that is likely an Indian trail. 6 hours, 15 minutes with a about 1000 strenuous gain. But from now on I'll be skipping that second peak and come in under 6 hours. Posted 2023.

⦁ GOAT HILL el 1280 is the name on the peakbagger app for the peak next to the Craggy Wash camp area. I walked a trail out of the camp area to the main road up the peak then came down the south ridge. 90 minutes. No trespassing signs are on the roads so holidays are best. TV towers are up there. Posted 2023.

⦁ BAT CAVE - this is a one room cave with a skylight nearly 2 miles east of the airport and a 3 mile drive from Home Depot. The last mile and a quarter is easy 4wd and ebikeable but washboard. From Home Depot, take Whelan to the end of pavement at a large berm. Go  around the berm then left thereafter to get behind it and on to the cave as shown on the topo. From the end of the road it's 300 feet away in a left fork of the wash. It's best to park 100 feet before road end where a trail goes north to ?.  Posted 2023.

⦁ BIKE PATHS - there is one running along highway 95 thru town for 8 or 9 miles. The island has a loop trail. I started at the southern end near the light for McCulloch. I was riding a folding pedal bike. When I got to London Bridge I rode over it and did the loop then came back over to In and Out Burger for lunch. I rode the trail on north then for the return I rode South Palo Verde to Cisco then Marlin and then El Dorado to Jamaica then to McCulloch where I turned left and in half a mile or so the route topped out. The return leg that far had been steady up, no down to speak of. From there I coasted back to the start on McCulloch which has bike lanes. That's some 25 miles or so. London Bridge Road comes into town from the north and has bike lanes. It's a way in from Craggy Wash camp area. Posted 2023.

⦁ PEAK 4688 has easy east ridges up from the Arrastra Well road. It's 14 miles in from the Franconia exit, the last half being easy 4wd. The road enters the canyon and stays in the wash then just before point 2752 it goes on the left bank then back in, but I stayed in the wash. The bank would have less rocks. Either way gets to the end of 4wd travel at el 3250. From there the road is overgrowing to the end at the mine el 3800 then it's easy up to the left to gain the ridge and walk it to N34 34332, W114 13712. Level off to the left around a bump. Then the last fifth mile is rough so it's best to stay low right then come back up just before the summit, which is at 34699, 13982, no reg. 3 and a half hours, 1500 gain. The other option would be to go up the ridge thru point 3727. That looked good and then just loop back down the other route or vice versa. Posted 2023.

⦁ BUCK MOUNTAINS - two benchmarks named Buck are at each end of this tiny range. A good hike includes both. The direct roads in from the Franconia exit to the Palo Verde Mine are easy 4wd. A car could make all but the last 5 miles then ebike it. I parked below the mine and walked up to it then up to the left bank of a wash at N34 41876, W114 10616 and then up that thru a saddle. Then down the other side to a fork on the right at 41814, 10238. I went nearly a tenth air mile up that then over the left bank and down to a main wash. I strolled up that to a divide at 41136, 09616 then thru a gap at 41014, 09215 and up a ridge at 40950, 09096. I just followed it up to a main ridge then spotty sheep trails on that to the reg at 40721, 08167 el 2400. I retraced back to the main wash then went left in a fork at 41903, 09975. That soon bends left and I went up to the right rim but it has minor dips so it might be better to stay in the wash. Either way gets to the western Buck BM at 41997, 10442 el 2070. I then dropped to the south saddle then down the drainage back to the start. 4 hours, and 1400 gain on the app but an easy hike overall. No tire tracks except for the one road I crossed. Lots of sheep tracks. Posted 2023.