1. Take I-70 West
2. Exit 314, Central City Parkway
3. Take Central City Parkway all the way into Central City. When you get to the hill (with a strategically placed speed bump near the bottom) keep going straight until you get to a T junction with a stop sign.
4. Lawrence St. is on your right, Eureka St. is on your left. Turn left on this road (it's a one way).
5. Drive up Eureka St. You will pass some new apartment buildings on your left. Keep going until you see Boodle Mine, also on your left.
6. At this point you should see a three fork split in the road. Left (Bald Mountain Road) takes you to Nevadaville, directly ahead (Columbine Campground Road) is the OHV legal trail you'll be riding on and right is Upper Apex Road which eventually leads to more trails which will be covered on another post.
7. Park on the large flat area sitting in between the beginnings of Bald Mountain Road and Columbine Campground Road, it's easy to spot. Here's a photo of the parking area.
Here's a map: Link
Keep in mind the directions shown on the map differ than the ones above, Academy Street isn't as well maintained as Nevada Street (steep dirt road), but either way will work.
The parking area, taken from Upper Apex Road. You can see Columbine Campground Road and Bald Mountain Roads. ATV's/Dirt Bikes (OHV Vehicles) are not allowed on Upper Apex Road or Bald Mountain Road. Both are patrolled by police, in Hummers!
This is Columbine Campground Road, at the beginning of the trails. It is an easy ride for about 0.75 - 1 mile, since RV's/Campers have to make it to the camp ground in the Summer.
Just incase you were wondering, the trails are on Arapaho National Forest lands. There aren't lots of signs on the trail - some, but not many - when you do find a sign, they are straight forward to read.
Columbine Campground Road continues for a fair distance as an easy ride. It was muddy in places due to snow melt. Be careful for oncomming OHV (off highway vehicle) traffic, everything from small children on dirt bikes to full blown jeeps use the trail.
The road OHV's are allowed on continues bearing to the right of this photograph, the snowy trail isn't open to OHV use, but judging by the many tracks visable, some people have driven on it. Please stay on trail!
A dirt biker in the distance, which is roughly where the Columbine Campground actually is (closed in the Winter)
Columbine Campground. A good place to turn around if you are in a stock SUV! The road from here on up is where the real trail starts.
The rocks increase as you go around the corner (on the left). Since the trail was too snowy for most wheeled vehicles, there was no point in continuing further up the trail.
If anyone has photos of the Central City trail system or comments to make, please feel free to comment below.
7 comments:
Does anyone know when the trail usually clears of snow?
There's a small dam and reservoir near there (not named on Google maps) anyone know the name? Not the one right next to colombine campground thats closed off
Hurrah, that’s what I was trying to get for, just what a stuff Presented at this blog!! Thanks admin of the site. dirt
Open yet?
Open yet?
That parking space is no longer open, if you follow the signs it will lead you to another parking space that is open, also exit 314 is not the one to take, instead take exit 243.
The cemetery district has been fenced off and is now closed to OHV loading. There is a new large lot built by the forest service about 1 mile down Columbine Campground Road, near the campground.
Post a Comment