County Roads to Mount Princeton

[ndrew]

I am planning on climbing Mountain Princeton on Saturday and I have a dumb questions about the county roads leading to the 2WD trailhead.

My girlfriend is driving to Grand Junction this weekend and has requested use of my car. In turn I get the pleasure of using her car to drive to Princeton, which is a Chevy Spark. Needless to say, this car is one step above a circus clown car. But, being that I am a good boyfriend, I said yes on the condition that I would make it to the trailhead.

I've looked at Google maps and it looks like the roads to the trailhead are paved, can someone confirm this?

Thanks!

[nsaladin]

You will have no issue making it to the 2WD Trailhead. Keep in mind this makes the trip 13.25 miles RT instead of 6.5

[derekesq]

correct, no issue to get to lower trailhead/start of the 4x4 road. Hiked Princeton from there Sept. 8 - the road is an easy hike - enjoy.

[Moraine14]

And Bill's driving directions are spot-on (I came through Nathrop). Google maps was helpful except that it made it look as though you need to turn left (south) off of 322 on a spur road to get to the TH - which is not the case. Following Bill's directions, after 0.8 mi on 322, it appears to "end" in a "Y" with a choice to go between two arches: a ranch on the left and Mt Princeton on the right. You can't miss it

[ndrew]

Thanks for the info everyone. Looking forward to Princeton on Saturday, maybe I can even hitch a ride down the 4WD road!

[Will_E]

I’m curious about this route to the lower 2wd trailhead, is it actually paved? Trying to decide between Miata and Ford Fusion for this weekend.

[rperth]

I’m curious about this route to the lower 2wd trailhead, is it actually paved? Trying to decide between Miata and Ford Fusion for this weekend.

The road is paved all the way. Big parking lot shared with a horseback riding stable. Maybe 20 minutes from Buena vista

[Will_E]

I’m curious about this route to the lower 2wd trailhead, is it actually paved? Trying to decide between Miata and Ford Fusion for this weekend.

The road is paved all the way. Big parking lot shared with a horseback riding stable. Maybe 20 minutes from Buena vista

Awesome, thanks.

[nunns]

Thanks for the info everyone. Looking forward to Princeton on Saturday, maybe I can even hitch a ride down the 4WD road!

I did that once. Just don't look out the window as the driver is descending the ridiculously narrow road with precipitous drop-offs.

Sean Nunn
Raytown MO

[handonbroward]

Thanks for the info everyone. Looking forward to Princeton on Saturday, maybe I can even hitch a ride down the 4WD road!

I did that once. Just don't look out the window as the driver is descending the ridiculously narrow road with precipitous drop-offs.

Sean Nunn
Raytown MO

On the Mt Princeton road? I drove up there in my truck last year, I don't remember too many precipitous drop offs. It is narrow as hell and if you choose the wrong time you will be battling an endless line of vehicles coming up / going down and trying to find passing spots, but I don't remember the drop offs being super exposed. Maybe my memory is bad. Side note, I blew a brake line on the way down, couldn't figure out why my pedal started bottoming out at first. It was a terrifying ride, but managed to somehow keep using it. Ruined my master cylinder. Fun times.

I was also surprised how tame the road is compared to a lot of other, especially based on the description. You can drive as far as you want up the road in a very standard 4wd vehicle, it doesn't change at all after the radio towers. Do beware of people sleeping in the middle of the road as you pass the towers though, there were 2 different groups of people who just had their pads and bags down in the roadway in some shape or form because they showed up late and there were no other flat spots.

Lastly, don't park like a dick at the radio towers. I was about 1.5" away from throwing my foam sleeping pad between my truck and someones car and pushing them out of the way because they apparently didn't give a s**t about blocking me in or thought that somehow they would be faster than me coming down even though they showed up at about 8am based on camper's reports. I summitted and was back to the towers by 830am. I left a not too mean note, but it was ridiculous.

[nunns]

Thanks for the info everyone. Looking forward to Princeton on Saturday, maybe I can even hitch a ride down the 4WD road!

I did that once. Just don't look out the window as the driver is descending the ridiculously narrow road with precipitous drop-offs.

Sean Nunn
Raytown MO

On the Mt Princeton road? I drove up there in my truck last year, I don't remember too many precipitous drop offs. It is narrow as hell and if you choose the wrong time you will be battling an endless line of vehicles coming up / going down and trying to find passing spots, but I don't remember the drop offs being super exposed. Maybe my memory is bad. Side note, I blew a brake line on the way down, couldn't figure out why my pedal started bottoming out at first. It was a terrifying ride, but managed to somehow keep using it. Ruined my master cylinder. Fun times.

I was also surprised how tame the road is compared to a lot of other, especially based on the description. You can drive as far as you want up the road in a very standard 4wd vehicle, it doesn't change at all after the radio towers. Do beware of people sleeping in the middle of the road as you pass the towers though, there were 2 different groups of people who just had their pads and bags down in the roadway in some shape or form because they showed up late and there were no other flat spots.

Lastly, don't park like a dick at the radio towers. I was about 1.5" away from throwing my foam sleeping pad between my truck and someones car and pushing them out of the way because they apparently didn't give a s**t about blocking me in or thought that somehow they would be faster than me coming down even though they showed up at about 8am based on camper's reports. I summitted and was back to the towers by 830am. I left a not too mean note, but it was ridiculous.

Yeah, it was on the Mount Princeton road. We may have been passing another vehicle that was going up; I don't remember. Since I was pretty tired at the time, it might not have been as bad as I remember it being.

[RichH]

Lots of drop-offs on the Mt Princeton road up to the radio towers. You notice them more coming down. I did this last Saturday and there were a dozen jeeps coming up as I was coming down. I have no idea how anyone thinks 4-wheeling is fun. If I did this again I would hike the road instead of driving it.