Big Cimarron Road, CO (9/28/2016)

Big Cimarron Road is a gravel road that provides access to several large ranches, but also to the Uncompahgre National Forest.  There are quite a few campgrounds, hiking trails and stocked lakes in the forest, not to mention access to Owl Creek Pass.  The forest is a mixture of aspens and evergreens, with the aspens turning a lovely mix of yellow, gold and orange this time of year and the evergreens providing contrast.  The area is noted for some of the most jagged mountain peaks you will ever see.

Beaver Lake has a small campground, only eleven sites tucked into the edge of the forest.  The campsites have good views of the lake and the nearby mountains.

The road continues on to Silver Jack Reservoir, a much larger lake formed by damming two forks of the Cimarron River.  A third fork joins the outflow from the dam to produce the Big Cimarron River.  The campground at Silver Jack has sixty campsites.

Beyond the reservoir, more camping sites can be found scattered along the various streams.  The mountain peaks become more dominant here as the road begins to turn for its climb to Owl Creek Pass.

My trip over Owl Creek Pass will be the subject of the next travelogue.