Spectacular Views
Of course the views were great from on top of the ridge but the views were spectacular for much of the upper half of the ride because a) you’re gaining elevation and b) you pass the treeline and there is nothing to obstruct your view—except for mountains that is.
We took the Rat Creek Loop back to the Bachelor Loop and as we descended down the valley, again the views were simply amazing. Even the beetle-killed trees (killed about 6-8 years ago) didn’t take much away from the views, thanks in part to the Quaking Aspens, which were blazing yellow and lit up the hillsides.
We headed back to Creede, picking up the Town Trail from the Bachelor Loop, where we waited for a group of people who signed up for one of Entz’s four-hour tours (they really missed out on the morning ride).
In the afternoon, we again headed north out of Creede but this time we headed a bit east where West Willow and East Willow creeks meet. You pass the North Creede townsite and then go up another beautiful canyon along East Willow Creek.
We followed Forest Road 502 to 502 1A, which was one of the best (read: technical and fun to ride on) trails of the day. This trail is part of Entz’s adventure tours. It wasn’t overly difficult but not a smooth forest road by any stretch. Along with some off-camber sections, there are creek crossings and plenty of rocks on the trail.
We stopped at Phoenix Park, where you can see Phoenix Falls in the distance. You can hike up to the falls (we didn’t; we were on the clock). This time of year there wasn’t too much water flowing over the falls but it was very scenic anyway.
After leaving the Phoenix Park area and backtracking to Forest Road 502, we climbed some serious elevation where we saw a small herd of deer and later stopped on a ridge to take in the views, which might have been the best ones of the day. Eventually, we picked up the Bachelor Loop, this time stopping at the old Bachelor Town Site (nothing really to see but there is an interpretive marker) and then back to Creede.
At the end of the day’s ride we had dialed up about 55 miles of interesting history, stunning scenery and great memories.
Itinerary
Creede/San Juan Mountains
Elevation 8,000-13,000 feet
Full-Service Town Creede
Nearest Airport Gunnison (105 miles)
Getting Started Creede Visitor Center & Chamber of Commerce 719-658-2374 or www.creede.com
Getting There Creede is located in southwest Colorado on Colorado State Highway 149.
Getting Around Mountain Skillz (719-849-3168 or www.mountainskillz.com) is owned by Matt Entz. He offers Polaris RZRs for rent and guides as well.
Bedding Down We stayed in South Fork, which is 24 miles from Creede. We stayed at Wolf Creek Ski Lodge (719-873-1900 or www.thewolfcreekskilodge.com) where the rooms are large and clean. The lodge is on the highway but the rooms are quiet with the lodge offering easy access to the town of South Fork and the entire area. We’ve previously stayed at the Wolf Creek Ski Lodge on a snowmobile trip and have had a good experience both times. There is plenty of parking for the truck and trailer.
Eating Out There are several options for dining in both Creede and South Fork. Visit the Creede Chamber of Commerce website for a complete list as well as the South Fork Chamber website (www.southforkbusiness.org) for a listing in that town. During our trip we ate in both communities and had great service and meals. One worth mentioning is The Mac Mine food truck. We had breakfast burritos there before our first day of riding and they were excellent. Entz can also offer his advice on where to dine.
