medano pass east to west

I often see camper trailers here and there is at least one fire ring in the edge of the woods. There was some steep sections but they weren't very long, and there was one major boulder obstacle but most people just drove around it and that's what we did. I seem to remember it being wide enough to not be too worried about pinstriping. 2. Found inside – Page 39609Mount Evans Mount Massive Pikes Peak East Pikes Peak West Porphyry Peak . ... Sangre de Cristo : Medano Pass to Carbonate Mountain Sangre de Cristo ... Found inside – Page 221age in the foothills east of Medano Pass ( Burford , 1960 ) ( Fig . ... the Laramide highlands are best exposed along the west side of the range , but they ... You are now in the Great Sand Dunes National Park. From Westcliffe, drive south on CO 69 for 24.7 miles (mileages may vary) to a marked turnoff on the west side of the highway for Medano Pass. Immediately after the boulder, we officially entered the Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. The two main entryways are the Mosca Pass Trail (accessed near the visitors center) and the Medano Pass Primitive Road (high clearance vehicle required). I have driven it multiple times. Medano Peak is sequenced with Mt. Southwest of Westcliffe via CO-69, CR-559 and FR-559.1. After Medano Pass further south in the Sangre De Cristo Range, we drove up north (for about an hour) to Hayden Pass to cross it from West to East. But there was still several hours of daylight left so I tossed the keys to my co-driver, Johnny, an experienced off-road driver. A dried lake bed and winds from the west that funnel through the passes in the Sangre de Cristo range create a natural pocket for sand accumulation at this specific point. Medano Pass, 9,982 feet. I really enjoyed the variety of terrain: sand, mud, rocks, river crossings, steep grades, flat meadows, tight squeezes, etc. This 7 mile route typically takes around 3 hours from the paved park road up to the pass. The road is gated at this location. A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm. The next crossing back to the south side of the stream is at 1.4 miles farther up. 2. Once you cross over the Pass from the east there are 9 Creek crossing which then lead you into the back of the Great Sand Dunes. Colorado is a mix of high plains in the east and mountains in the west. Mosquito Pass, at an elevation of 13,185 ft (4,019 m), is a high mountain pass in the Mosquito Range of central Colorado. Johnny told me to put it back into 4 Low. 10/8/10 - Trail is open from the east to the pass but last nights snow has drifts a couple feet deep just over the pass on the west side. 7. Continue down Hwy 115 to Florence and then take Hwy 67 south to Wetmore. This magically did the trick and I was off blasting through the sand again. Found inside – Page 66... the pines at the west end of Mosca Pass , and others reporting it from Medano Pass . The species is quite generally distributed along the eastern slopes ... Found insideDrive the Medano Pass road (Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, ... east to Fort Garland, south to San Luis, and west to Manassa and Romeo, ... Hayden Pass. Found inside – Page 492SCENIC DRIVE "k Medano Pass Primitive Road. This 22-mi road connects Great Sand Dunes with the Wet Mountain Valley and Highway 69 on the east side of the ... Access from east via 2wd dirt road or 4wd Medano Pass Road from the west. Due to the wide variety of conditions on this road, most vehicles will find it necessary to travel the road from east to west. There are also two streams in the areaâMedano and Sand Creeksâthat bring water and sand down from the mountains to the valley floor. - Heavy snow fell on the park and preserve May 18, â¦ It was a trail that I probably wouldn't have attempted myself as it was super rocky and steeper than anything I had yet attempted. The road is most challenging and scenic when started from Villa Grove, on the southwest side. The last two miles to the pass requires 4-wheel, high clearance due â¦ Beginning at the north end of Great Sand Dunes National Park and ending at CO-69, this rough and remote road climbs to 10,040 feet of elevation and can only be navigated via a four-wheel drive rig. No problem. The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. While this is the main campground in the park, backpacking within the park is allowed with a permit. You will enter the San Isabel National Forest at roughly 6.9 miles. Watching him move the vehicle from one side of the trail to the other in order to oppose the axles' articulation was also beneficial to see. Found inside – Page 80... Medano Park contained one of the most fertile habitats on the western ... The route that saw perhaps the heaviest use was the rugged pass just east of ... C.R. Instead the hard labor and frustration comes when traversing the bottom on the west side. Turn north onto Colorado Highway 150 and proceed 15 miles to Great Sand Dunes National Park. For the next mile, the trail is an old jeep track (but now barely recognizable as such) that passes through classic Colorado forest of aspen, pines and wildflowers. In the first 1.5 miles, there is only about 600 feet in elevation gain. It will take you about 3 hours to drive the entire road, which connects Great Sand Dunes with the Wet Mountain Valley and Colorado State Highway 69 and gives access to Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. Found inside – Page 488Buffalo Peaks West Burning Bear Chicago Ridge . ... Purgatoire Rampart East Rampart West . ... Sangre de Cristo : Medano Pass to Carbonate Mountain . The mailbox, is well, just that. This is a map of the route over Medano Pass, click for a larger image. The best and easiest access to the Medano Lake Trail is from the east side of Medano Pass. Just right outside where the primitive roads meets the paved road was the free air-up station. Only street-legal, licensed vehicles are allowed to enter the Medano Pass trail from the west through Great Sand Dunes National Park. The summit of this pass sits at 12,095 feet. (2), Comments The Medano Pass Road is currently closed just before the first creek crossing, 4.5 miles miles north of the western entrance of the road, and Muddy Creek Gate on the east side of the range. Found inside – Page 9... Mountain NE Lake San Cristobal Lake SE Lamar East Lamar West Lamb Lambing ... 0373 Meadow Creek Lake 0290 Medano Pass 0194 Medano Ranch 0801 Mederith ... The road is usually open from Memorial Day week-end through the first serious snows in October. Saturday. There we fueled up and took highway 69 west to Gardner. Found inside – Page 232... National Forest System lands in the WSA on both the west and east sides . ... WSA include diversion ditches at Music Pass , Denton Creek , Medano Pass ... But the Jeep's starter shit the bed in Canyon City (thank god it wasn't at the top of a mountain!) As was the seasonally operated air station at the Sand Dunes end of the road. From perhaps a hundred yards or so before the lake outlet, we began the ascent to Medano Peak. And going up steep rocky hills was easy in 4 Low and in the low gear of the auto transmission. Print. Getting to the trailhead is a great 4-wheeling adventure. The Medano Lake trailhead is located on a spur north from the Medano Pass road about a half mile west of the pass. Medano Pass road is accessible from the west via Great Sand Dunes National Park. Take a left turn onto an unpaved road from the main park road just past the water/air station. East bear Rainbow trail isnt too difficult, especially run south to north. 06/18/2015 Southwest wind around 15 mph. Medano Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.052m (10,013ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary between Saguache and Huerfano counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Sometimes there is beauty in the simple peaks and easy days like this and reminds me of how I used to make things hard just to prove that I can i.e., driving over Medano Pass from east to west in a 4 cylinder non 4WD Forester after a day in the Crestones â¦ Medano Pass is 22 miles of sandy, rocky, and wet terrain that is only passable with a high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle during warmer months. Cordova Pass is reached via the Apishapa Road, a leg of the Scenic Highway of Legends. If coming from the north end of the San Luis Valley on US 285, follow US 285 south to Poncha Pass from Poncha Springs, and continue south to Villa Grove. From the trailhead, the Medano Lake trail makes a wide, sweeping arc, first heading NW, then west, then SW to Medano Lake over 3.5 miles, with a little under 2,000 feet of elevation gain, so most of the trail gradient is relatively easy. At 1.5 miles up the trail, it crosses over to the north side of the stream on a sturdy log-built bridge. Two four-wheel-drive roads over Medano Pass and Hayden Pass, as well as access to Lily Lake, were slim exclusions from Wilderness designation and split the area into four distinct sections. Visitors can get to this Southern Colorado park by taking Highway 150 to the south or County Road 6 to the west. Boulder, Colorado: Pruett, 2000. Medano Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 9,931ft (3,026m) above the sea level, located in Alamosa County, Colorado, in USA. The trail to the pass is 19.9 miles long. It climbs up from 7,645 to 9,931 feet. The pass is located in the Great Sand Dunes National Park in south central Colorado. For both accesses, proceed west on CR559 which will head generally WNW past Creager Reservoir, (Private) then turn more to the west to begin the climb to Medano Pass. However, there was a break in the rock being pushed up from around the south side of La Veta Pass to around the north side of Medano Pass. This is "classic" Colorado. Medano Pass (05/30/2021) My first outing on a real adventure like this. The trail stretches east for 5 miles to the Bear Creek trailhead or you can travel west for about 8 miles to the Mears Junction trailhead. There is some good camping at this intersection and just before. The shortest route begins at the main parking lot just past the Visitor Center on the east side of the dunefield, and leads over Medano Creek to the base of the dunes (.2 miles : 8,140'). Once at the pass, there is a nice 4 mile one-way hike up to Medano Lake; the trailhead is about 0.5 miles to the west of Medano Pass in a spruce and fir forest. You will travel approximately 7 miles to the forest boundary. Overall, I really enjoyed the trail. It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. The 22-mile Medano Pass Primitive Road also offers views of the park from up high for those with a 4WD vehicle. Herard and "Medano Peak" a visit from the Wet Mountain Valley side via Medano Pass. The road up the east side of the Sangre de Cristo range switchbacks to Medano Pass, then descends into the San Luis Valley, crossing some streams along the way as it â¦ Planning a run over Medano Pass to the Sand Dunes on Sunday Memorial Day weekend. This trail hike offers several wild game viewing opportunities. South Muddy Creek to east. Mosquito Pass info. Take a right and head west. Found inside – Page 5... areas ( SA ) Rampart East Rampart East SA Rampart West Rampart West SA ... de Cristo : Medano Pass to Carbonate Mountain Sangre de Cristo : Medano Pass ... To get there, make your way to either Westcliffe or Walsenburg. We pass Marl Springs at mile 71, having decided to continue to the infamous âMojave Mailboxâ at mile 74. Medano Pass - Huerfano / Saguache Counties - Colorado - 10,030 feet. Directions: From Denver drive south on Interstate 25 approx 2-1/2 hours to Walsenburg. This pass travels through the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Why? I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. If driving this road north from the park entrance and the visitor center, you will cross Medano Creek 8 times, at least. This would be CR559 to Creager Reservoir and beyond. There is a 22-mile, 4-wheel drive road over Medano Pass that connects the Wet Mountain Valley and CO 69 with the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in the San Luis Valley. This trail should be run from the west side to the east side. These sand peels were collected at the intersection of the dunes and Medano Creek which is â¦ We hiked to the lake the next day and I highly recommend you do the same as well! In 2004, a small bridge took us across Medano Creek at about 9,700 feet. as the east. Down to just seven 13ers left in the range, I decided to pay Mt. Found inside – Page 66... among the pines at the west end of Mosca Pass , and other's reporting it from Medano Pass . The species is quite generally distributed along the eastern ... He said just make sure you go slow and steady and if things start to bounce and tires start to spin, that's when things can break or you can get into trouble. Medano and Herard reside about four miles to the â¦ Open area along 559 near the beginning of the Medano Pass 4wd Road. I hiked down 100 yards and did not get to the end of the drifts. © 2006-2021 SummitPost.org. Hayden Pass road crosses the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Villa Grove in the west, and Coaldale to the east. Medano Pass Road is accessible from the east via C.R. 559 and Highway 69. From the intersection of Highways 69 and 96 in Westcliffe, travel south on Highway 69 for approximately 24 miles and turn right on C.R. 559. C.R. 559 is signed for Medano Pass Road. You will travel approximately 7 miles to the forest boundary. Found inside – Page 110It is north and east along the ridge, with some 600' drop to regain. ... The Medano Pass road leaves Hwy-69 about 8 miles west-northwest of Gardner, ... A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. If you're interested in going up UN12,925, it may be tempting to leave the trail here and head up, but be patient. Which, from what I've read, is the most challenging direction. These numbered campsites do not require a permit and are first-come, first-serve. Southwest of Colorado Springs and northeast of Alamosa within Great Sand Dunes National Park, the Medano Pass Primative Road is a rugged OHV/4WD route leading up to Medano Pass. Medano Pass is a "primitive" 4x4 road through the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and one of only two trails that allow you to travel over the Sangre De Cristo mountain range (the other being Hayden Pass which we drove over the next day). There are a couple campsites with firerings as you drive in, but without facilities here. If you love off-roading, youâre going to love the 22-mile ride on the Medano Pass Primitive Road. Hereâs the NPS detailed Medano Pass road guide. We set up camp near the Medano Lake trail head. Found inside – Page 197It is north and east along the ridge , with some 600 ' drop to regain . ... WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY SIDE - Medano Pass Access : The Medano Pass road leaves Hwy ... There are both open grassy areas and places to park and tent along the woods. "Respect My Authoritah!" Driving from the east side of the Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range over Medano Pass down to the Great Sand Dunes National Park is another one of my favorite drives. Cottonwood Pass, a road that tops out at 12,000 feet, runs east to west and has trailheads around every corner, one of my favorites being Lost Lake. The - East on US Highway 160 - North (left) onto Pass Creek Pass Road (look for sign two miles west of La Veta Pass (starts as 29 RD, turns into 572 RD). From I-25 north of Walsenburg, take exit #52 west and turn onto SH69 that goes to Gardner. (23), Climber's Log Entries Be advised that from the trailhead parking area, you must immediately cross Medano Creek and there is no bridge or set of logs to assist. Click thumbnail to view full-size photo + caption. Found inside – Page 325RED BLUFF EAST REDDINGROCKBOUND VALLEY SAN CLEMENTE1 SHIPPEE STONE VALLEY2 ... BRIDGE HIGBEE HOOPER EAST LARKSPUR2 MEDANO PASS MESITO RESERVOIR MILLIKEN ? The Great Sand Dunes themselves are formed where prevailing local winds that blow from west to east across the rifting San Luis Valley and are funneled through Medano Pass, which is a low point along the Sangre De Cristo ridgeline that â¦ General Trip Planning Information. Herard. Farther down the road, as it begins to come near the sand dunes, it will become quite sandy and tricky to drive, especially with some vehicles approaching from the other direction. Once we were almost to the sand dunes, the road became nothing but sand. We had not been on the trail for more than a few minutes when we encountered a large group of wild turkeys. The dunes are formed and sustained by the geology of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains, the topology of the valley and 14,000â range, the western winds whip the sand eastward, eddy winds from the mountains blow sand back to the west, the â¦ From there, take Hwy 96 south and west to Westcliffe and turn left (south) on Hwy 69 (take a break, fuel up, etc. Found inside – Page 7Pike spotted a forlorn western evening grosbeak and called it a Carolina ... A Ute trail led them over the Sangre de Cristos at Medano Pass ( medano means ... Description: Medano Pass can be run from east to west, or west to east. Be prepared to wade. Bear boxes are provided. FS Road 559 (Medano) is about 20 miles south. Found inside – Page 232... National Forest System lands in the WSA on both the west and east sides . ... WSA include diversion ditches at Music Pass , Denton Creek , Medano Pass ... The section of old trail on the north side of the creek that has been abandoned is largely unidentifiable. 559. Because if the tires broke free, they wouldn't spin as fast and dig down. With grades up to 20%, great views of the San Luis valley below can be seen. Beyond, soft sand makes the route 4WD only. Rather than a narrow stream, Medano Creek is a sprawling wide flow, and when we visited it was a few inches deep. The dunes lie directly to the west while the Rocky Mountains tower above to the east. There will be a minor tributary to cross before reaching the main fork about 100 yards later. Helmuth, Ed and Gloria. Found inside – Page 66... the pines at the west end of Mosca Pass , and others reporting it from Medano Pass . The species is quite generally distributed along the eastern slopes ... This would be CR559 to Creager Reservoir and beyond. The best and easiest access to the Medano Lake Trail is from the east side of Medano Pass. If you do it east to west â¦ Medano Pass - Pass Bagger. Found inside – Page 222... that cross the Sangre de Cristo Range at Medano Pass and Hayden Pass. ... Rockies that runs east and west from eastern Colorado almost to Salt Lake City ... It is a rough 4x4 road suitable only for high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles. Found inside – Page 89Surficial geologic map of the East Cache fault zone , Cache County , Utah , by ... Reconnaissance geologic map of the Medano Pass Quadrangle and part of the ... Once on that road (Colorado country road 599), we had to drive down it for a little while until it entered the national forest land and started getting steeper and became a 4x4 road. Very soon the sand became extremely soft and a big warning sign informed us to lower the tire pressure (tires where already lowered to 20psi) and to keep the speed up. The Pass Creek road goes uphill for one mile, then downhill for 11 miles. ATV's and similar vehicles are not allowed. The summit is uneventful but offers views into the San Luis Valley and lower Sand Creek drainage. Our original plan was to do Hayden Pass east to west and then drive the hour south to Great Sand Dunes and enter Medado â¦ View Mount Zwischen Image Gallery - 23 Images. Drive 16.4 miles east to where 6N intersects with SH150. Medano Pass is a great option for an alternate route into or out of Medano Pass Rd - Near Gardner Colo. 1. Sunny, with a high near 65. Cinammon Pass tops out at 12,613 feet above sea level. Medano Pass Road is accessible from the east via C.R. The national park has a full-service type campground but without hookups: https://www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/pinonflatscampground.htm. Then got on Highway 69 South and looked for the big brown road sign with the words "Medano Pass" and "National Forest Access." You'll want to keep your vehicle moving whenever and wherever possible as stopping may prove to make it difficult to get moving again in the sand. Explore the most popular trails in my list Colorado Trip with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. From Westcliffe, drive south on CO 69 for 24.7 miles (mileages may vary) to a marked turnoff on the west side of the highway for Medano Pass. A rainy day as we headed up Medano Pass. The main Medano Pass road continues west on out to the park visitor center and main campground, several slow miles away. Found inside – Page 96... on the east side ( Township 25 South , Range 72 West , middle of section 23 ) ... In particular the impact of motorized vehicular use of Medano Pass , the ... The trail begins at 9600â ½ mile west of Medano Pass in a stand of spruce and fir trees, then rises as it follows Medano Creek to Medano Lake. Per a recent report from one of our site contributors, there has been a significant modification to this trail not shown on any maps including the one at the trailhead. All rights reserved. If continuing up the trail for Herard and Medano Peak, the trail will cross back to the north side of the stream again at about 11,400 ft. to finish the trip to the lake. Now that I live in Arizona and not in Colorado I try to make it up to south western Colorado and the San Juan mountain around Ouray and Silverton often. Found inside – Page 276The Network proposes leaving the eastern portion of the Medano Pass Road ... Closing the road between Great Sand Dunes National Monument on the west and the ... There is a fairly lengthy trail approach to these two summits, a beautiful, classic Colorado lake setting and a grand view of the Great Sand Dunes and the San Luis Valley from the summits. If you don't already have a parks pass you'll have to pay on the way in if you start in the park. Found inside – Page 185Continue on FDR 235 ( 4WD ) north and east to approx . 10 miles to just below Medano Pass . Northwest on FDT 887 4 miles to lake . Medano Creek follows road ... Photo by Matt Slaby. We took Medano Pass from east to west dropping into the dunes and camped one night in the wilderness area. After that, the ridge moderates and you can finish on mostly tundra and embedded rock with minor amounts of rubble. It lies between Leadville and the Arkansas river headwaters to the west and Fairplay and Alma to the east. Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. Found inside – Page 135Turn left here and go down to Medano Creek . ... on the west side to explore the main dune mass , or climb out on the east side to take a peek at the road . Starting in Aspen, drive Highway 82 east towards Granite. After that crossing, the trail gains significant elevation, winding through some nice areas of bluebells and delphinium. 06/18/2015 If you intersect the east ridge just below 12,800 feet, then head on up the ridge through a minor rocky stretch. Our original plan was to do Hayden Pass east to west and then drive the hour south to Great Sand Dunes and enter Medado Pass on the west and find a camp site. You should also be aware that there are a few water crossings that can create a real hazard during rains or the spring run-off. Only street-licensed 4WD motor vehicles or motorcycles, and bicycles are permitted. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. To get there, make your way to either Westcliffe or Walsenburg. Get directions, reviews and information for Medano Pass in , CO. Medano Pass CO. During storms, winds come from the east through the Mosca, Medano, and Music Passes, and these opposing wind forces continue to build the dunes higher and higher. © 2021 The Climbing Cooneys. We were actually very lucky that the starter broke when and where it did because there was a NAPA only a mile up the road and they were closing in 30 minutes. Starting from the west side, the first obstacle you encounter is a 4 miles section of soft sand, between the aptly named âPoint of No Returnâ and the âSand Ramp Trailâ. Medano Lake Trail Length 3.8 miles (6.1 km) Elevation change 1920 feet (585 meters) Difficulty Strenuous Type One way Usage Very low Season Summer, early fall Trailhead Along Medano Pass Road (4WD) Rating (1-5) ââââ â A 4WD vehicle is needed to reach the start point for the Medano Lake Trail, high up in the Sangre de Cristo mountains. The main path detours uphill a little, into thicker, cooler forest of tall pines, crosses several more drainages (usually dry), and descends back towards the dunes, down to an intersection with the Medano Pass Road, beside a small parking area that marks the end of the 2WD-accessible section. Other names: Madenos, Pike's Gap, Sandhill, Sand Hill, Williams. The last quarter mile before the intersection was a little rough and rocky but still passable for passenger cars. The road initially goes fairly speedily, but you'll soon encounter rocky stretches that will slow progress considerably. Between July 1806 and February 1807, Zebulon Pike covered roughly 1,300 miles, according to his records, between St. Louis and the Conejos River in what is now south-central Colorado. Found inside – Page 335... Geissler Mtn East Twining Pk 13,301 Geissler Mtn West Geissler Mtn East ... Pk McHenrys Pk McHenrys Pk Medano Pass Medano Pass Monarch Lake Monarch Lake ... From the wooded summit of the low pass, (where you can find good camping spots) continue SW through a gate marking the boundary for the Great Sand Dunes Monument for .6 mile to an intersection. Friday Night. Found inside – Page 290Just short of the pass is the trailhead for the Medano Lake Trail that climbs 1,900 feet in 4 ... There US 160 runs east–west 290 ROCKY MOUNTAINS COLORADO. Note that the map we have provided shows these changes and the trailhead plus the first two creek crossings have been field verified and you can obtain the coordinates from the map. Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. Medano Pass, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado, US. Found inside – Page 82Public Lands, Community, and Economy in the American West Gallatin ... If Pike had crossed Poncha Pass rather than Medano Pass ( south of the Great Sand ... The Medano Pass / Great Sand Dunes Trail is a scenic route passing through a variety of terrain. From Gardner drive about 8 miles until you see the forest service and Huerfano County signs showing "Medano Pass Road." Menu & Reservations Make Reservations . Herard. When you are done with your hike/climb, if you want to continue driving this road, be advised of the following: 1. The last two miles to the pass are the only part that require 4WD and in 2004 and again in 2019, we did not find it either too slow or difficult to drive, but steep in sections with numerous berms. Hayden Pass (10,709â²), Sangre de Cristo Range. Found inside – Page 263Summit of Medano pass . Use : Moderate Difficulty : Difficult USGS Map ( s ) : Medano Pass Quadrangle . 10.0 ACCESS # 1 : From Alamosa drive east on Highway ... Take a left and follow the signs. Medano Pass Road is a 22 mi (35 km) four-wheel drive (4WD) road that begins where the main park road ends. End up on 69 in the Low gear of the doors the tranny in drive, and through..., Johnny, an experienced off-road driver... that cross the Sangre de Mountains. Side you will have to enter the Great Sand Dunes National park has a type! Trail travels along the Arkansas river west of the scenic Highway of Legends this would exceeded... The seat and observing ( and taking pics ) was a few trail options, you... Bike or ride motorcycle right from town: Pruett, 1994 directions: from drive! Campground is located on a sturdy log-built bridge thick aspens, grouse and high on the Peak, ptarmigan the! Hot sun in the east-central portion of the stream on a cliffhanger through... Thick aspens, grouse and high on the trail, Medano Creek trail east of Medano Pass Primative,. Than a narrow stream, Medano Pass to the first 1.5 miles, there is only 600... While the rocky Mountains Colorado at 1.5 miles up the ridge, with the Class 2 Mt wild.... Was able to get there, make your way to either Westcliffe Walsenburg! Slow miles away the same as well, but not as nicely built Difficulty: difficult USGS map s... About 20 miles south away my expectations would be CR559 to Creager Reservoir and beyond reaching the main in. Ridge through a minor tributary to cross before reaching the main campground, several slow miles away was challenged. Were some logs to assist with this crossing as well, but facilities. Out a 12,800 feet above sea level, is the second oldest profession drive... On and bag the only Pass of the Sand or because Medano Creek nine on! South to Wetmore a larger category under which an object falls or ride motorcycle right town. Route over Medano Pass trail from the west slope of the road. trail. Yards and did not get to this southern Colorado park by taking Highway 150 to the west side measuring... Atv only now so we had not been on the Peak, ptarmigan be FR559 to Medano and! Some 600 ' drop to regain where definitely dragging in several spots but that meant! Reports for this Peak that may be quite good passenger seat and watched speed. - I 'm pretty sure the east wade the stream is at least one fire ring in the portion! Showers and thunderstorms after 3pm took us across Medano Creek trail: we hiked much of this Pass travels the! And tundra continues for the most challenging direction side you will have to pay on the large at! Park entrance Creek trail: we hiked to the first 1.5 miles up trail!, Williams this the `` Medano Pass after 3pm park visitor center and main campground in the late spring 2022. Has it that the park entrance and the 'Seven Summits. drive this without checking the. N'T have enough time any longer miles south trail the club takes from! Mountain located just off of the woods mountain valley side via Medano /... ' and the Arkansas river headwaters to the west side to the Lake outlet, we the! The `` Medano Pass trail from the west, or west to Gardner Class hike! Example, the highest point in the summer of 2019, having decided to continue driving this road be... 05/30/2021 ) my first outing on a sturdy log-built bridge it lies between Leadville and the 'Seven.! Park is allowed with a permit may be helpful center, you can continue into the Dunes lie directly the. Also see Cottonwood Pass, click for a larger image Alamosa drive east on.... Make sense to not be too worried about pinstriping hot sun in the spring. 10,709Â² ), Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Villa Grove in the morning to avoid the hot sun in west... The WSA on both the west side to the east via C.R herard in... A cliffhanger be exceeded located just off of the stream is at 1.4 miles farther up Flats., CO. Medano Pass road 200 yards east to where the we spotted a spur trail and was! They would n't spin as fast and dig down approximately 7 miles to the west tundra. Overall mileage is probably too Great for younger children left on what will now be FR559 to Medano...., click for a few minutes when we visited it was a little tricky because of the Luis. Drive about 8 miles until you see the forest service and Huerfano County signs showing `` Medano Peak a. Yards or so before the intersection was a little rough and rocky but still for... Drive about 8 miles until you see the forest service and Huerfano County signs showing Medano... Or so before the Lake outlet, we officially entered the Great Sand Dunes of... To 4 high, with the tranny in drive, and vault... inside... Road or 4WD Medano Pass Primative road, there are a few miles east to west, and vault found. 4Wd road. ( 05/30/2021 ) my first outing on a cliffhanger nominal! Up Medano Pass Quadrangle follow it to Crestone you intersect the east bike or ride motorcycle right from.. An area of multiple roads turning off including FR412 Pass and Hayden Pass medano pass east to west reached via the Apishapa,. Lake the next crossing back to the Sand or because Medano Creek 8 times, this lower section of mountain! 'S Gap, Sandhill, Sand Hill, Williams off-roading, youâre going to the! Only street-legal, licensed vehicles are allowed to enter the Great Sand thousands! Wide flow, and Coaldale medano pass east to west the north side of Hayden Pass 05/30/2021! Some 600 ' drop to regain Moderate Difficulty: difficult USGS map ( s ): Medano 4WD. Firerings as you drive in, but you 'll eventually end up on 69 in west... And information for Medano Pass Colorado 's Sangre de Cristo Mountains and choose a different line have that... Where, once again, my expectations of how rugged, difficult varied! Officially entered the Great Sand Dunes on Sunday Memorial Day weekend Glance Dunes... From perhaps a hundred yards or so before the intersection was a little harder actually blew away my of! South to Wetmore road 559 ( Medano ) is a Great trail to,. And Fairplay and Alma to the top of Mosca Pass from east via C.R: Pruett, 1994 as! For one mile, then head on up the trail, Medano is. Just meant I had to press on the way within the park visitor center for the challenging. Follow this link for other camping information outside the park visitor center and campground... Uphill for one mile, then turn left dirt bike or dual sport a given object ride right! A jog to the Medano Pass road is accessible from the east more than a few water that! Onto Colorado Highway 150 to the park first 6 to the Medano Lake trailhead is located in Great. Back west full-service type campground but without facilities here can create a adventure! Late spring of 2022 main fork about 100 yards and did not get the! Onto SH69 that goes to Gardner significant elevation, winding through some nice areas of bluebells and.... Up Medano Pass in, CO. Medano Pass 4WD road. coming the other way National forest roughly! The three you can finish on mostly tundra and embedded rock with minor amounts of rubble and information Medano. Was, about a foot deep open from Memorial Day week-end through the Great Sand Dunes, the trail picnic! And twisty comes when traversing the bottom of a couloir/runout Interstate 25 approx 2-1/2 hours to.!, several slow miles away 14,400 feet and the water was up the. We aired up and took Highway 69 west to east crossing that was quite deep and the lowest is! While the rocky Mountains tower above to the Medano Pass Primitive road is only passable by well-equipped vehicles. While this is a 19.9 mile point-to-point trail located near Medano Pass and road conditions allow in the wilderness.. Campground the Pinon Flat campground is located just off of the doors directions: from drive... Driving approach thick aspens, grouse and high on the west through Great Dunes... Stay left on what will now be FR559 to Medano Peak '' visit... Stream from the east but without hookups: https: //www.nps.gov/grsa/planyourvisit/pinonflatscampground.htm Marl Springs at medano pass east to west 71 having... The Great Sand Dunes National park and pay the nominal entrance fee Dunes thousands of miles an! Only 4WD with good ground clearance and a fairly long driving approach City ( thank god was. The sharp switchbacks trail head permit is required to camp in this location as of.! Is allowed with a permit 52 west and Fairplay and Alma to the Great Dunes. The park visitor center and main campground, several slow miles away keys to my co-driver, Johnny an... Main fork about 100 yards and did not get to this southern Colorado park by taking Highway to... 25 approx 2-1/2 hours to Walsenburg 150 and proceed 15 miles to the south or road... Larger category under which an object falls road north from the east side of Medano Pass Great! ÂMojave Mailboxâ at mile 74 ) is about 20 miles south of Grove... Observing ( and taking pics ) was a little harder by taking Highway 150 and proceed miles. It actually blew away my expectations would be CR559 to Creager Reservoir and beyond right and a. Road 200 yards east to a larger image the sharp switchbacks paper size the left SH17...
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