| Difficulty: | Number: | Miles: | Altitude: | Obstacles: | Time: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy - Graded | FR 44 | 6.87 | 9,733 ft. | NA | 1-2 hours |
South Park Ranger District
Fairplay, CO 80440
Closure:
July - Best
August - Best
September - Best
October - Possible closure due to snow
Accessed:
To start at the west side, from Fairplay head south on US Hwy 285 S for 1.0 mile. Turn left onto CO-9 South and go 16.1 miles. Turn left onto US-24 East and go 13.9 miles. Turn left onto County Rd 23-A/Turner Gulch Road and go 2.1 miles. Sharp right onto Clear Creek Road and go 0.4 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 44, La Salle Pass road.
To start at the east side, from the south, at Florissant head west on Hwy 24 for 11 miles to Cnty Road 31. Turn right and head north on Cnty Road 31 for 5 miles to Forest Road 44, turn left onto the La Salle Pass Road.
To start at the west side, from Florissant head west on US-24 W toward County Road 46 for 17.7 miles. Turn right onto County Road 23-A/Turner Gulch Road and go 2.1 miles. Sharp right onto Clear Creek Road and go 0.4 miles. Turn left onto Forest Road 44, La Salle Pass road.
 |
East side of La Salle Pass. photo by: Adam M |
|---|
At about 1.25 miles from the intersection you will pass an old homestead on the left. The road will follow along the forest on your left and come to a large outcrop of rock. This is where you will head to the left of the rock outcrop into the forest. From here you will be on public lands.
 |
East side before entering the forest. photo by: Adam M |
|---|
The road will head up this short valley and make a turn to the south. At the turn are two short spur roads that go over under the power line. From the curve the road will head up through dense forests. About a half mile from the turn south you will come to the top of La Salle Pass at an intersection with FR228. There is no sign marking the spot. The Badger Mountain Road, FR228, a left turn, will go just over a mile and end at a gate. The pass is on a saddle between Badger Mountain and Martland Peak. Continue over the pass for a half mile. You will come to an intersection with FR226 on the left. This road was closed by the Badger Flats Travel Plan in 2018. It headed down to a private home. Continue to the right. You will pass through some trees and then out into open meadow again. Next you will pass a water tank on your right and then come to another intersection. The road to the right is FR229 and it was also closed in the Badger Flats Travel Plan in 2018. It followed the gulch up into the Puma Hills ending at private property. Continue to the left on FR44. You will pass through a few scattered trees and then come to a four way intersection under the powerlines. At this intersection you will have a view of South Park and Spinney Mountain to the west.
The road to the right is the upper part of FR44.2A which goes north and connects with FR229. This section of FR44.2A was also closed in the Badger Flats Travel Plan in 2018. The road straight ahead is the continuation of FR44 which heads over to the small peaks to the northwest. This road was also closed in the Badger Flats Travel Plan in 2018. Take the left, FR44.2A, south under the powerlines. After crossing the open meadow you will come to a small group of trees. There are two dispersed campsites here. Past the trees is an intersection with a spur road on the left that goes to another dispersed campsite. Next you will come to the lower end of FR44 coming in on your right that was closed in the Badger Flats Travel Plan of 2018. Past this intersection is a pull off on the left and an information kiosk. Continue south to the fenceline where you leave public lands. FR44 will connect with Clear Creek Road. Take a right on Clear Creek Road and then a left on County Road 23A which will take you to Hwy 24.