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Matterhorn Creek Trailhead

  
Posted By: MaryinColorado
Info: Both North Henson and especially the road to the Wetterhorn TH are both WAY worse than I remember. Good clearance is mandatory on both. Henson has some decent stretches where you’re not dealing with obstacles, but Matterhorn Creek is an adventure all the way to the trailhead and a lot more consistently rutted out, rocky, and obstacle-y than I remember. Do not even try without great clearance - and power and gearing to match. We were in a Jeep.
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Posted By: Burazin19
Info: Made the 4WD trailhead in a stock 4Runner, and can say I wouldnt be stoked to have to do the upper 4WD again. Was up this way a month and a half ago and the road was considerably worse this go round. Very rutted out in places and some substantial sized rocks jutting out throughout the 4WD section. Need to pick very solid lines in some pretty narrow sections.
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Posted By: GuiGirard
Info: Not a walk in the park with an Outback, but done twice without issues over the past couple of days to the lower TH at the base of the final 4WD stretch. I found it much easier to ascend in darkness than to descend with daylight but no specific road damage issues to report. It barely ever gets worse than the first rocky ramp right off CR 20 so you know right there what you’re embarking into.
 
Posted By: jayskis
Info: We made it to the parking area before the 4WD road in a Camry, which was quite the adventure. Definitely had some scrapes along the way. Other sedans were parked at the turn off for North Henson road. I recommend parking your low clearance vehicle here if you care about your car.
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Posted By: Logan5280
Info: With unwarranted levels of confidence and some caution in choosing lines, we were able to get a Subaru to the upper trailhead. The road is free of snow and mostly dry
 
Posted By: SkywayCheerios
Info: My AWD Ford Edge and it’s inexperienced backroads driver got within a half mile of the 4WD road. Used a pull-off around 10,300’ with plenty of room to park in a field above a campsite. Up to that point there were a few uphills that required a good line and a bend with half the road deeply rutted requiring you to hug the good side closely. A few deep, muddy holes right before the stream crossing finally turned me around. Fully admit someone with more skill and/or more nerve could have gotten past. From where I parked it was only an easy 15 minutes hike to the 4WD road. Flies were vicious but got slightly better by camp near the treeline.
 
Posted By: Thighs
Info: Made it up to the upper 4WD trailhead in a relatively stock 2010 Subaru Outback 2.5l. I recently installed new struts so I had factory clearance of around 9 inches. I also have moderately used Falken Wildpeak A/T tires on it. Besides the trail being a little moist, I made it up and down with no issues. Pick your line carefully and you’ll do just fine. Three Jeeps were at the 4WD trailhead with me.
 
Posted By: 719BR
Info: The flies are TERRIBLE. Road is a bit rough, I’d say AWD/4WD needed. The Subaru handled it nicely but there were some tough spots if you don’t have the clearance and/or the traction.
 
Posted By: Tcash
Info: Made it easily in a f150 with a leveling kit. I’d recommend a shorter wheelbased vehicle if you want to avoid tree branches giving your car some adventure stripes. Road was dry, creek crossing was a nonfactor, and a few basketball-beach ball sized rocks to hurdle.
 
Posted By: ajdimmitt10
Info: rougher than last year but made it up to 10300 in a stock rav4. Anything with more clearance makes it to 10800
 
Posted By: Logan5280
Info: Did not attempt to drive up, but the road is open and un-gated from the Nellie Creek turn off. The lower section looks dry from there, so it’s probably possible to shave off some road walking miles. I suspect there’s still deep snow higher up on the road based on the Nellie Creek conditions.
 
Posted By: aksean22
Info: Henson Creek Road is gated just passed the Nellie Creek TH.
 
Posted By: Marmot72
Info: Henson Creek road was open - not sure if the gate low down on the road is shut on Dec 1, or if Hinsdale County judges by the snowfall. Road was dry in most parts with just a few inches of packed snow in the shady parts. The road from there to the Matterhorn Creek trailhead was impassable due to snow and ice.
 
Posted By: mtgoatmike
Info: Definitely need 4wd to reach the upper parking area. Large potholes don the county road to the right turn to the 4x4 road. Large grassy area to pitch multiple tents. 2(?) camping pull-ins just below in the trees.
 
Posted By: IHikeLikeAGirl
Info: Drove to the TH in a stock Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk on Friday (Aug 5th). Was not an issue, did not hit bottom.
However, the area got boatloads of rain, recently so, not sure what impact that may have had.
 
Posted By: Ed_Groves
Info: I drove to the Matterhorn Creek 4wd trailhead on the evening of Monday July 25th and camped . The road was a mishmash of rocks pointing this way and that and once in a while it was difficult to find the perfect line because of the position of the rocks. It was also quite muddy on the way back down on the afternoon of July 27th. The road is doable for 4wd vehicles with 8.5 to 9 inches of ground clearance. I drove a 2016 Tacoma access cab with 6 foot bed on mud and snow tires and was fine. Go slow and pick your line carefully and you should have no trouble. This is another road that gives one pause if you have driven from out of state, since your vehicle has to transport you many miles back home after taking a beating from this road.
 
Posted By: XterraRob
Info: RAM 1500 Crew Cab made it to 4WD TH.
 
Posted By: 14er101
Info: Road up to the "2wd trailhead" around 10,300 is in decent shape, a stock Honda HRV made it up to the trailhead with only a minor scrape that could have been avoided via better route finding. For some reason, it ended up duplicating the entry.
 
Posted By: 14er101
Info: Road up to the "2wd trailhead" around 10,300 is in decent shape, a stock Honda HRV made it up to the trailhead with only a minor scrape that could have been avoided via better route finding.
 
Posted By: globreal
Info: The road is clear of debris. Drove all the way to the end of the 4x4 road to the Matterhorn Creek TH in a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Lower all wheel drive vehicles like Subaru Outbacks can make it most of the way. However, the last .6 mile is rough with a couple of big boulders to go over. I thought this section was worse than the Nellie Creek road up to Uncompahgre’s TH and wouldn’t recommend without a true 4x4.
 
Posted By: coopergould
Info: Tree cleared - no issues driving to upper TH in stock tacoma
 
Posted By: finick01
Info: Road is snow-free and dry except for some scattered puddles. Pretty much any car should be able to reach the North Henson turnoff, but its not worth going any further without higher clearance (as others have said). Its doable, but so slow and such a pain in the ass that youre better off walking that stretch.
 
Posted By: Thevirtualsherpa
Info: County is slowly improving CR20 (Henson Creek) - in really great shape before the turnoff to CR24. From 24 (North Henson), road is in usual rougher condition but had no issues with Forester getting to lower and upper Matterhorn Creek TH. Minimal snow but lots of mud which made drive very tricky. No bottoming out or spinning out with low gear driving and experience/patience.

Way down, found a lovely screw and had a major issue replacing our tire. Wanted to sincerely thank the two guys who were able to help us out with the local towing company. Can’t thank you two enough!!

Lesson learned on putting e brake on Subbie when replacing tire.
 
Posted By: supranihilest
Info: Hinsdale County seems to have really embraced off-road culture, and by that I mean they’ve given up even the slightest appearance of taking care of their county roads. Enjoy the non-stop potholes and washboarding to the CR 20 (Engineer Pass)/CR 24 (North Henson Creek) split, and once on CR 24 add giant potholes and tons of rock, both loose and embedded, to the mix. I drove my Civic to the lower trailhead years ago, now I wouldn’t drive anything that has less clearance than an Outback up there. I was glad to have 8.5" of clearance and 4x4, and the road to the upper trailhead (which I did not drive) looked like a war zone. I continued to the switchback at the end of CR 24 and the road deteriorates significantly getting there, basically just piles of rubble for the last half mile or so.
 
Posted By: patrickmcl89
Info: Made it to 4wd trailhead in stock Nissan Xterra (9.1 inches of clearance) with duratracs. Road is in good shape, just need to maneuver around the bigger rocks.
 

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