Yellowjacket-East Beaver Creek
Maps:
USGS 7.5' Map:	Thornburgh, Sawmill Mountain, Fawn Creek, Big Beaver Reservoir
Statistics:	Difficulty: Number: Miles: Altitude: Obstacles: Time: Easy 1 FR 250 24.00 7,060 to 9,560 ft. NA 2-3 hours
County:	Rio Blanco
Adopted by:
Managed by:	White River National Forest, Blanco Ranger District	220 East Market Street Meeker, Colorado 81641	(970)878-4039
Summary:	The Yellowjacket-East Beaver Creek 4WD road crosses through Wilson Park on the north side of Uranium Peak. The west end starts near Yellowjacket Pass and goes east, then south to County Rd 8 near Buford, CO.
Attractions:	Scenery
Seasonal Closure:	Agency - November 23 to May 20
Best Time:	June - Possible snow drifts July - Best August - Best September - Best October - Early snows possible
Trail Heads Accessed:	FT2270 - Motorized, 50 inches or less. FT2271 - Motorized, 50 inches or less. FT2272 - Motorized, 50 inches or less. FT2273 - Motorized, 50 inches or less. FT2274 - Motorized, 50 inches or less. FT2275 - Motorized, 50 inches or less. FT2276 - Motorized, 50 inches or less. FT2277 - Motorized, 50 inches or less. FT2278 - Motorized, 50 inches or less.
Camping:	There are many dispersed sites along the road.
Base Camp:	This would be a good are to base camp and explore the road networks around Sleepy Cat Peak.
Fall Colors:	Very Good - Lots of aspen groves.
Navigation:	To start at the west end, from Meeker, CO. head east on CO-13 N/Market Street towards 6th Street and continue to follow CO-13 N for 2.8 miles. Turn right onto County Rd 15 and go 11.0 miles. Turn right onto Yellowjacket Pass Stock Driveway, County Rd 48, and go 2.7 miles to the public lands boundary. This is the start of the Yellowjacket/East Beaver Creek road, FR250. To start at the east end, from Meeker, CO. head east on Market Street towards 6th Street and go 1.7 miles. Turn right onto County Rd 8/State Hwy 132 and continue to follow County Rd 8 for 19.1 miles. Slight left onto County Rd 115 and go 0.5 miles. Turn right to stay on County Rd 115 and then go 1.8 miles to the public lands boundary. This is the start of the Yellowjacket/East Beaver Creek road, FR250.
History:
Description:
The Yellowjacket-East Beaver Creek road is the main through road on the Blanco Ranger District near Sleepy Cat Peak. It starts off of Yellow Jacket Pass on the west end by taking County road 48 to the forest boundary. There is a trail head at the pass off of County Road 15. From the trail head the road will climb to the west up through scrub oak to the Forest Service boundary. About a mile past the Forest Service boundary you will come to the intersection with Yellowjacket Ridge Road, FR251, on your left. It is about a mile long and ends at FT2279. Continuing straight ahead the road will pass through forests of pine and aspen. It remains fairly level as it runs along the north side of Uranium Peak. The next large intersection is with Aldrich Lakes, FR252, on your left and Sawmill Mountain, FR260, on your right. Go straight through to continue on FR250. West end of the road photo by: Adam M Past the large intersection the road will curve to the left with a spur loop off to the right going to some campsites. The main road will pass a marshy are and then come to the intersection with Martin Ridge, FR253, on your left. Continuing on the main road it will head through heavier forests with no real opening or views. After about a mile and a half from the last intersection will be Latern Ridge, FR254, to your left. FR250 will continue southeast and enter into more aspen forest areas with some openings and small meadows along the road. At a swooping S curve in the road where it runs along the edge of an open meadow will be an intersection with Elbow Park, FR258, on the right. Past this intersection the road heads into the aspen forest heading northeast before it come out into open meadows again. East end of the road photo by: Adam M The road will climb a short small hill that is fairly rocky and then top out onto a flat area before it intersects with Moeller Creek, FR290, to the left. From here FR250 is to the right and heads south toward the east side of Big Beaver Basin. About a mile and a half from the intersection with FR290 will be the intersection with Marci Camp, FR270, to the left. It goes about a quarter of a mile to FT2270. The main road will continue south through aspen groves and small meadows. The next intersection, Goff Creek, FR272, will be on the right. It is only a quarte of a mile long before it becomes FT2272. After about a mile and a quarter will be the intersection with Ellison Mountain, FR273, on your right. The road surface is more graded now and within a half mile you will come to a meadow and the intersection with Fawn Creek, FR280, on your left. A quarter mile further will be the intersection with FR288 on your left that goes to private property. The road will now follow East Beaver Creek for a while before crossing it and climbing a low ridge. On the other side of the ridge will be an intersection with Cattle Creek, FR235, on your left. Cattle Creek will connect with County Road 8. In about two miles you will come to Big Lick Reservoir on your right. Just after the reservoir you will come to the Forest boundary. From here you can follow County Road 115 to County Road 8
Data updated - January 5, 2017      4WD Road driven - September 7, 2016      Copyright 4X4Explore.com - 2000-2017