ATV Trails in Gunnison

ATV Trails in Gunnison

The Lake City ATV trails near Gunnison, Colorado, offer 360degree panoramas of the rugged San Juan Mountains, according to the Bureau of Land Management. The trails offer mudholes and rocky terrain to challenge the experts of the sport, but also provide miles of beginnerfriendly roads shared by dirt bikes, jeeps and other offroad highway vehicles. The trails loop through canyons, creeks, gulches, ghost towns, alpine tundra, dense forests and rising elevations. The Nellie Creek ATV trail deadends at the trailhead for the Uncompahgre Peak, elevation 14,309 feet. ATV rentals, repairs and sales are available on site. The Lake City Chamber of Commerce website lists more than a dozen area campgrounds.

The Taylor Park area offers more than 40 trails, through landscapes suitable for every skill level, according to Lora Schmillen, the off highway vehicle coordinator for the Bureau of Land Management. Taylor Pass is full of boulders and very difficult terrain. All riders, however, can ride through abandoned mining towns. "It's definitely some of the best riding in the Rockies, with just the amount of trails," said Darrell Stevens, ATV enthusiast. "You can ride for weeks and never see it all." The park borders on the wilderness, Stevens said. Since the trails fan out through a state park, camping is available throughout. The Taylor Park Trading Post serves as the collective trailhead for the system, with a general store for groceries, a restaurant, rental cabins, and RV sites with hookups for electricity, water and sewer. ATV rental and repair is available onsite from Colorado Adventure Rentals. The Trading Post is located 34 miles northeast of Gunnison.

ATV riders could easily spend a week in Crested Butte, using the Colorado town as a base camp to explore the area's ATV trails, said Greg Grossman, ATV operator. Peal Pass and Cement Creek are two of the area's most notable trails, Grossman said. Slate Road and Gothic Road are popular beginner's trails, while Schofield Pass and Gunsight Pass challenge skilled riders. Maps and advice regarding the trails are available at the city's Chamber of Commerce. Crested Butte is famous for the Elk Mountains, which rise like a wall from its city limits. Its also famous for wildflowers. Crested Butte is called Colorado's Wildflower Capital, and hosts the Wildflower Festival, every July. Hotels and camping are available in Crested Butte, as well as ATV rentals and repairs, from CB Motorsports.