Parachute Hill area & Rock Creek conditions

[RockyMtRebel]

Is anyone familiar with Parachute Hill, right near the Johnny Park Trail head on the western side? Johnny Park is closed still but Parachute hill is accessible year round and is snow free now! Pretty small area but some good fun for an hour of wheelin' tonight. This area is within a couple miles of my house so an easy getaway.

Rock creek still had a ton of snow not far from the start. I was by myself so didn't dare continue in case I got stuck.... I bet with another rig and a winch we could get up a ways.... anyone wanna try one of these late afternoons??

[Jim]

It caught my eye the other day you mentioned Parachute Hill. TrailDamage doesn't list it. Any trail info online for it?

[RockyMtRebel]

This link shows it on a map but says it's closed. It's definitely not closed, I saw multiple Jeeps up there the other day.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/recreation/ohv/recarea/?recid=80700&actid=94
There are some nice steep roads and someone cut the fallen trees so I was able to do the mini-loop. There are multiple trails, most fairly short but fun. One Trail my son and I took last summer in the '55 Jeep was long but I haven't found it again - although I'm pretty sure I know where it is and will check it out next time ;)
theres a big pit that looks like people play around but it looks quite challenging and I scraped my month old truck up down there a month ago.... haven't gone back in there since.

[Tom]

If one googles parachute hill colorado, the first result show it as road 329. The canyon lakes south mvum shows 329 right at the west end of Johnny Park. The mvum only shows a really short trail and no loops. My guess is all these are illegal.

That said it sounds worth checking out.

[RockyMtRebel]

I disagree, the road is signed with the road 329 marker and there are well defined trails that are driven often. There are campsites and I've seen campers there all summer. If it was illegal there would be signs posted - not sure where you get that idea...

[Chris]

A trail is illegal if it's not on the MVUM as I understand recent changes. I'm sure o eone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[RockyMtRebel]

What is MVUM? There is even a sign on the road leading there saying Parachute Hill, no way it's illegal. This land is your land, this land is my land....

[xaza]

I have noticed side spurs leading to campsites are often not on the MVUM but are allowed to be driven on. Well defined trails do not make them legal and due to funding they can't block off and put up signs to notify of all illegal spurs. They seem to only do that to the most damaging ones such as leading to illegal mud pits. Typically it is best to only drive on marked trails but it does make it difficult when they don't label campsites.

MVUM is motor vehicle use map that is posted by forest service, here is one
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/psicc/maps-pubs/?cid=stelprdb5177824

[Chris]

Motor Vehicle Use Map - https://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/ohv_maps.shtml

This land used to be our land...

[Chris]

"The Travel Management Rule announced in 2005 requires each National Forest and Grassland to identify, designate, and map those roads, trails, and areas that are open to motor vehicle use. MVUMs are the legal record of what motorized opportunities are available on lands managed by the US Forest Service. Locate, view, and download motor vehicle use maps here."

http://staythetrail.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=266593&module_id=224600

[RockyMtRebel]

I looked at the MVUM map and it's missing a lot of trails that are well known, like Johnny Park, Ironclads, & others.

Im going to continue visiting Parachute Hill area, it's close, has some fun trails and the views of Mount Meeker are awesome.

[RockyMtRebel]

This Forest Service map shows Parachute Hill road as open and accessible

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd522665.pdf

[Hypoid]

This Forest Service map shows Parachute Hill road as open and accessible

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd522665.pdfIndeed it is, with dispersed camping (within 300 feet from the center of the road) along it's approximate 1.5 mile stretch.

If you are starting to feel like this is an internet smack-down, I apologize. Most everyone here is passionate about land usage, and maintaining public access to public lands. Any decision to restrict access, by any agency, is a contentious process. As a community, we want to develop and support a culture that circumvents any argument for restricting access.

Later this evening, I'll try to get more in-depth about the roads that are not on the MVUM.

[RockyMtRebel]

Thanks! I just wanted to make sure y'all don't think I'm wheelin' on private/restricted land or something. The area is signed like any other open trails are signed and there are other signs nearby stating other trails as "No forest access" but the Parachute Hill trails are being actively used and there are no closures posted. So it's certainly open and I've seen Forest Rangers in the area last year (waving as I drove by) so I have no concerns about this area being off limits.

[Tom]

I looked at the MVUM map and it's missing a lot of trails that are well known, like Johnny Park, Ironclads, & others.

Im going to continue visiting Parachute Hill area, it's close, has some fun trails and the views of Mount Meeker are awesome.
Johnny park and ironclads ARE on the mvum.

[RockyMtRebel]

Johnny park and ironclads ARE on the mvum.

Road 329 (Parachute Hill rd) is also on the maps on the mvum

[xaza]

If you are starting to feel like this is an internet smack-down, I apologize.
good point Mike, we are not meaning to bash you. Simply making sure a fellow wheeler and member don't end up in trouble and helping to keep things open.

[RockyMtRebel]

I appreciate it, I have joined a few forums over the years and sometimes the new guy (me) gets annoying to some of the old timers. I'm not trying to be the know it all new guy so I apologize if that's how I came across ;)

I don't want to get in trouble either but I'm not worried. I live up here, I would never wheel anywhere that I shouldn't. After looking at more of the maps on the links you guys posted I do see Parachute Hill road listed as a legal trail.
Im happy to review any info you find that states otherwise, just let me know! I thought someone else on this forum would have been on this road before.... it's a pretty fun little area

[Tom]

l just had some terrible news,so am taking the day off and heading to the mtns. Gonna try parachute. If you don't hear from me by say 4pm send rescue.

[Chris]

Hope a day in the mountains helps Tom, make sure you post when you get back.

[Hypoid]

I'll try to get more in-depth about the roads that are not on the MVUM.Through my volunteer work in the Forest Service Adopt-a-Road program, I have had a lot of things explained to me:

You can't take just one map. Topo maps don't show you the MVUM, the MVUM shows only roads designated to motorized travel, and property lines for the National Forest. On the MVUM, shaded areas are National Forest, un-shaded areas are not. If the property owner gives the Forest Service an easement across their land, you will see a F.S. designated road marked on un-shaded areas of the MVUM. If the Forest Service does not have an easement, the designation for motorized travel ends at that property line. The road that continues from the property line is designated as "user created" and may, or may not have signs on the ground to restrict traffic.

Someone already mentioned the Travel Management Rule, announced in 2005. Many of these roads predate that rule by 140 years, they don't cease to exist because someone waved a pencil in the air. Some of these roads may service things like cell towers, radio repeaters, or weather stations. Access may be restricted to service vehicles. Some of these roads may not be clearly marked as the end of the MVUM, or markers may have been vandalized by that 1% who have no concern for their actions. Just to keep things confusing, there are still signs pointing to areas that have since been closed.

I am glad your area is well marked. The primary system that I volunteer on will get new signs this year, a lot of new signs.

[Tom]

I am back. Didn't make to the end of the trail. It drops down farely steeply, and the trail was snow covered and I was alone never having been on it.

I only saw one sign. It was right at the start of the trail. I saw one large well used trail and several smaller. The large one takes off to the left shortly after the start. Its as or more used than the one one the mvum. I didn't take it. I did a video and will post it sometime this weekend.

Just my $.02 on legal vs non legal in this area. I don't know. I could see how one could easily get out of a ticket, but if I was using the area I think I'd call the canyon lakes district office and discuss it with them.

[Tom]

My video 4x


https://youtu.be/OJL3A3qRyNY

[Tom]

i went back up today with a wheeling buddy. The intention was to use my gps to track as many trails as possible. That all worked well. Got back to the trail head and and saved the tracks. They looked great while on the gps. When I got home and reloaded them they were crap.

Anyway here is what I deduced. The first trail, well used, on the left goes to a really nice camp site and is probably legal. The next trail on the left is much fainter but forms a loop that comes back in further up. This trail is likely also legal as there are numerous campsites along it.

Just prior to where the trail on the mvum makes a sharp jog to the right is another trail heading to the right. It goes past what appears to be an old granite quarry. When you get to this point is seems like that is the trail on the mvum, but its not. Its the one on my video. We took this as far as we could.The track just gets fainter and fainter until it ends. There are numerous whoopdeedoos on this stretch. I believe that they are an old attempt by the forests service to block off this trail. Near this stretch while on the mvum trail is a carsonite sign blocking an old trail that headed over to the one I am discussing. It says no motor vehicles. I am pretty convinced this is an illegal trail.

Just my observations.

[RockyMtRebel]

I think you are right! When I watched your video I was thinking you went down the whoopdeedoo trail (it was so fast I couldn't tell for sure). I believe I drove that trail last summer in my old '55 Jeep. Now I always take the other trails you mentioned, as I felt those were more likely the correct trails.

this picture is me at the end of the main trail, a very nice camp spot (or picnic scenic overlook)

[Tom]

Someone was parked there. Three vehicles at that point is a bit tight.

[RockyMtRebel]

During the week you hardly ever see anyone out here, I'll probably go there for sunset tonight. It's a nice area