Splains Gulch Trail: Kebler Pass Colorado
Splains Gulch is a short out-and-back 4x4 route near Crested Butte that rewards a narrow, nimble vehicle. The rocks grow steadily larger as the road climbs, the upper half runs along tight shelf sections with almost no room to pass, and five remote designated campsites sit along the way.
The trail starts off Kebler Pass Road about 5 miles west of Crested Butte, marked by a sign that reads 4x4 only. The first climb is gentle, over scattered rocks that stay about grapefruit size or smaller. At the top of the first hill, a signboard on the left shows the route and where each designated campsite sits.
Past the signboard, the road bends sharply at a pullout, one of the few spots on the trail with real room to let another vehicle by. Treat it as the last easy place to pull over, because the road tightens into shelf road beyond it. The rocks change here too. Loose and embedded stones run up to about watermelon size, and the surface stays rough for the rest of the climb. Width decides who should drive this trail. The single-lane shelf offers very few places to pass, so adventure bikes, UTVs, and narrower 4x4s are the best fit, and full-size trucks are a poor match. This trail is not suitable for an expedition vehicle because of the narrow shelf road and limited passing, and that includes any EarthRoamer. Since the route is out-and-back, expect oncoming traffic and keep track of the last place you saw enough room to pull aside.
Farther up, the road passes the single-track Lily Lake Trail and reaches a stream crossing at 38.84215, -107.06260. Designated Campsite SG-1 sits just past the water at 38.84206, -107.06214. Beyond it, the road moves into denser timber and gets rockier and steeper.
Three more campsites line the hardest stretch of the climb. SG-2 is at 38.83971, -107.06073, SG-3 is at 38.83837, -107.06061, and SG-4 is at 38.83755, -107.06091. The road then reaches a fork near SG-5 at 38.83174, -107.05731. All five sites belong to the Kebler Pass designated camping system and offer a more remote stay than the easier sites closer to the main road.
Solitude is the main draw. Where the camping areas along Kebler Pass tend to be busy, Splains Gulch feels set apart, with forest, mountain meadows, rocky slopes, and views that open up across the high country. It is a moderate trail, but the rough surface, tight shelf sections, and lack of passing room give it a real backcountry feel. It suits adventure bikes, UTVs, and maneuverable 4x4s looking for a quieter side of the Crested Butte high country, and it is not a trail for expedition vehicles or EarthRoamers.
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