Sunday, September 22, 2013

Woody Creek Road & Lenado - Sept. 2013

For several years we have made a fall sojourn to Aspen, exploring the many trails in the area both on foot and bicycle.  The one activity that eluded us was "jeeping" - which basically means having a vehicle that is off road ready and capable of handling the challenges of backroads & 4-wheel-drive trails.  After renting a jeep last year & exploring a couple of the trails, we were hooked.
This year we arrived in Aspen in our Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara - ready to begin a new adventure - "Jeeping in the Rockies & Beyond".

Ghost town of Lenado

Woody Creek Road

Woody Creek Trail
Overview:  Just 7 miles downvalley from Aspen lies the small community of Woody Creek, longtime hangout for Hunter S. Thompson & other notables.  At the base of Woody Creek Road lies a favorite local watering hole, The Woody Creek Tavern. The road winds its way through the White River National Forest and 7 miles up passes through the ghost town of Lenado.  In 1889, a rich vein of lead and zinc ore was found here and at its peak about 300 people inhabited the community.  Approximately 3/4 mile past Lenado the road crosses Woody Creek where we accessed the Woody Creek Trail for a hike with the dogs. 
Rating:  Easy.  Combination of paved & dirt road. 
 Stats:  Length: 15 miles.  Time: 2 1/2 hours.

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