Information & Conditions: Trail #403

Updated 7/5/10

Status: Good to Go!

Current Conditions: Small piles of snow still left.

Detailed Description:

The Washington Gulch area is just another example of how special this place is. There are any number of incredible views and abundant wildflowers in this drainage.

Trail 403 will throw a lot at you in its short journey from Elkton to Gothic Road. This trail usually has some snow on it well into the riding season. You can find Washington Gulch Road by riding north from town on Gothic Road. The second dirt road on your left is Washington Gulch. This is after a short climb on Gothic Road.

Ride out Washington Gulch past the development of Meridan Lake and then start to enjoy the view as you ride steadily up the valley. The climb gets a little stiffer as you approach Elkton. There isn’t much left of the old mining town now. Only a few private buildings on your right will let you know. The area through here is private land, so please respect it.

Just past a small cabin on your right, the push begins. You’re still on the road, but the climbing picks up the pace. After a sharp switchback to the left, the road mellows a bit then tops out. To the left is an incredible view down valley.

Just past this viewpoint, look for a trail sign and a distinct singletrack on your right. This is 403. The warm-up is over and the riding begins. The trail climbs up through some amazing meadows before it tops out and crashes headlong down into Gothic Valley. There has been some great trail work done along the descent, but be careful. The switchbacks are wild and more than a few have walked sections of this.

Shortly before the mayhem is over, you’ll ride through a small campground that sees a lot of activity any time of year. Watch for sleeping campers in the road. Once you get out to the main road (Gothic Road), right takes you back to the town of Gothic and Crested Butte. Left takes you further up Gothic Road towards Scofield Pass.

If 403 sounds a little hairy (which it can be), try staying on Washington Gulch Road and riding Paradise Divide. Washington Gulch Road continues straight at the trailhead of 403. It rolls along for a while then intersects another old mining road coming up from the defunct town of Pittsburgh. This is an amazing area for views and a challenging dirt road ride. At the aforementioned intersection, right takes you up towards Paradise Divide. Left takes you down a fantastic ride into the Slate River drainage and eventually back to town.

For Paradise Divide, turn right and climb from the intersection. The views to your left of Purple Mountain and the Slate River valley will knock your socks off. The road tops out at Paradise Divide. Here hiking trails lead into the Yule Pass on the left. Take your time… the views will astound you.

The road continues down into a wonderful alpine basin between Cinnamon Mountain, Baldy Mountain and Yule Pass. The array of alpine and sub-alpine plants is mind boggling through here. The road continues down for the most part and bottoms out in Scofield Park, a beautiful natural open area. Keep bearing right and come to another major road intersection at Scofield Pass. Right at the intersection takes you down back to Gothic and Crested Butte. Left on this road is another adventure entirely and ends up in the town of Marble. For another diversion, Trail 401 climbs up on your left at Scofield Pass.