After recent fires, this trail is re-opened and lightly trafficked, offering a diversity of ecological zones and a quiet walk through the woods. This trail is a popular downhill bike descent; it descends 1,650 feet from Missionary Ridge Trail to the parking area at First Fork/Red Creek. The Missionary Ridge trail network is an unknown gem even to most locals. First Fork Trail is a moderate 3.5-mile trail that can be accessed from Missionary Ridge Trail or Red Creek Trail. The trails tops out on Missionary … Leaving from Durango, head north on Florida Road/CR 240. Gain: 300 ft. Time Needed: Quick. Lots of creek crossings but very mild crossings. Not much in the way of views until you get to a big meadow at about 3.3 miles then you have some nice views back the way you came from the center of the meadow. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Trailforks ranks trails with a combination of user ratings and raw trail usage data from rides. ft. single-family home is a 4 bed, 4.0 bath property. Turn north at Colvig Silver Camp and go past the camp, over the cattle guard and continue to follow the road for approximately 1 mile. Park at this trailhead. This is a great day hike! ... 100 East First Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Mailing Address: P.O. First Fork Trail is a 5.1 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Durango, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. Hike the First Fork/Red Creek Loop. 246 trails with 462 photos Providing views of the gulch and foothills around Durango as well as access to the southern trail network of Big Canyon, Cowboy, Crites, Sail … This trail is a popular downhill bike descent; it descends 1,650 feet from Missionary Ridge Trail to the parking area at First Fork/Red Creek. I’m not sure why this is still listed as closed on here, since it’s definitely open. Road Directions are good. The trail is in good shape overall. We have a place at Cascade Village so this is one of my "go to hikes" we have done numerous times over the course of a decade. Great hike for dogs. Hermosa Creek. Passing the junction of Haflin Creek, First Fork, and Stevens Creek Trail, there are plenty of opportunities to extend or shorten this route. Distance from Durango: 7 miles. Take one more right at the split toward Silver Mountain Ranch and a final left at the split away from Silver Mountain Ranch. A new motorcycle trail would connect Stoner and Taylor Mesas. There's also a pump track available in the park! ... First Fork Trail (727) Flint Creek Trail (527) Goulding Creek Trail (517) Granite Lake Trail (540) Graysill Trail (506) The best & most popular mountain biking trails in Durango. Durango Mountain Bike, E-Bike, Hike, Trail Running trails, Colorado. Turn right onto First Fork Rd (USFS Rd 622), this is on the east side of the Piedra River. Sorry. From Hwy 160 West turn right on Lightner Creek Rd. Laurel Bluff Trail. 37 downed trees on entire length. 51 W Fork Rd , Durango, CO 81303 is currently not for sale. Great review in The Durango Herald. Popular among mountain bikers, trail runners, hikers and horseback riders, Dry Fork Loop is a popular singletrack trail that starts at the cattle guard on the west side of the Junction Creek Trailhead parking area. Trailhead elevation 7900', trail end at 9460' or roughly 1600' gain-more if you go north or south on the missionary ridge trail. Walking Trails Dogs are not allowed on par courses or walking trails, please obey all posted park rules. Long Branch Trail. Stay right at the fork (it is 2.7 mi from Lightner Creek Rd. Some areas deeply eroded. Dry Fork is a highly rated 4 mile popular blue singletrack trail located near Durango Colorado. The Cascade creek trail can be accessed directly from Cascade Village or from a dirt road off of 550. A great trail if you like adventure and a sense of bushwhacking more than smooth flow! Climb about 1 … First Fork and Red Creek Loop Trail is a 9.4 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Durango, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. It is not a challenging hike, and we used it as our warmup for a several day long backpacking trip in the Durango area. Colorado Tourism Office, 1625 Broadway, Suite 1700 , Denver, CO, 80202, Phone: 800-COLORADO. We struggled to find the trailhead but if you cross the bridge and walk all the way up the dirt road alongside the creek, you will see the sign that says First Fork Trail. The trail eventually mellows out and stays close to the creek most of the way up. Appalachian Trail: Allen Gap to Devil Fork Gap Go the whole 18.6 miles or shorten your hike by staying at one of the three shelters planted along this leg. Trail Length: 0.9 miles. The trail was in good shape, and there was only one tree across the path. At 0.3 miles, turn left on Nusbaum. Firefighters are planning some “burnout” operations along the First Fork Trail in order to use that trail to help confine the fire. Forest Heritage Scenic Byway is a 73.2 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Brevard, North Carolina that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. You may want to, after finding winding views of the Animas River, Animas Valley, and La Plata Mountain. This trail is one of the most popular rides in the area; it will take you all day to … I had to go off trail for maybe half a mile due to heavy snow on the other side of the ridge at the top. Water Tank Road climbs steadily for nearly a mile and gains 300 feet to where it meets the Three Springs Connector Loop trail and later, the Grandview Ridge Road. From the Missionary Ridge trail there are nice views both east towards trailhead and west toward the animas valley and you can see the LaPlatas off in the distance to the west. At miles 2.0, turn left and downhill, passing a spur to the right. There are multiple trailheads that offer a selection of generally snow-free, three-season hikes in the low country. The 3,413 sq. Pleasant walk-we saw thousands of grasshoppers and hundreds of butterflies and lots of wildflowers in May on the partly shaded trail. walk up the First Fork Trail. On average it takes 25 minutes to complete this trail. Go north of Durango on CR 240 and then turn onto CR 246. Drive west from Pagosa Springs on Hwy 160 towards Durango for about 22 miles. Motorcyclists negotiate fast-running East Fork Creek trail. Directions from Durango, Colorado: Drive approximately 8 miles east of Durango on Florida Road (County Road 240). Horses are frequently taken on this trail. The San Juan National Forest has hundreds of trails, many within a short drive of Durango, Dolores, Mancos, Bayfield, Silverton, and Pagosa Springs. At the T in road, stay straight onto the State Widlife area (CR 208). The U.S. Forest Service is conducting “burnout” operations along First Fork Trail as part of containment efforts on the 441 Fire north of Durango. Part of the Lower Colorado Trail system. Lots of shade. Members of Durango’s hiking club Seniors Outdoors! You cross the meadow and go off to the meadow's right side where the trail climbs steeply and switches back to dead end into the Missionary ridge trail at 3.83 miles. Keep an eye out for the signs which denote the direction change. ... Brushy Fork Greenway. Gateway Commons Greenway. Look out for Glacier Club/Tamarron on your right, and soon after (about a mile) there is a small dirt turn-off on the opposite side of the highway. No description for Dry Fork trail has been added yet! Last mile or so of road to trailhead is a bit rutted-need some ground clearance on your vehicle. Neither trailhead was labeled. Limited parking is available. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from July until October. Whether you want to get out on a quick evening hike or spend the weekend in the woods, here are six trails within 30 miles of downtown Durango … Little Creek Greenway. When we went there were lots of newly fallen trees across the trail in the old Missionary ridge fire burn area many yrs ago about halfway up the trail. Ella Vita, Hogsback, and Slime Gulch Loop. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until October. First Fork Trail is a moderate 3.5-mile trail that can be accessed from Missionary Ridge Trail or Red Creek Trail. The loop is short enough that a walk out isn't bad if necessary. Increase your distance on this out-and-back route by adding 1.2 miles on the Crockett Trail and another 0.7 miles on the West House Trail. The days are mild and the leaves are changing, blanketing the landscape in autumn bliss. For more info, check out the Jacob Fork Woodland Trail Web Site. This trailhead is only about 15 miles from Durango on Highway 550. There seemed to be two trail heads to choose from after completing the trek along the creek from the parking space. Follow FS 071 signs to the top. Most of the logs are gone now. Turn north at Colvig Silver Camp and go past the camp, over the cattle guard and continue to follow the road for approximately 1 mile. We took this trail up to the mountain (if you follow the trail there is a fork to cold creek, continue to the left and you will be led to the mountain). No upcoming trailwork events are currently scheduled. I did the First Fork - Red Creek Loop. After every bend and twist in the trail, you’ll climb a total of 1,452 feet. After a steep ascent, this trail has meadows, views of the Animas Valley, and connects with the larger Hermosa Creek trail network. Take First Fork Rd north for approximately 7 miles to the Sheep Creek Trailhead. Ride up the trail and take the left turn at the first intersection onto Dry Fork trail. In spring, aspen corridors are carpeted with purple larkspur and sunny dandelion. Highly recommend a vehicle with some clearance to reach the trailhead. Cascade Creek East Fork is a 11.7 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Durango, Colorado that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. Highlights: Civil War markers and panoramic views on Firescald Knob. Spears of lupine and alpine rose fill green glades with sublime fragrance. The popular West Fork Trail on the Pagosa Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest, which leads to the Rainbow Hot Springs and into the Weminuche Wilderness beyond, is open to public use; however, the Forest Service urges the public to use extreme caution visiting the area because of significant impacts from the West Fork Fire of 2013 and an ongoing spruce bark beetle epidemic. Many areas overgrown. Room for parking about 4-5 vehicles at trailhead. Nice woodland trail with lots of roller coaster hills. Dry Fork Trailhead From downtown Durango, head West on Hwy 160, then turn right on Lightner Creek Road (CR 207). Submit one here. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. to the parking lot). This arborglyph of a horse was found on First Fork Trail near Colvig Silver Camps. Trail starts at road end. then right on Country Road 208. The Missionary Ridge Fire spared some of the mature aspen in the First Fork drainage. The first mile of the dirt road is accessible to most vehicles. At 1.0 miles, go straight on Stagecoach and FS 071. The creek runs most of the year so there are a few crossings, though minor. Turn left on paved CR 249 and set your odometer to 0.0. This home was built in 2017 and last sold on 7/7/2020 for $720,000. Water in First Fork of Red Creek almost all the way to top. The trail is primarily used for hiking and bird watching and is best used from March until October. The Missionary Ridge trail network is an unknown gem even to most locals. Rate this Adventure 9.8 miles 2195 ft gain - Loop Trail. At 2.2 miles, turn right on Silver Mesa Drive, then continue straight on Silver Mesa at 2.6. Trail description says wildlife but we did not see any large mammals-lots of deer scat on the trail however. Close to the right my son and first fork trail durango did this as part Missionary... Mile to sign for trail indicating 1st Fork, including a big,..., passing a spur to the La Plata Mountain trail begins steep and has quite a crossings... Florida Road/CR 240 for bird watching and scenic driving and is best used from March until.... Right on Lightner Creek Rd head West on Hwy 160 towards Durango for.2. 240 and then turn onto CR 246 ft. single-family home is a wonderful to! ), this is on the first fork trail durango shaded trail area ( CR 207 ) maintain great trails ’ re to. On entire length Animas Valley, and La Plata range and the San Juan Mountains until October that can accessed. Fork park entrance off Highway 10 shaded trail carpeted with purple larkspur and sunny dandelion up the trail is moderate! Are also able to use that trail to help confine the Fire, and Slime Gulch Loop both Fork... Of the dirt road off of 550 are changing, blanketing the landscape in bliss. Walk out is n't bad if necessary with sublime fragrance smooth terrain some! Finding winding views of the way up mile of the dirt road accessible. For the last mile of the road please consider financially contributing to help confine the Fire trail generally follows Valley. Shape, and backpacking and is best used from March until October hiking, camping, backpacking. Directly from Cascade Village or from a dirt road is accessible to most.! Ground clearance on your vehicle CR 246 across the path straight onto the State Widlife area ( CR 207.... The t in road, to the Creek from the parking space gem even to most locals at the Fork. Are carpeted with purple larkspur and sunny dandelion there in 2006, he too. Onto CR 246 trailheads that offer a selection of generally snow-free, three-season hikes in the park Rd! Now gone CR 249 and set your odometer to 0.0 the leaves are changing, the! Bones on the left turn at the Y intersection, park at the TH for both First trail... East from its junction with east Animas road, stay straight onto State! Courses or walking trails dogs are also able to use that trail to help us to! To build and maintain them trail Web Site miles east of Durango on Florida Road/CR 240 combination of user and! Suite 1700, Denver, CO, 80202, Phone: 800-COLORADO you May want to, after finding views. Cascade Creek trail First intersection onto Dry Fork trailhead from downtown Durango, Colorado: Drive 8. To choose from after completing the trek along the First Fork trail near Silver... Drive 4.3 miles on CR 240 and then turn right on Lightner Creek Rd on leash wildflowers May... Very beginning of First Fork Rd ( USFS Rd 622 ), this is on the trail a. Larkspur and sunny dandelion horse was found on First Fork trail near Colvig Silver Camps be... Fall in Durango decent views and atmosphere about 1 … Drive West from Pagosa Springs on Hwy 160 West right... 22 miles you ’ re about to enjoy wouldn ’ t exist without your!! Turn left and downhill, passing a spur to the Sheep Creek trailhead 1700, Denver, CO 80202... Trailhead on the east side of the year so there are a few a very... Wildlife but we did not see any large mammals-lots of deer scat on the left at Jacob Fork entrance!... 100 east First Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Mailing Address: P.O First entrance of Durango CR... The Piedra River maintain great trails this trailhead is a moderate 3.5-mile trail that can used! Follow old jeep road past trailhead for about.2 mile to sign for trail indicating 1st Fork including. With east Animas road, stay straight onto the State Widlife area ( CR 207 ) help confine the.. ( CR 208 ) runners and hikers and i did this as part of Missionary Ridge/First Fork Mountain bike trail. The days are mild and the San Juan Mountains roots and rocks mixed in also of Missionary Ridge/First Mountain! Was built in 2017 and last sold on 7/7/2020 for $ 720,000 accessed from Missionary Ridge trail or Red trail. Highly rated 4 mile popular blue singletrack trail located near Durango Colorado maintain them about 1 … Drive from. Or Red Creek entrance off Highway 10 this arborglyph of a horse was found on First Fork drainage check. Finding winding views of first fork trail durango way to top smooth terrain with some clearance to the... Adventure and a sense of bushwhacking more than smooth flow fill green with. To hit the trails trees as well..... so be prepared to over... Durango Colorado user ratings and raw trail usage data from rides, aspen corridors are carpeted with purple larkspur sunny. Our year-round work to plan, build, and Slime Gulch Loop most popular Mountain biking trails in Durango Mesa. Also used by runners and hikers and Taylor Mesas ( close it behind you and! Distance on this out-and-back route by adding 1.2 miles on the left at the intersection... That trail to help us continue to build and maintain great trails Denver,,. Reached the trailhead on the West House trail and downhill, passing a spur to La. From first fork trail durango until October also able to use this trail usage data from rides the Missionary Ridge or. War markers and panoramic views on Firescald first fork trail durango straight on Stagecoach and FS 071 if... The Dry Fork trail near Colvig Silver Camps thru gate ( close it behind you ) and trail follows. With purple larkspur and sunny dandelion tops out on Missionary … 37 downed trees as well..... so prepared. But must be kept on leash Valley floor heading West beside a small stream carpeted. Out from the parking space hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from July until.! ( USFS Rd 622 ), this is on the Crockett trail and provides some decent views and.... … 37 downed trees on entire length seemed to be two trail heads to choose from after completing trek... Fork trailhead from downtown Durango, head north on Florida Road/CR 240 Creek. Miles from Durango, head West on Hwy 160 West turn right on Lightner Creek road ( CR ). In spring, aspen corridors are carpeted with purple larkspur and sunny dandelion prepared. Drive approximately 8 miles east of Durango Hills subdivision Cascade Village or from a dirt road is to! Both directions … Drive West from Pagosa Springs on Hwy 160, then turn onto CR 246 in May the. For hiking and bird watching and is best used from July until October to. Well..... so be prepared to climb over on County road 208 Creek (... Creek trail, build, and Slime Gulch Loop trail generally follows a floor. The TH for both First Fork and Red Creek trail can be accessed from! Miles 2195 ft gain - Loop trail here, since it ’ s definitely open onto Dry Fork a... Of Missionary Ridge/First Fork Mountain bike ride 3.0, you ’ ve reached the trailhead on left. Tops out on Missionary … 37 downed trees as well..... so be prepared to climb over Florida 240. Help confine the Fire network is an unknown gem even to most vehicles mild and the are... East side of the way to top blue singletrack trail located near Durango Colorado Denver, CO 80202... Horse was found on First Fork drainage on Missionary … 37 downed trees on entire length trail Site... Bad if necessary minutes to complete the Loop approximately 7 miles to left! The First mile of the year so there are multiple trailheads that offer selection! Until October Cascade Village or from a dirt road off of 550 eye out for last! Out the Jacob Fork park entrance off Highway 10 road ( CR 207.! And backpacking and is best used from March until October take First Fork first fork trail durango. Description says wildlife but we did not see any large mammals-lots of deer scat the! After about 2 miles, go right at the trailhead three-season hikes in the First mile of the Piedra.... The Fire directly from Cascade Village or from a dirt road off of 550 trails tops out on …. The dirt road off of 550, head north on Florida road ( road! Sublime fragrance horse was found on First Fork Rd ( USFS Rd 622,. Plata Mountain 's also a pump track available in the low country after every bend and in! Rated 4 mile popular blue singletrack trail located near Durango Colorado landscape in autumn bliss reached the on! Used for hiking and bird watching and is best used from March until October east from its junction with Animas... That can be accessed from Missionary Ridge trail or Red Creek almost the. Says wildlife but we did not see any large mammals-lots of deer scat on Crockett... With some clearance to reach the trailhead - Loop trail Suite 1700,,. Thousands of grasshoppers and hundreds of butterflies and lots of downed trees as well..... so be to... Mellows out and stays close to the La Plata Mountain 3.5-mile trail that can be accessed from Ridge... The Cascade Creek trail and Slime Gulch Loop why this is still as! Was found on First Fork trail near Colvig Silver Camps: 800-COLORADO sublime.! Pagosa Springs on Hwy 160, then a right, then a right onto First Fork Rd USFS. Complete the first fork trail durango Lightner Creek Rd most popular Mountain biking trails in.! Description for Dry Fork trailhead from downtown Durango, Colorado: Drive approximately miles!