Thursday, September 21, 2023

We're not a club... so you're not a member!
Toggle Content   User Info

Welcome Anonymous

(Register)

Membership:
Latest: 65Ragtop
New Today: 1
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 2170

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 47
Total: 47
Who Is Where:

Toggle Content   AZFJ Forums

Forums › Reviews › Other Trail Reviews › Stony Pass and Cunningham Gulch (N. of Silverton, Co)- 2.0
 SearchSearch   Members ListMembers   ChatChat 
Stony Pass and Cunningham Gulch (N. of Silverton, Co)- 2.0
Review trails outside of Arizona here. One thread per trail please!
Post new topic   Reply to topic     |##| -> |=|      Forum IndexOther Trail Reviews
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Miss_Artoo
Trail Leader
Trail Leader


Joined: Nov 29, 2007
Posts: 2548
Location: SoMo

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:45 pm    Post subject: Stony Pass and Cunningham Gulch (N. of Silverton, Co)- 2.0 Reply with quote

Synopsis
Cunningham Gulch and Stony Pass Trail is a must do and scenic Colorado trail. It has a lot of history along with it including Ute and Spanish artifacts which have been found in the area. This is also a popular fishing area closer to the Creede end of the trail near the Rio Grande Reservoir, so it can get busy near this area. There are 4 established campgrounds along this trail, all are small and heavily used. Lots of dispersed camping.

Group Size
Although there are areas on this trail that go in and out of open spaces with plenty of room to pass, there are just as many areas where the trail gets tight, down to one lane, and either surrounded by trees with no space to pass or heading straight down tight switchbacks. If you are planning on camping along this trail, many of the dispersed camping areas are small as well. No more than 3 rigs recommended.

Difficulty
2.0- 4WD recommended for some parts of this trail, which runs right next to the Rio Grande almost the entire length. We ran this from Creede to Silverton, and the trail starts out as a wide graded dirt road, eventually climbing higher into the mountains on shelf roads. Soon it turns into a single lane unmaintained dirt road, with a lot of potholes and some sand. As you climb higher to Stony Pass you enter a heavily wooded area with few places to pull off to pass, fallen trees and tight spots. Eventually you come out into an open meadow with many river and stream crossings. Beware of the Pole Creek river crossing which can run high in the early season due to heavy snow run off. We crossed it in mid July with about 2.5 feet of water. You will start climbing again eventually reaching Stony Pass at 12588 feet (be aware of altitude sickness) and crossing the Continental Divide. Start making your way back down the mountain into Cunningham Gulch and steep, single-lane switchbacks. The trail ends at the Howardsville town site, head left to Silverton or right to Animas Forks and Engineers Pass.

Length
37.7 miles

Location
Located in southwestern Colorado, this trail runs east/west from Howardsville (north of Silverton) to Creede, Co.
Aerial of the trail:


Pictures
Starts out as a wide graded dirt road:



Trail starts to climb into greener areas with great camping next to the Rio Grande:



Example of sandy road through aspens:



There is one great overlook in the wooded area:


Heading down into the meadow:


Where the famous Rio Grande starts:


Getting closer to Stony Pass:



Into Cunningham Gulch:


Example of the shelf road heading down:


Previous AZFJ Runs to this Trail
Summit Adventure!

GPS Track
NOTE: 37.763706,-107.388681,best camping spot EVER

_________________


Last edited by Miss_Artoo on Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:09 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Photo Gallery
a.mus.ed
AZ Pinstriped
AZ Pinstriped


Joined: Jun 09, 2008
Posts: 161
Location: Tucson

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Stony Pass and Cunningham Gulch (N. of Silverton, Co)- 2.5 Reply with quote

Looks beautiful. Hopefully these pics will help to convince my beautiful fiancée that we need to get up to Colorado.

_________________
level 110 nerd.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Photo Gallery
Miss_Artoo
Trail Leader
Trail Leader


Joined: Nov 29, 2007
Posts: 2548
Location: SoMo

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:02 pm    Post subject: Re: Stony Pass and Cunningham Gulch (N. of Silverton, Co)- 2.5 Reply with quote

I have a few more trail reviews in the works and hopefully, **AHEM** Josh will be adding the tracks soon.

_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address Photo Gallery
Chigoe
Baja Champ
Baja Champ


Joined: Jan 03, 2008
Posts: 3626
Location: Sunny Scottsdale

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:48 pm    Post subject: Re: Stony Pass and Cunningham Gulch (N. of Silverton, Co)- 2.0 Reply with quote

Nice area, hope to be back soon!!!!
Great pics too , R2FJ's

_________________
You better get stuck doing something worthy of getting stuck. Glideraz 2016
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Photo Gallery
Pauly
Expeditioneer
Expeditioneer


Joined: Nov 01, 2009
Posts: 1483

PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 5:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Stony Pass and Cunningham Gulch (N. of Silverton, Co)- 2.0 Reply with quote

if anyone is heading out here. tell me, i'll go awol if I have to .

_________________
It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves under the flag and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives the protester the right to burn the flag.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Photo Gallery
PSFAN
Expeditioneer
Expeditioneer


Joined: Jun 25, 2008
Posts: 1020

PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 5:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Stony Pass and Cunningham Gulch (N. of Silverton, Co)- 2.0 Reply with quote

very nice
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Abophx
Expeditioneer
Expeditioneer


Joined: May 05, 2008
Posts: 934

PostPosted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:02 pm    Post subject: Re: Stony Pass and Cunningham Gulch (N. of Silverton, Co)- 2.0 Reply with quote

Thanks for the great pics.
My family is from the Creede/Wagon Wheel Gap area, so I grew up in those mtns, your pics brought back great memories of campin and fishin the Rio Grande.

_________________
Family friendly signature.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic     |##| -> |=|      Forum Index -> Other Trail Reviews All times are GMT - 7 Hours
Page 1 of 1


Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum