Grand Canyon Hills - 2/2/17 version
Click pictures to supersize.
The Grand Canyon Hills area is an extremely busy area which includes Royal Gorge Park, Temple Canyon Park, county roads, 5 BLM motorized routes, and a half-dozen mixed foot/horseback/bicycle trails. The area is often rideable in winter because it doesn't get much snow.
The motorized routes are easy county and BLM dirt roads. The total riding mileage is about xx miles, so all routes can easily be ridden in a day.
You can follow CR 3 northwest out of the area and back to Highway 50 (near Parkdale). CR 3 comes to a T intersection; turn left to get to Copper Gulch Rd, then right to Parkdale. This is a pleasant exit from Cañon City heading back to Salida.
If you have the time and inclination, don't turn right towards Parkdale, but turn left and ride Copper Gulch Rd and Road Gulch Rd west all the way to CR 69, then turn right and ride to Texas Creek on Highway 50.
If you have still more time, don't turn right to Texas Cr, but turn left onto CR 69 and ride to CR 1A, then turn right onto CR 1A and ride to Cotopaxi. Continuing, ride CR 12 north to South Park, then CR 2 and CR 175 westerly to Salida.
The map clip on the right ---> shows the 1st Street/CR 3 entrance to the area. Click the map to see a larger jpg version showing the entire area (print for reference).
Click Off-highway Vehicles and then "Grand Canyon Hills" on the lower right to get a pdf map of the area.
Click Recreation to see a list of BLM areas.
Click BLM Seasonal Closures page (NEW) to see the Royal Gorge Field Office Wet Weather Gate Status.
DIRECTIONS: From Cañon City, drive south on 1st Street. As you leave the residential area, come to a Y and take the right fork onto CR 3.
No YouTube videos; check back in the spring.
See Dual Sport Riding in Central Colorado for information about other areas and rides.