Red Elephant Hill, Empire Loop 4x4 Trail

Overview: This is a fun 4-wheel-drive trip with plenty of challenge and great scenery. A unique feature of the route is the Empire Hilton Cabin. It’s open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Make sure to leave it the way you find it, or better. Start of trail is a county road that crosses private property. We’ve never had a problem getting through, but have heard stories that this is not always the case. The 2010 MVUM shows no seasonal closures. For current conditions call Arapaho National Forest, Clear Creek Ranger District at (303) 567-3000.

Rating:

Difficult. Red Elephant Hill is narrow, steep and tippy in places. Empire Loop is rocky. Aggressive, high-clearance SUVs can do it.



This trail is one of 80 trails from the book Guide to Northern Colorado Backroads & 4WD Trails, 3rd Edition, by FunTreks Publishing, available at http://www.funtreks.com

Tips: Pick a clear day when the trail is dry. Please pass occupied house near start of trail as quietly as possible to avoid disturbing residents.

Trail conditions can change without notice. FunTreks, Inc. and its owner and employees are not responsible for injury, death, or vehicle damage as a result of using this guide. The content of this guide is the property of FunTreks, Inc. and is made available to the user pursuant to EveryTrail’s Terms of Service (http://www.everytrail.com/tos.php).