About West Elk Trailhead
The West Elk Trailhead is a year-round parking area for motorized and non-motorized recreational activities. The trailhead is located along Forest Road 245 (Buford-New Castle Road) approximately 7.5 miles north of the Forest boundary. The parking area has room for several dozen passenger vehicles and trailers. During the summer, the West Elk Trailhead serves as the southern access point for [Motorized Trail 2290 ](http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whiteriver/recarea/?recid=41033)(also known as the Buford-New Castle Parallel Trail). During the winter, the trailhead is one of the access points to the Flattops snowmobile trail system, providing parking for snowmobilers who wish to follow the Buford-New Castle Road. The trailhead also provides parking for the West Elk non-motorized trail system, which is located immediately east of the parking area. Recreational opportunities in this area are…
- Managed by: USFS - White River National Forest
- Where: 12 mi northwest of New Castle, CO · 39.73199, -107.64803
Things to do:
Official page for this camp (fees, closures, booking)
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: Jun–Sep (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Oct–Apr.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayville OHV | Horse | at camp | 14.5 mi |
| Last Chance | Horse | 0.4 mi | 9.8 mi |
| W. Elk Stock Driveway | Horse | 0.4 mi | 4.7 mi |
| Cherry Creek | Horse | 0.6 mi | 1.6 mi |
| Cherry Creek | Horse | 0.7 mi | 4.1 mi |
| Mansfield Ditch | Horse | 0.7 mi | 9.5 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 4G · AT&T 4G · T-Mobile 4G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way casts shadows and the sky is crowded with stars.
Class 1 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Stargazing nearby: Old Snowmass (Dark Sky Community), 43 mi.
Dump station: 13 mi
Nearest of each within 25 miles, straight-line.