San Juan Hut Systems Telluride To Moab Route Description Due to the inaccuracies caused by varying calibrations in odometers, you may notice some inaccuracies in the mileages listed for the Standard Route Description in comparison to what you are seeing in the field. Therefore, please use the mileages listed here as a guideline to help you determine your location and where you need to go. In conjunction with the maps provided and those recommended, you will be able to get where you are trying to go. If you bring a GPS, please make sure you have downloaded the most recent GPS track before you depart. The green asterisks, ***, are GPS waypoints along the GPS tracks. The mileages and directional instructions are in bold, while warnings or hazards are marked in red. Water references are highlighted in blue. Please also note that from year to year, and sometimes week to week, new roads and trails appear; this occurs particularly in the areas where gas and mining exploration is taking place. Your route, unless this description states otherwise, will almost always follow the most used option. Do Not start second guessing yourself listen to your instincts. Enjoy your ride. Day One: Telluride to Last Dollar Hut 13.1 8750 10,980 0.0 Start at Round-About at Telluride High School (Colorado Avenue). Pick up the paved bike trail beginning at the Telluride High School on the North side of the Highway and follow to Society Turn. *** 2.8 Cross Highway just before the intersection with Airport Road, also known as Society Turn. Airport Road is Last Dollar Road. Begin ascending toward the Telluride Airport. *** 4.8 Turn Right onto dirt road at the top of the airport road (with hangars and runway in view), continuing on Last Dollar Road (a stop sign faces the other way). 6.9 Descend approximately 400 feet into the Deep Creek drainage and cross a small concrete bridge. 8.3 Continue straight passing Deep Creek Road on your Left just after bridge. Continue straight and climbing. Passing Aldasoro Ranch Barn, the road widens through the new Grayhead subdivision. You will encounter many turnoffs with names and private signs. You will want to stay on Last Dollar Road. 10.4 Road crosses Willow Creek. Uncomphagre Forest Sign. 10.6 Bear Right at Y intersection just after the Uncompahgre National Forest sign, following Last Dollar Road. DO NOT GO STRAIGHT or you will dead end. 11.6 Continue Straight pass an old homestead without a roof on Left and cross Summit Creek. Begin climbing switchbacks! *** There is a spring just before the creek on your Right, with water coming from a metal pipe! 1
12.8 Continue to the top of switchback number three and STOP. You will have passed the Whipple Trailhead on switchback two. This is the top of Last Dollar Pass. DO NOT continue down the North side. 13.1 Turn Right (East) at the top of Last Dollar Pass. The hut is up the ridge about one quarter mile and 300 vertical feet. Go directly up the rocky and steep road at the edge of the trees. This road is not ride-able; push your bikes up the ridge. Do Not follow the road near the Alder Creek Trailhead, which turns Left into the woods. Continue up the ridge, with a grand view of Wilson Peak to your right. The Last Dollar Hut will come into view on the Left side when you are about 70 away.! *** Congratulations! You have completed Day One! From the hut, you can hike into the Sneffels Wilderness by continuing up the ridge toward Han Shan, the large rock knob that is visible as you approach the hut. The Whipple Trail and the Alder Creek Trail are good out and back hikes. These trails are designated Wilderness and therefore mountain biking is not permitted. To the South you can see Sunshine Peak, Lizard Head, Wilson Peak, and Dolores Peak. To the West you can see the La Sal Mountains. Day Two: Last Dollar Hut to Spring Creek Hut 27.0 10,980 9200 Note: High Lightning Exposure Areas second half of today s ride. Alternate Route Information: No Alternate Route. Avoid potential mud at 62X/60X area mentioned around mile 12.0 0.0 Descend back to Last Dollar Pass on North side. This is not the way you came up, but out the door of the hut and to your Left. Please walk your bike down this section to help control erosion. As soon as the trail is wide enough for a truck, begin riding and descend back to the top of Last Dollar Pass. 0.0 Turn Right onto Last Dollar Road, dropping down the North side. Potential mud section for the next six miles. 1.2 Vista point with views of Hastings Mesa below and La Sal Mountains in the distance your final hut destination just before Moab. 3.9 Cross Alder Creek and enter open meadows. 5.5 Bear Right at intersection with Sawpit Road, continue on Last Dollar Road. *** 7.9 Pass an old ranch on Left near San Juan Vista Subdivision. This old ranch was used in the filming of the movie True Grit with John Wayne. 10.5 Turn Left onto Highway 62, after a descent. Fast downgrade on pavement. 11.6 Turn Right onto 62X Road. *** 2
If it is muddy or about to be very muddy, pass by 62X (going down the pavement) and take the next right, north, onto 60X. 60X (aka Buck Canyon Rd. ) is rock based and not so potentially muddy as 62X. 62X, however, is more scenic and rural and way less traveled. 16.2 Junction with San Juan Ranch Road (Z60/60X). Keep on 62X. 17.4 Old homestead seen across wide valley to your Left. 19.0 San Juan Ranch gate with sign, JJ6/597. 19.5 Road 58.50/JJ58 intersection. 21.0 Go Left on 11 Road at an intersection with 5850 and 11 RD. 21.2 Turn Right onto the Dave Wood Road. *** 23.2 Descend gently into a large valley under high-tension wires, passing the old Hoffman Ranch on Right and cross Horsefly Creek. 24.1 Go Right and Up at the Intersection with sign for Sanborn Park. *** 25.8 Turn Left onto Divide Road at the Dave Wood Road and Divide Road intersection, with a sign for Columbine Pass. *** 26.0 Turn Right at a sign reading Spring Creek Rim 536 and cross first cattle guard. The Spring Creek Trail sign has been known to go missing so recognize that it is only a short distance from the Left turn onto Divide Road and this Right turn. 27.0 Cross second cattle guard and after a third cattle guard begin to look for a small footpath on your Left which leads to the hut. The Spring Creek Hut is a very short distance and you will see it immediately. *** Day Three: Spring Creek Hut to Columbine Hut 34.0 9200 9205 1.0 Backtrack to Divide Road; Go Right (North) toward Columbine Pass. 3.5 Continue on Divide Road. First San Juan Overlook. Between here and the next overlook riders pass several FS Road on the Left and Right. Stay on the main road. 5.6 2 nd San Juan Overlook. 8.2 Spring Creek Trailhead sign on Right. 402.9A Road. *** 9.4 Beaver Dams Road 524. 3
10.2 3 rd San Juan Overlook. 13.5 Road 523, Little Red Spring. 15.1 Go Left on 402 toward Columbine Pass at the Intersection with Old Highway 90, a dirt road also know as 540 Road. There is a cattle guard here. *** 15.9 Pass Iron Springs Campground on Left. 16.1 Bear Right at intersection for Divide Road 402 and Old Highway 90/540, continuing on Divide Road 402 toward Columbine Pass. Old Highway 90 turns to Left. 16.4 Passing Transfer Road 508 East on your Right, continue on Divide Road 402. 17.1 Go Left at cattle guard, bypassing Transfer Road/508 which goes to Olathe, continue on to Antone Springs on your Left. 18.6 West Antone Spring 559 on Left. *** 20.3 Delta/Nucla Road 603 on Left. Sign for Howser Cow Camp on Left. 21.5 Pool Creek Trail head on Right. 23.1 East Bull Road 546 on the Right. 31.0 Tabeguache Overlook on Left. *** Possible cell phone transmission site. 31.7 Continue Right at Columbine Pass. 32.5 Columbine Campground. There is good water available from the spring. Look for pipe on ground set back in some bushes to your right. Please fill all water bottles before continuing to hut. The road across from the campground leads to several small ponds. 32.7 Continue Left on Divide Road 402 to the T intersection (Divide Road 402 and 25 Mesa Road-503). Turn left toward Windy Point. *** If you come to a cattle guard 2 miles past this T intersection, you have gone too far. 34.0 Continue on Divide Road for approximately 1.4 miles from previous T intersection. Watch for green gate on Right. Continue past gate to first trail on your Left. There will be a small brown post at the beginning of this trail. Take this small road on the Left. Follow this small non-gravel road for approximately 200 yards to the hut. You will see The Columbine Hut almost immediately. *** Approximately 200 yards south of the hut is an interesting area of rock to hang out. 4
Congratulations you have completed your third day! Look forward to showers tomorrow at The Graham Ranch Hut! Day Four: Columbine Hut to Graham Ranch Hut 36.4 9205 8300 Alternate Route Information: Alternate Routes do not have great views in comparison to the standard route. 0.0 Return to the Divide Road and go Left toward Windy Point. 1.2 Continue on Divide Road. Sawmill Mesa Road / Cattle guard, entrance to Love Mesa Loop. 4.7 Pass Lockhart Mesa Road on Right. *** 9.3 Windy Point, with views of the La Sal Mountains in the distance. *** 13.3 Leave Montrose County, Enter Mesa County. 16.2 Sign for Monument Hill. *** 19.7 Pass Campbell Point Road 411, sign for La Sal Mountains, and some stunning views. 22.0 Sign for Uncomphagre Butte. 22.6 Pass California Spring on Left. 24.9 Continue on 402 RD and pass Mesa Creek turn off. 26.5 Continue on 402 RD/Divide Road. Road 408/Tabeguache Trail turns Right. *** 28.7 Cold Springs Ranger Station on Right. NO WATER! *** 30.5 Start Descent. Grand Mesa visible in the distance to the North. 31.6 Start Ascent. Road bends to Right out of bottom. 32.4 Pass Devide Forks Cutoff and Trail No. 639 32.8 Divide Forks Campground on Left. Please fill up water here if spring not destroyed. *** 5
33.1 Continue straight on Divide Road (402 Road ) towards Grand Junction and pass Uranium Road Junction (402/404). Continue down Divide Road (Road 402) past Big Creek Trail (636). 36.1 Continue to but DO NOT CROSS next cattle guard. Look for two signs on the Left posted on trees that say Private Drive. 36.4 Go Left at these Private Drive signs and continue down this road until you see a small log cabin with a metal door and horse corrals. This is the Big Creek Cabin. is The Graham Ranch Hut sits 100 above the old cabin. Remember to CLOSE the green gate just before the hut. *** The Graham Ranch is owned and operated by Tam and Deana Graham. Enjoy your first and only shower on Route! When using the Graham s shower house please be VERY conservative with water. Get wet, turn water off, soap up, turn water on and rinse. This water is hauled in by truck. And water conservation is extremely important. The showerhouse and toilet are 100 yards past the hut on the East side of the road in the grey concrete block building with green roof. Please use our composting toilet. Day Five: Graham Ranch Hut to Gateway Hut 32.2 8300 4560 Alternate Route Information: Consult map on the wall in your hut. Two options are available: Ute Creek Trail and Mule Trail. Mule Trail has currently been closed by the BLM. Alternate 1: Ute Creek Trail: Look for 4X4 sign post with sign for Ute Creek #608, approximately 6.5 miles into the ride on the Standard Route. The Ute Creek Trail is an Intermediate Trail with small, short spots of Advanced Trail riding. Follow this to Snowshoe Trail #607 for junction with Snowshoe Trail. Go Left (West), uphill at this point and rejoin the standard route. Once at junction with Snowshoe Trail, DO NOT continue North down into Ute Creek Canyon! There are still several abandoned bikes down in this canyon. We repeat you don t want to go down there. Alternate 2:Mule Trail: The BLM closed this trail due to no non-private exit for ¼ mile at the bottom of the trail. Sorry folks.. 0.0 Backtrack from cabin 3.4 miles and make a Right to Divide Forks/Uranium Road intersection. Go Right on Uranium Road / 404 Road. *** 6.3 Pass Rim Trail Road 416 (Wolf Hill, Big Pond) on Right. *** 6.7 Ute Creek Road 608, marker on right, serves as Alternate Route Option #1. If you are going to ride the Ute Creek Trail, do not take the dirt trail that leads to the right from the 4X4 post marker. This incorrect trail DOES NOT go down into Ute Creek. When standing on the Uranium Road, go straight away from the Uranium Road and the 4 x 4 post (and not to the right) and start dropping into a draw where you will quickly see the Ute Creek Trail. 6
7.8 Descend 2000 or more into Indian Creek and/or Uranium Road. The sign for Massey Bench is on the left and faces the opposite direction. 8.4 Ute Creek Cut Off (659) DO NOT TAKE THIS CUT OFF!!! 10.3 Leonard s Saddle / 414 Road *** 11.7 Gate and cattle guard, bottom of first descent. 14.3 Go Right at sign for Gateway, 6 3/10 Road towards Pine Mountain Road. On the Right is a view of Wolf Hill. 15.8 Begin Long Ascent. Calamity Creek with a brown post on Right. 19.2 At the four-way intersection with a road known loccaly as the turkey-track ( a sign reads Gateway, Highway 141 9 miles ), take the road over the cattle guard, to the Right and start up hill. *** 20.6 Ute Creek Alternate meets back with Standard Route on Right. *** 22.2 Continue Straight at the Intersection of 10 8/10 Road and 6 3/10 Road. Standard Route descends down the Niche Road to Gateway. 10 8/10, aka 405-3C, takes you to the Mule Trail which served as Alternate 2. *** 25.4 Enter flash flood zone be aware! *** 27.9 Go Left toward Gateway at Stop sign and paved Highway 141. *** 32.2 Pass through the town of Gateway and look for 4 2/10 Road on your Right.. Turn Right at next driveway JUST BEFORE the bridge crossing the Dolores River. Follow this road past old sheds and you have about 1/3 mile left before reaching the hut. Stay in the tire tracks or walk your bike to avoid flat tires caused by sharp goatheads (small thorns). The beige-stained Gateway Hut sits under tall cottonwood trees about 50 yards from river. *** Gateway Canyons Resort, built over the past 5 years, offers a bar, small gear shop, restaurant and hotel accommodations for those needing a little luxury in their ride. Relax tonight for tomorrow it is up up and more up. Day Six: Gateway Hut to La Sal Hut 22.3 4560 8055 Alternate Route Information: No options today. Only choice is up, up and up. 0.4 Return to the highway and Turn Right across the Dolores River. Road bends left..8 Turn Right just past the resort at sign for John Brown Canyon (4 4/10) Road. 1.7 Pavement ends. 6.8 Start Climbing to top of John Brown Canyon. *** 7
7.3 Stay Right at 1st Intersection following signs for Moab. 8.7 STAY LEFT at 2nd Intersection! Follow signs for Moab. Look for End Winter Maintenance sign that is all shot up. DO NOT TAKE THE RIGHT HAND TURN! You will pass yellow warning sign facing to the West. *** 9.8 Stay Right on Main Road at the Cow camp in valley to your Left where you cross cattle guard and STATE LINE. Welcome to Utah! 10.6 Continue Straight at JB Ranch on Left with yellow gate. 15.4 Continue Straight, towards the mountains, at the La Sal Mountains State ` Forest sign. Bypass road on Left and come across cattle guard with red gate (Taylor Ranch). Large concrete blocks on Right and small corrals on Left. *** 17.2 The road on Left indicates directions. Stay on main road, Right and straight. Sign reads, 5 Bar A-7, Sally s Hollow-9, Gateway. Do Not go Left here. Climb. 18.9 Irrigation Ditch for water! Purify and treat according to your standards. 19.1 Leaving State Land sign, old corrals, cattle guard, sign for Taylor Livestock Company. Continue climbing 19.7 Stay Right at the sign reading Don s Lake, Beaver Basin, Sally s Hollow, Gateway and Hidden Lake. This sign is on your Left. *** You could consider going to Hidden Lake (Section 5), which is a nice place to take a dip. 20.3 Continue Right under wires. Pond on your Right and Three Tree Stumps on your Left. Continue Right on Main road and then descend. At bottom begin to climb again! 21.8 Manti-La Sal National Forest sign with cattle guard and gravel site on Right. 22.2 T intersection with sign reading Moab 38 miles, North Beaver Mesa 4.5 miles. 22.3 Backtrack from this sign for a couple hundred yards. Look for small two-track road going into the trees on the Right. Follow this road 400 to the La Sal Hut in large open meadow. *** Day Seven: La Sal Hut to Moab 36.0 8055 4000 Alternate Route Information: Porcupine Rim Trail, a classic Moab Single-Track that takes you from the backcountry to Highway 128 and into the town of Moab. For the last day s ride, use Latitude 40 s Moab East map. It will offer the best information for the Porcupine Rim Trail and map other Single Track Options for riders. 0.2 Return to Main Road and Turn Left onto Castle Valley Road at T Intersection. 8
2.2 Views of Fisher Towers to your Right at the bottom of the valley. Road turns to pavement. Gravel pits on Right with road for Fisher Valley Overlook. *** 2.4 Look for dinosaur tracks 200 feet behind wire fence with a gate on the Right. 7.5 Follow paved road to Leaving Manti-La Sal National Forest sign. 8.0 Turn Left onto La Sal Mountain Loop Road at sign reading Moab 30, La Sal Mountain Loop Road and Oowah Lake, Warner Campground, Moab. Begin climbing. *** 9.1 View of Castleton Tower. 9.9 Manti-La Sal and Harpole Mesa signs. Switchbacks. 11.1 Short descent then ascent. *** 12.7 Sign for Miner s Basin/Pinhook Battleground. Stay on pavement. *** 14.4 Turn Right (North) off the paved road onto the Kokopelli Trail FSR 4634. From here, follow the Kokopelli Trail marker posts. *** The Upper Porcupine Rim Trail will begin off this section of the Kokopelli Trail. Please respect the Wildlife closure on this section of the trail. You can use the Upper Porcupine Rim Trail a little further along or gain the Standard Porcupine Rim Trail as described in the Porcupine Rim Trail Alternate. 17.7 Turn Right (Northeast) on the improved Sand Flats Road still following the Kokopelli Trail Markers all the way into Moab 23.2 Continue on the main road (Sand Flats Road) past the Porcupine Rim Trailhead and Parking Area. This is where the Porcupine Rim Trail Alternate Route begins. 29.6 Continue on the main road (Sands Flats Road) past Slickrock Trailhead and Parking Area. The road becomes paved here. The Slickrock Trail is one of the most famous and unique trails in the country. It has several loops of varying distances. It is highly recommended to ride this loop while you are here. 30.3 Pass through Sand Flats Recreation Area entry gate. 36.0 MOAB! The Stop Sign at the intersection of Sand Flats Road and Mill Creek Road marks the end of the ride. *** Congratulations you rode the San Juan Hut Systems Telluride to Moab Route! We hope you enjoyed the hot, cold, ups, downs, laughs, views, trails, adventures and misadventures along the way. Remember somedays you have fun, others you build character, we hope you did both between here and Telluride and will be back for another bike, ski, or hiking trip with us! Thanks for riding with us, Joe, Kelly, Jonathan, Andy and the San Juan Hut s Crew 9
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