HIGHLIGHTS
One of the first protected Wilderness areas, the Flat Tops Wilderness is located in the White River and Routt National Forests. The
Flat Tops Scenic Byway provides the primary access. The byway is 82 miles from Meeker to Yampa. For about 40 of those miles the byway is an unpaved, well-maintained gravel road.
From Meeker, the byway follows alongside the White River. Along the byway turnoffs for County Roads 10 and 12 provide national forest access to the South Fork, and to
Marvine Creek, respectively.
Another byway turnoff is Trappers Lake Road. This 11 mile road follows the
North Fork of the White River and passes several trailheads, including the
trail to
Skinny Fish Lake, before ending at
Trappers Lake.
Past the Trappers Lake turnoff the byway rises up and over Ripple Creek Pass at an elevation of 10,343 feet. A few miles beyond is pretty
Vaughn Lake.
Continuing east on the Flat Tops Scenic Byway towards Yampa, there are still around 40 miles of wonderful scenery remaining, as you pass through aspen and spruce forests, and by numerous streams.
When you reach the small city of Yampa, if you then go southwest on Routt 7, you will travel back up into the Flat Tops Wilderness from the east.
Routt 7 is also
Bear River Road, and provides 15 miles of access into the
Bear River Valley, with three
major and several minor, lakes along the way. Besides the attraction of great
fishing in these lakes, there are many trailheads along the route that provide access in all directions to the Flat Tops Wilderness.
DIRECTIONS
From Grand Junction take I-70 east 53 miles to Rifle. From Rifle take Colorado 13 north 39 miles to Meeker. From Meeker, take County Road 8 east. County Road 8 becomes a well-maintained gravel road after about 30 miles, better known as the
Flat Tops Scenic Byway.
From Vail go west on I-70 19 miles to Colorado 131. Turn right, north, and go 43 miles to Yampa. From Yampa take County Road 17 west about 5 miles to Forest Road 16 and turn left, west. Forest Road 16 is also the
Flat Tops Scenic Byway, and becomes County Road 8 when it crosses from the Routt to the White River National Forest at Ripple Creek Pass.
ELEVATIONS
9,500 feet (Vaughn Lake), 9,600 feet (Bear Lake), 10,343 feet (Ripple Creek Pass).
RESOURCES
White River National Forest
Routt National Forest
PHOTOGRAPHS