Rampart Range Motorized Recreation Area

This popular motorized recreation area, accessed off of State Highway 67 southwest of Sedalia, is a popular recreation site for a wide variety of recreational uses, especially off-highway vehicle enthusiasts and visitors to the popular Devil’s Head Lookout Tower. The area is accessed by the Rampart Range Road, a dirt road that serves as a central spine for approximately one hundred miles of motorized trails. Rampart Range Road runs from Highway 67 on the north to Garden of the Gods on the south. The northernmost 20 miles of the road, beginning at Highway 67, are closed during the winter months, generally begining December 1 and reopenning after the spring thaw. Call the South Platte Ranger District at the number below for closure information.

 

 

Trail #	Difficulty*	Use	Length (mi)
#649 Trout Creek (partially closed)	Expert	Med	6.2
#650 Long Hollow	Intermediate	Low	5.5
#653 Roi Tan	Intermediate	Med	1.2
#657 Gramps	Intermediate	Med	2.7
#673 Bar	Intermediate	High	4.0
#674 Flat Rock	Intermediate	Med	4.1
#675 Cabin Ridge	Intermediate	Med	4.8
#676 Devils Slide	Intermediate/expert	Med	6.4
#677 Noddle	Beginner/Intermed	Low	11.8
#678 Ruby Creek (closed)	Intermediate	Low	2.8
#679 Dutch Fred	Intermediate	Med	4.4
#680 Loop	Beginner	Med	1.0
#681 Scotty's	Intermediate/expert	Med	6.8
#682 Overlook	Intermediate	Med	2.8
#683 Fern	Beginner	Med	1.3
#685 Tomahawk	Beginner	Med	4.0
#686 Garber	Beginner/Intermed	Med	2.8
#688 Beaver	Intermediate	Med	1.2
#690 Powerline	Intermediate	High	7.7
#692 Bear Creek	Expert	Med	6.4
#693 Russell Gulch	Expert	Med	4.7
#694	Beginner	High	7.7

* All ratings are relative to other trails in the area and subject to changed based on changing conditions.  Always ride within your ability and check with other riders for current conditions.

Maps of the trails are available at many local motorcycle shops or from the: Rampart Range Motorcycle Management Committee, P.O. Box 3511, Englewood, CO. 80155

Additional information on trails and closures may be obtained by contacting the South Platte Ranger District at 303-275-5610.

About The Rampart Range

During the Great Depression the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the Rampart Range road as a public works project.  Sixty years later, the road continues to provide public land access for recreation to Denver and Colorado Springs residents.  Motorcycle and ATV enthusiasts from around the country flock to the area for the challenging trail system, while others come for the spectacular vistas offered from the road itself.  To help you enjoy your visit please take a moment to familiarize yourself with OHV regulations and information.

Camping

Camping on the Rampart Range comes in several forms.  The developed campgrounds at Indian Creek, Flat Rocks, Devil’s Head, and Jackson Creek provide restrooms, drinking water, graded sites, as well as trash service.  Besides the developed campgrounds, the Rampart provides dozens of undeveloped, dispersed campsites, too. 

• Indian Creek campground is located on Highway 67, less than a quarter-mile west of the Rampart Range road.  This campground is oriented toward the non-motorized user with access to several foot, horse, and mountain bike trails. No motorized trails are accessible from the campground.
• Flat Rocks campground is located on the Rampart Range road, approximately 4.6 miles south of Highway 67.  Probably our most popular developed site for the motorized community, this campground provides easy access to a number of popular trails. 
• Dutch Fred
• Devil’s Head campground is located about one-half mile east of the Rampart Range road, on the Devil’s Head trailhead road.  This intersection is approximately 8.6 miles south of Highway 67 on the Rampart Range road.  Devil’s Head campground offers camping at the foot of the Devil’s Head lookout trailhead. 
• Jackson Creek campground is located on the Jackson Creek road, 14 miles south of Highway 67.  Jackson Creek road requires vehicles with higher ground clearance.  For some the extra effort is worth it.  The setting for this campground includes tall spruce and pines throughout the campground and a stream running along side.

There are dozens of dispersed camping sites along the Rampart.  Best of all, the camping free of charge.  Remember, the future of dispersed camping depends on your help in keeping the sites clean.  Dumpsters and restrooms are available at a number of trailheads. On peak weekends, please help by packing your trash home. 

We also ask that you consider the following:

• Use existing campsites.  Rather than developing new areas stripped of their vegetation, try to minimize your impact by sticking to sites that have already been disturbed. 
• Don’t build new fire rings.  Use existing rings and pack out the ashes if you can.
• Camp away from streams.  Wet soils & vegetation doesn’t hold up to wear & tear as well as dry ground.  Since water is such a rare commodity in Colorado, your help is vital for the health and future of Rampart wildlife.
• Keep a clean camp.  Garbage is not only an eye sore; it also attracts unwanted visitors including bears and disease carrying rodents.  Bears are notorious for getting into coolers at night.  Keep your family safe by locking coolers in your car.
• Control your pet.  It’s not just a courtesy; it’s for their safety, too.
• Be sure that your fire is dead-out.  Every year dozens of unattended campfires escape and spread—be sure yours isn’t one of them.

Motorized Opportunities

Visitors from around the country come for the trails and stay for the scenery.  The Rampart Range provides more than 20 motorized recreation trails covering over 100 miles.  With over 15,000 rider/days per year, the Rampart needs your help to keep it open for generations to come. 

The Good

Volunteer groups like the Rampart Range Motorcycle Management Committee donate thousands of hours every year helping to build and maintain trails.  Give something back by volunteering your time at least one weekend this year.  Several weekend work parties are planned every summer.  They can be a great way to meet fellow riders, too.  Check out their web site or contact your local motorcycle shop for more information on how to volunteer.  Poker run dates are also posted.

Your donations help fund projects in the area, too.  Nearly half the funding for trails, materials, maintenance, and camping improvements comes from your donations.  Thanks for your on-going support.

The Bad

While 90 % of the riders out there ride smart, it’s the other 10% go a long way towards giving motorized recreation a black eye.  You can help by reporting illegal activity when you see it and by knowing the regulations yourself.

• Listen up, Sparky.  Spark arrestors are required on all public lands. Also, aworking muffler seems like a small price to pay to protect how the public views motorcycles. Quieter bikes help wildlife and the image of the sport. 
• Are you Registered?  State OHV registration is required to ride on National Forest.  The $15.25 registration protects you against theft and the fee goes toward trail projects throughout the state.
• Stay off all roads closed to unlicensed vehicles unless you are street legal and have valid plates.   Mixing OHV’s with full-sized traffic is dangerous and illegal. 
• Trails are maintained to a 48” standard.  Motorized trails are for ATV’s and motorcycles only.  No cars, pick-ups, and jeeps are allowed.
• Avoid muddy and wet areas. Avoid riding on wet trails to help prevent rutting and erosion. Trails just can’t take the impacts of a narrow, spinning tire when wet. Wetlands are fragile and take years to recover. The Rampart Range Area is closed during the winter and spring to avoid damage to trails during the spring thaw. Tread Lightly!
• Stay on the trails.  Cross-country travel is prohibited.  Legal trails are numbered and signed with the appropriate vehicle symbol.

The Ugly

Being unprepared in the backcountry can get very ugly.  An ounce of prevention is certainly worth a pound of cure when the closest road is hours away.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Dress for success.  Protective riding gear can save your skin, literally.  Always wear a helmet and full protective gear when riding.
• Know where you’re going.  Carry a map & plan a route within your ability.
• Show some class.  Even experienced riders can learn something from a professional OHV training session.  There are phone numbers at the end of this web page to register for ATV and off-highway motorcycle classes.  Your local dealer should be able to help you locate local classes, too. 
• The woe’s of technology.  Cell phones, GPS units, and portable radios can increase your margin of error but they can’t replace common sense and good backcountry skills.  Help in remote areas can be hours away.  Be prepared and have the skills to save a life.  Many community colleges now offer first aid, wilderness survival, and orienteering courses.  The life you save could be your own.
• Hey! Look out! (for the other guy)  Head-on accidents can be deadly—slow down near hilltops and on corners.
• You’re here to have a good time, right?  Plan on it.  Maintain your machine; a bad plug wire ten miles from the trailhead is not a good time. 
• Carry the tools of the trade.  An assortment of tools can keep the good times rolling.
• Carry a spare.  Needs will vary by machine, but consider a spare master link, spark plug, tube, clutch cable, patch kit, tube, zip-ties, duct tape, quickset epoxy, bailing wire, tire pump, and common nuts and bolts.
• Murphy was an optimist.  Carry an emergency kit with you.  It should include a map, compass, signal mirror, water bottle, extra clothes, rain gear, matches, flashlight, candy, space blanket, pocketknife, and first aid kit.  Always leave an itinerary with someone before you ride.
• Keep an eye on the sky.  Colorado thunderstorms can appear quickly and cool you off in a hurry.  Wind chills can reach into the low 20’s in July when thunderstorms roll in.  Even a trash bag in your fanny pack will make a welcome shelter when the rain starts falling.Non-motorized Opportunities

Picnicking

Cabin Ridge and Topaz Point offer tables, restrooms, & spectacular views of the Continental Divide.  However, you don’t need to stick to developed sites to enjoy your picnic; dare to discover your own ‘perfect spot’.

What about non-motorized recreation?

The Devil’s Head lookout tower has been in service since 1919.  This national historic treasure is accessible via a 1.4 mile long foot trail.  The rise of 940 vertical feet takes most people 45-90 minutes, but the reward is a 360 degree panorama of Colorado.  Bring lots of water but leave your bikes, motorcycles, and ATV’s behind, they are not allowed.

Indian Creek Campground, just west of the Rampart Range road on Hwy 67, provides access to miles of equestrian, mountain bike, and hiking trails.  Mountain bikes are welcome on all the motorized trails.  However, with heavy weekend traffic, the trails can become hazardous to non-motorized users.  Take advantage of the weekdays for a great new set of trails to ride.

Shooting

With more and more people visiting the Rampart every year, and an increase in shooting vandalism and safety mishaps, a No Shooting Order has been issued for the Rampart Range.

Good Numbers

An emergency phone is available at the intersection of Rim road and the Rampart Range road (mile point 6.4).  A pay phone is also available at the intersection of Hwy 67 and the Rampart Range road.

For more information on the area you can contact

Rampart Range area manager

Or the district office at (303) 275-5610