Nugget
Hill  |
| Maps: |
|
| USGS 7.5' Map: |
Gold Hill |
| Statistics: |
| Difficulty: |
Number: |
Miles: |
Altitude: |
Obstacles: |
Time: |
| Easy - 4 |
FR509 |
3.50 |
8,562 ft. |
Steep - 1 |
3 hours |
|
| County: |
Boulder |
| Adopted by: |
Trailridge
Runners 4WD Club |
P.O. Box 1716, Longmont, CO 80502 |
|
| Managed by: |
Roosevelt National Forest,
Boulder
Ranger District |
2140 Yarmouth Avenue
Boulder, CO 80301 |
303-541-2500 |
| Summary: |
Nugget Hill is a short 4WD road that
leads to the top of Nugget Hill, a front range peak, that gives you 360
degree views of the east plains and front range mountains.
|
| Attractions: |
Scenic views.
Steep climb. |
Seasonal
Closure: |
Agency -
|
| Best Time: |
May - May still run into snow drifts
June-September - Best
October - Early snows possible |
Trail Heads
Accessed: |
|
| Camping: |
There are
dispersed campsites along the ridge to the west of Nugget Hill. FR509.B
is a short loop to the south off of FR509 that has a small grouping of
dispresed sites.
|
| Base Camp: |
Nugget Hill would be a good area to
base camp to explore other 4WD roads. The one issue is the difficulty
of access through the Gold Lake Resort locked gate.
|
| Fall Colors: |
Average - There
are some stands of aspen along the ridge below Nugget Hill.
|
| Navigation: |
From Boulder, Colorado get on Canyon
Boulevard and head west up Boulder Canyon, Highway 119. Follow Hwy 119
for 15 miles to Nederland, Colorado. At the traffic circle take the
second exit onto West 2nd Avenue. Follow this road west and then north
out of Nederland, it becomes Highway 72. Continue on Hwy 72 for 11.7
miles passing Ward, Colorado. Turn right onto Boulder County Road 100
heading east. Go 0.3 miles and then turn right onto Gold Lake Road.
Follow Gold Lake Road for 3 miles to the gate at Gold Lake Resort where
FR509 starts.
From Altona, Colorado on Highway 7, the North Foothills Highway, turn
onto Lefthand Canyon Drive. Follow Lefthand Canyon for 5.2 miles to the
intersection with James Canyon Drive. Take the right and follow James
Canyon Drive for 2.9 miles to Jamestown. Continue through Jamestown on
Main Street heading west. You will be on Overland Drive. Follow
Overland Drive for 6.4 miles to Highway 72, the Peak to Peak Highway.
Turn left on Highway 72 heading south. Go 4.1 miles and turn left onto
Boulder County Road 100. Go 0.3 miles and then turn right onto Gold
Lake Road. Follow Gold Lake Road for 3 miles to the gate at Gold Lake
Resort where FR509 starts.
|
| History: |
|
| Description: |
| Nugget Hill 4WD road is an easy road
from the gate at
the Gold Lake Resort. It crosses a ridge between Lefthand Canyon and
James Canyon. At the end of the ridge where James Canyon connects with
Lefthand Canyon is Nugget Hill. After crossing the top of the ridge
passing the closed road down to Little James Creek and the Gillespie
Gulch 4WD road you come to a saddle at the foot of Nugget Hill. Follow
the road up the steep climb to the top of Nugget Hill. This is the most
challenging part of the Nugget Hill 4WD road. Also at the saddle are
two spur roads. The one to the left (north) is the old
Slaughterhouse Gulch road. It goes down to a meadow and an old cabin,
but it no longer accesses Jamestown due to private property. The road
to the right at the saddle goes down to a major obstacle called "The
Rock". Below this the road is a single lane ledge road in spots that
drops down past a mine and then connects to Lefthand Canyon. Due to
private property, access is questionable. |
|
Data updated 01/29/11
4WD Road driven 07/21/07
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