14ers.com • Trailhead Info and Status (Baldy Road (520) Trailhead)

Baldy Road (520) Trailhead

Location

Road Difficulty

0 (0=Paved, 6=Very Difficult 4WD)
The Baldy (520) road is paved and the dirt road is rough 2WD for a mile and then easy 4WD.

Driving Directions

Drive to the south end of Breckenridge and turn east onto Boreas Pass road. Drive 2.0 miles up Boreas Pass Road and turn left on Baldy Road (520). Come to the end of the paved 520 road at 3.3 miles. Emmet Lode (536) turns left. This is the main/winter trailhead and a limited number of cars can park here. In summer, it's possible to park higher by driving up the dirt road that continues straight from the parking area. After 0.7 mile up this road, there is a small parking area on the right before the road requires 4WD.

Winter Access

The dirt road is closed in winter. Some parking is available at the end of the 520 (paved) road, but do not block the bus stop on the right.

Status Updates
2021-01-02 Posted By: daway8 Info: Road to the winter parking area is paved/plowed but note that it’s a long route up steep and winding roads so might want to give the snowplows a little time to do their work if there’s just been a big snow. 4WD road is gated for the winter but totally packed down by lots of ski traffic. Very popular area and only room for a maybe 15 or so vehicles.	1
2019-07-08 Posted By: 9patrickmurphy Info: Driveable to about 11,700’. Drove up no problems in my stock 4Runner, definitely Subaru-able. Will probably be clear to the radio towers in a week or two.
2019-03-31 Posted By: WildWanderer Info: Upper trailhead closed, but clear to the lower trailhead. Well packed along the closed dirt road until treeline.	3
2017-06-16 Posted By: needforsneed Info: The road is still closed for the winter.
2016-09-30 Posted By: JasonKline Info: Clear of snow to the end of the 4WD road. My Elantra bottomed out on two rocks on the 0.7 miles from the main 2WD trailhead to the second 2WD trailhead, but made it to the upper 2WD trailhead OK otherwise with some maneuvering.
2016-05-22 Posted By: BillMiddlebrook Info: Winter closure still in place
2015-11-29 Posted By: sdkeil Info: Road clear to the winter closure.
2013-09-18 Posted By: SolarAlex Info: Was able to make it to the parking area past the winter trailhead (.7 miles past it). A couple of large ruts but i did it in an rx300 so anything with decent clearance should be fine. Saw a stock tacoma that drove to the towers at the start of the north ridge
2010-01-29 Posted By: BillMiddlebrook Info: Open to the end of the paved road.