3 Posted By: madmattd Info: We drove a Tacoma up to about 1/2mi before the end of the 4WD road high up in Burns Gulch without issue. Above there was a short, steep exit from a small creek crossing that would have been fine (with no issues above) but we just opted to walk the short extra bit. Lots of small/medium rocks, but no real obstacles to that point, just narrow. Stream crossing off CR2 was only a couple inches deep. Probably a 3/6 road rating (easy 4WD), probably Subaru-able with a decent driver in dry conditions like we had, but it’s going to be bumpy. Took us ~1.5hrs one way to drive from Mill Creek Campground, over Cinnamon Pass, and up Burns Gulch. | ||||
Posted By: JasonKline Info: Following up on CCU_Jim’s trailhead status from 2020-08-22, I drove my Hyundai Ioniq (low-clearance sedan) up this road. As CCU_Jim said, the road was pretty easy until the last half mile before the trailhead. I chose to just park at a turnoff 0.6 miles before the trailhead instead of dealing with the trickier part of the road, but careful driving might get a low-clearance vehicle to the trailhead. | ||||
Posted By: CheapCigarMan Info: Was able to drive up the Burns Gulch Approach to about 11,200’ before hitting the first impassable snow drift. It was deep, solid, and covered the entire road. There were about 5 more after that including one about 1/4 mile after the first. It had a small drift on one side with a downed tree on the other. Not sure if there would be enough space to maneuver around it with a vehicle. The remaining others were spaced intermittently up to the end of the 4WD road. Looking from the road, the Grouse Gulch Trail looked totally dry. | ||||
Posted By: CCU_Jim Info: Made it to the 4WD turn off today in a 2WD Kia sedan. The road is in great shape until Eureka. Above Eureka, it starts getting bumpy, but still fairly easily passable for the next two miles or so, just dodging rocks here and there. The final mile (really .5 mile) was a lot more interesting, with about 3 rough spots. With good lines, I was able to get up without scraping or hitting bottom, but was nervous at times. This was further complicated on the descent as the road was packed with 4-wheelers and ATVs. 4WD vehicles, or anything with descent clearance shouldn’t have a problem though. The 4WD road up Burns Gulch is clear of avalanche debris and passable - saw a Jeep and several ATVs up by the 4WD parking. Still a ton of avy debris and snow sitting next to the Animas from last year’s slide, but it does not affect any driving. I clocked slightly different mileage as well: Starting where you turn right from main street onto county road 2, it is paved for 2.0 miles. Reached Howardsville at 4.1, Eureka at 7.5, and parked at 10.6. Found a parking spot on the left, right before the river crossing, but there was a good amount of room just past it as well, without any major obstacles in the way. | ||||
Posted By: kwhit24 Info: The 4WD road past CR 2 is still completely blocked off to vehicles but there is a way to get over the debris and snow on foot. Most likely will not be passable until maybe next year so you have to park at the Animas Forks Didn’t actually drive to the trailhead but we could see it from the Jones-Niagara saddle and we talked about it with someone who came up from there | ||||
Posted By: denvermikey Info: Believe it or not, the trailhead for Burns Gulch is still buried, massively. Grouse is clear but you may not be able to access Burns TH, or the road itself for a year or more. The avalanche debris is unreal. Mid September and there is 20-30 feet of snow/debris covering the area. It was actually awe inspiring driving through the road where they plowed through. The pic is looking up through our moonroof at the top of the debris where you drive through. Amazing. | ||||
Posted By: Chicago Transplant Info: Was up here on the 30th, parked at Eureka at the base of the shelf road (3 miles below the trailhead). Road was plowed for about 2.5 miles beyond with a turnaround and minimal parking at the end of plowing. Walked through a plow cut that was 20-25’ high on each side. The trailhead itself is buried in avalanche debris, estimated in excess of 40’. Both trails, however, were visible on the hill side as its really the valleys that have the brunt of the snow along the Animas here. Image 1: Snow canyon a mile above Eureka Image 2: End of Plowing Image 3: Grouse Image 4: Burns (Niagara Peak visible, I am looking down the Animas Forks Road) | ||||
Posted By: TravelingMatt Info: The Grouse Gulch and Burns Gulch THs are in slightly different locations, with Grouse up the road a bit from the turnoff for Burns. No problem getting there in a Rav4. The Grouse Gulch trail is not signed by name, only a small post identifying it as a trail, and it starts a few hundred feet up from, and on the opposite side of, the more conspicuously-signed Picayne Gulch Road. No parking right at the TH but can park 100-200’ down the road on the other side. It is an easy trail up to the pass and is used by the Hardrock 100. It can also be used to summit Handies, so may actually count as a 14er TH. | ||||
Posted By: Chicago Transplant Info: Road is plowed (actually all the way over both Cinnamon and Engineer passes), but there is a large snowdrift/avy debris that was cut through by the plow that is basically right at the trailhead so there really isn’t any parking right at the trailhead at the moment, you will have to park slightly up or down the road where you can find a reasonable pullout that doesn’t block the road. Creek was running really high, if going up Burns Gulch I recommend crossing the bridge to the Grouse trail then backtracking towards Burns along the grass/snow to pick up that road and avoid the ford. Note that we didn’t hike here, we were on Animas Forks Mtn farther up the road, so I am not sure of trail conditions up road. | ||||
Posted By: dixonallred Info: Road is clear and dry to upper parking at 12,200 ft. Most stock 4x4’s should be able to make it to 11,700 easily and slightly modified 4x4’s can make it to upper parking at 12,200 ft. | ||||
Posted By: sanchomurphy1 Info: The road all the way to the trailhead is in relatively good condition with the last 1/2 mile being the worst. We made it all the way in a 2009 Honda Fit but we would probably not do it again, yet any car with a decent amount of clearance and power should have no problem making it with two wheel drive. The trailhead is unmarked and is easy to miss. | ||||
Posted By: Wyoming Bob Info: Road plowed one lane with sufficient passing areas to trailhead. Mucho snow everywhere but the road |
