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Caribou Creek
From Dirtopia, The Off-Road Encyclopedia
 Photo: The site of the former town of Caribou | |
| Off-Road Information | |
| Other Names: | |
|---|---|
| Terrain: | dirt road/4x4 |
| Off-Road Use: | |
| Difficulty: | Easy(3) |
| Camping: | {{{camping}}} |
| Geography | |
| County: | Boulder County, CO |
| Nearest Cities: | |
| Map Links: | Google Map |
| Satellite Map: | {{{satlinks}}} |
| Special Map: | |
| GPS Coords: | 39.981071/-105.578610 |
| Google Earth: | Caribou_Creek.kmz |
| Climate: | |
| Area Size: | |
| Elevation: | |
| Last Visited: | {{{lastvisited}}} |
| Open/Closed/Date: | {{{openclose}}} |
| Season(s): | {{{seasons}}} |
Excerpt borrowed with permission from TrailDamage.com
This trail has changed a lot over the last few years. In 2003 the big hill that went down to the creek crossing was fenced off. In 2005 the short spur near the creek was blocked off, but the biggest change in 2005 was to the "whoopdeedoo" section. There used to be a section of moguls in the dirt that would test the flexibility of your suspension but it has been blocked off and dug up. It is no longer a legal route on the trail.
If you start from the Nederland side you will pass through the gate near the end of the Eldorado Mountain trail. It starts off as a nice drive through a meadow and into the trees. There are a few nice camping areas near here.
When you start to go into the trees you may find some mud or watery puddles. There are rocky sections near here but it should not give you too much trouble.
When you get through the trees you will find yourself next to a fence on your left. This is the section of trail that can either be bumpy and dry or very muddy and wet. Because of this section it is usually a good idea not to run this trail alone. If you must run it alone at least you are pretty close to the residential area near the trailhead so you could walk out if need be.
The section before the creek crossing can be very muddy as well, often with deep ruts where tires have gone. Be careful not to high center here.
Follow the boulder path through the creek to the other side. Do not drive up onto the boulders or past the line created by these boulders.
Just past the creek you will see a section also marked off with boulders. This is where the whoopdeedoos once were. Follow the smooth trail around and up through this area to the other side.
Not far past here you will pass the other end of the trail, marked with signs. When you get to the main dirt road turn right to work your way back to Highway 72.
Maps and GPS Coordinates
A comprehensive list of GPS waypoints and tracks in Google Earth format can be found here: Caribou_Creek.kmz
Caribou Creek Coordinates: 39.981071° -105.578610°
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Find nearby Geocaching locations
- Find this location with Google Earth
External Links
TrailDamage.com pictures, movies, maps, GPS coordinates and additional trail information.
