Red Cone Aug 18th 2025

[191185]

Hello,

I am looking to run Red Cone Pass on Aug 18th. Looking for other fellow jeepers that would like to tag along, and better yet, someone who has done it before .

I have done Ouray, Alpine loop, Moab etc.

Anyone want to plan meeting at the trailhead, and get a small/large group together?

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[embedded rock]

I'll be arriving in CO around mid-August. Currently that route is in my Gaia maps as it's about two hours from my parent's house to the start on US-285. Following for now.

You did see it appears to be on-way traffic from Red Cone to Webster Pass?

 

[Apples491]

Just a note on Red Cone. It's now considered a "Full Sized Trail" which means you need a Colorado OHV pass to run it.

https://staythetrail.org/full-size-trails/
https://cpw.state.co.us/register-off-highway-vehicle

 

[yokramer]

If this werent on a Monday Id be tempted. Just moved to CO and have been loving the exploration so far.

 

[Ratbert]

If this werent on a Monday Id be tempted. Just moved to CO and have been loving the exploration so far.

Lucky bastard. Just as I moved away.

 

[Ratbert]

I'll be arriving in CO around mid-August. Currently that route is in my Gaia maps as it's about two hours from my parent's house to the start on US-285. Following for now.

You did see it appears to be on-way traffic from Red Cone to Webster Pass?

The main trail is one way.

Well, at least the eastern portion (goes south to north). I've done it several times, but have never come back down the western side. Lots of cool trails that branch off once you get to the northernmost section of the yellow on that map.

 

[UniqueUserName]

I live about 20 mi from the turnoff to Red Cone by road, north on 285 (about 12 as the crow flies). Your timing doesn't work for me to join you, as I have people coming in. However, if you want a local contact, ICE, PM me. We'll be around.

P.S. Don't forget the Colorado OHV pass as Apples491 mentioned.

 

[Ratbert]

Definitely follow it up with Radical Hill, then make your way across so you can see Breck (my favorite ski resort) across the valley.

Make damn sure you're in 1st 4lo while doing the decent. Try not to touch your brakes. This is where a Rubicon transfer case and numerically large gears are useful. I've watched a Sport burn out their brakes doing that decent.

 

[Madhatter392]

Hello,

I am looking to run Red Cone Pass on Aug 18th. Looking for other fellow jeepers that would like to tag along, and better yet, someone who has done it before .

I have done Ouray, Alpine loop, Moab etc.

Anyone want to plan meeting at the trailhead, and get a small/large group together?

I just ran it 9 days ago with a couple of friends. It was a great trail for sure.

The first section coming from 285 is pretty rocky once you reach the campground, but I had no issues, just a couple of hits on rocks. Lots of nice water crossings along the way.

The ascent up to Red Cone is rocky until the last bit, but again, all passable with a stock rubicon. At the top, the view is amazing and someone just replaced the flag with new one so it was great for pictures. The decent is very steep, so let the jeep do the work for you. I was 4 Low in first and just let it bring me down.

Once you get to the Webster pass turn off, there was still to much snow to take the loop back to 285, so we went on to Keystone. That part of the road is fairly simple with some more water crossings.

Hope you enjoy 191185!

Hello,

I am looking to run Red Cone Pass on Aug 18th. Looking for other fellow jeepers that would like to tag along, and better yet, someone who has done it before .

I have done Ouray, Alpine loop, Moab etc.

Anyone want to plan meeting at the trailhead, and get a small/large group together?

 

[grimmjeeper]

If this werent on a Monday Id be tempted. Just moved to CO and have been loving the exploration so far.

Same for me regarding it being on a Monday. I've been here for a while and Red Cone is one of my favorite trails.

 

[txj2go]

The main trail is one way.

Well, at least the eastern portion (goes south to north). I've done it several times, but have never come back down the western side. Lots of cool trails that branch off once you get to the northernmost section of the yellow on that map.

I believe the one way part is only the descent from the peak down towards Webster Pass.

We did Deer Creek and Saints John trails this past weekend, they are fun and scenic but less rock obstacles than the ascent to red cone. In the past we've done Webster Pass starting from Montezuma and going to 285. The first part is scenic, the remainder is long and boring, and goes past the beginning of Red Cone trail. If you go down Red Cone and up Radical Hill then you have lots of choices for getting out- Deer Creek, Saints John, and 2 different Swan Creek trails, all of varying difficulty.

 

[wibornz]

I will be running Red Cone on August 6th with a group of friends that I am bringing from Michigan.

I have ran Red Cone in the past travels. We finished Red Cone in the dark and exited to the Breckinridge ridge area. We came in from the North , did Webster Pass down through the Gulch and back over Red Cone. This time we will come in from the south and circle back.
Is there a good spot to drop our campers on the south end while we run the trails?

 

[txj2go]

I will be running Red Cone on August 6th with a group of friends that I am bringing from Michigan.

I have ran Red Cone in the past travels. We finished Red Cone in the dark and exited to the Breckinridge ridge area. We came in from the North , did Webster Pass down through the Gulch and back over Red Cone. This time we will come in from the south and circle back.
Is there a good spot to drop our campers on the south end while we run the trails?

A year ago we drove from Montezuma over Webster Pass and on to county road 60 and then highway 285.
Highway 60 is a wide dirt road with residences along it. The first place you might park is Handcart Trailhead at 39°28'55.9"N 105°47'36.6"W. From satellite views it looks like it could handle small trailers, maybe medium size, but also could be busy. Continuing on highway 60 towards Red Cone there are various clearings where you might be able to pull off and park. The farther you get from Handcart Trailhead the harder it will be to find large parking but there will be small places here and there that you could park one or two vehicles.
This photo was taken 4 days ago from the top of Radical Hill looking towards Red Cone and Webster Pass, with a tiny bit of Radical Hill trail in the lower part of the photo.

 

[wibornz]

A year ago we drove from Montezuma over Webster Pass and on to county road 60 and then highway 285.
Highway 60 is a wide dirt road with residences along it. The first place you might park is Handcart Trailhead at 39°28'55.9"N 105°47'36.6"W. From satellite views it looks like it could handle small trailers, maybe medium size, but also could be busy. Continuing on highway 60 towards Red Cone there are various clearings where you might be able to pull off and park. The farther you get from Handcart Trailhead the harder it will be to find large parking but there will be small places here and there that you could park one or two vehicles.
This photo was taken 4 days ago from the top of Radical Hill looking towards Red Cone and Webster Pass, with a tiny bit of Radical Hill trail in the lower part of the photo.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Powelligator]

Red Cone is my Jeep club's adopted trail, so thank you all in advance for running and enjoying it. We opened it a few weeks ago and I had the unique opportunity to run it backwards as I needed to open the gate at the south end. The one-way part is only from the summit down to the Webster Pass saddle. Some of the obstacles this year have gotten a slight bit harder - not enough to change the overall trail rating - but if you're a regular up there it's starting to get noticeable. The holes on the slope that are just above the saddle and below the main hill have gotten deeper and are a few degrees steeper than the main hill - about 26% according to the display on my dash. That one frame twisty part in the trees has gotten deeper as well.

There's plenty of parking at the Handcart parking area for campers / trailers, especially during the week.

Darn - the 18th is a Monday. Maybe I'll take the day off, I never get tired of that area.

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