Clohesy Lake Road

[larkinrx2]

just interested if anyone has pics/beta on how the road is to get to Clohesy lake.
yes river crossing issue aside (looking at begining of August). Mainly interested in how 4x high clearance the road is. i know a time back there was a bad mud slide back there also and a bunch of vehicles got stuck and any input on the forecast of that being repeated appreciated also.
taking a scout troop out to camp at winfield and didnt know if that was a viable lake for fishing or should we head out to the reservoir for the day on those wanting fishing? can you canoe on the reservoir or is it no water craft?

thanks in advance
mike

[BobbyFinn]

It's been a couple years since I drove up there. The hardest part was right after the creek crossing - a steep spot, almost a step.
After that, it's rough for maybe .5 to .75 and then it's not too bad. There are some mud puddles near the end if it's been rainy.
Edit: I did this road a 2-3 times in a 2 inch lifted, but otherwise stock Xterra PRO4x.

I don't know about fishing in Clohesy Lake or elsewhere along 390, but fishing in Clear Creek Res is pretty popular and boats are allowed.

[Trotter]

its a bad road, but a nice hike. Consider hiking in to the lake. It is boy scouts after all, not car riding scouts

[daway8]

Clohesy Lake was one of the first outings I did with a 4Wheeling group where I went with a bunch of people in seriously tricked out Jeep Rubicons and such. At the time I was driving a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk (not a "real" Jeep according to most in the group).

At the river crossing my literal thought was "that's absolutely impossible! There's no way you could ever get a vehicle up that!!"

But the first Jeep went up without incident and I was next in line. Put it in 4LO and took it slow and made it up without issue. I would never have even considered attempting that without experienced 4WD folks around with winches and such.

So if you have a proper 4WD vehicle and experience it's a viable road. If you don't have much 4WD experience I highly recommend NOT doing it without at least one recovery vehicle with you. If you don't have 4WD - stay away. There are less dramatic 4WD roads just past Winfield on either side but as of last weekend they weren't quite fully melted out yet (would expect the same for Clohesy).

There's plenty of good camping in that area but occasionally strange party mongers of various types pop up back there, lol.

[sfreytag]

Should be doable in any truck or SUV with a low range transfer case. I went up 4 years ago in a Ram 2500 and the road was closed a little before the lake. There was avalanche debris blocking the road but before that there was a closed gate. It wasn't very far from the lake (0.25-0.5 mi?), but just be aware you may still have to hike if that gate is closed or that debris is still there

[IHikeLikeAGirl]

Hello,

I have a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. I see daway8 posted that he made the creek crossing in a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk. I know...neither of those are a, "real jeep", but they're trail rated, damnit!

Anyway, enough of my insecurity about how others view my Jeep.

Has anyone been up Clohesy Lake Rd this year? What do you think of a stock Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk making it out of the stream crossing? Can it be taken at a slight angle or just head on?

[daway8]

In theory it ought to be possible to do it in a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, but for what it's worth I've never gone back on that road since, despite having no problem going up to 9,850ft on Lake Como road repeatedly (and a couple times up to 10,200ft).

It's probably just because of the initial dramatic impression that route left on me but I'm still not sure I'd try a repeat of that route without at least one other vehicle around, despite having made it up without significant issue that one time.

But if you're feeling fiesty and give it a go, let me know what you think if it - I'm curious if I just have an overdramatic recollection (similar to how Lead King Basin is more dramatic to my recollection than it is to apparently about anyone else - it's funny which roads do and don't bother certain people).

[IHikeLikeAGirl]

Thank you for the response!

Do you or dies anyone happen to have an image of the stream crossing exit?

[9patrickmurphy]

Do you or dies anyone happen to have an image of the stream crossing exit?

I don't think a photo would do it justice anyway... if you have 4Lo I'd say go for it! I was up there last August and there was one rock obstacle before the road flattens out that I recall being just as big or bigger than the one at the stream crossing, but if you take it slow and pick a good line, you should be fine.

[JerJerBinks]

I was there a few months ago and I've been there a few years before that. Trailhawks have lockers and 4lo, but I wouldn't attempt it in mine. You'd need good 4wd tires and an excellent line. IMO this is out of reach for trailhawks, unless maybe you had it lifted or are intelligent and very experienced. I'd place that crux and maybe even the secondary crux as noticeably more difficult than South Colony Lakes this year.
We were able to ride up with friends and pitch a tent.
Lot's of good car camping for sure.
Our crew members that made it up the road were in a newer bronco (unsure of trim) and a brand new 4Runner TRD. The Bronco didn't even put in lo, but they should have.

[mijoflynn]

I also have a Cherokee Trailhawk, also really wanted to get up to Clohesy Lake (so as to cut some mileage off a climb of Magdalene), and also read daway's post. So last month I decided to hike with my dog up to the lake, and use the opportunity to scout out the road. I've had my car up to 8800' on the Lake Como Road, and all the way up to the South Colony Lakes TH, the Huron TH, and the Waldorf Mine TH off Guanella Pass. I love what the car can do -- but I ultimately decided not to try that step.

I'll attach pics from above and below, but patrick's right, they don't do it justice. It's steeper than it looks, and there's not quite enough room to sneak past both the boulder on the left and the steps on the right -- you have to deal with one or the other. I took these pics on the way down, around noon, so there aren't enough shadows to effectively show depth (especially on the dip above the rock steps). FWIW, I was more confident about getting up than getting back down -- having to hit the dip and then go over and down the step was the deciding factor for me.

Let us know, if you give it a try, whether you make it. I'd love to see how the experiment goes . . . with someone else's car.

[climbingcue]

We were up it Labor Day weekend 2026. With two 4Runners with 33” tires in both of them. I drove up with no locker and the other one used the locker. Don’t know anything about a trail hawk so I don’t know how it would compare to a 4Runner.