Advice Needed: Boulder Gulch

I am planning a wild flower trip to the San Juans in late July. I am trying to decide exactly where I want to go. In addition to some of the more common locations such as Ice Lake Basin, I would like to find some less frequently photographed locations.

One of the locations that I am considering is Boulder Gulch just off the Eureka Gulch road outside of Silverton along the road to Animas Forks. I haven't seen any photos from this location on NPN that I can recall; however, I learned about this location from a guidebook on wildflower hikes in the San Juans and the photo in the guidebook looks interesting. I would like to know if any of you have been to this location and what your impressions of the area are compared to some of the more well known and frequently photographed locations.

Also, I understand that the road to this location is relatively easy as far as 4X4 roads are concerned. I drive an '08 Subaru Outback which has about 8.4" of clearance and I am a novice off-road driver. I have driven the Missionary Ridge road outside of Durango as well as the Last Dollar Road, but that is the extent of my off-road experience. Admittedly, those are pretty easy roads. Any information that you have on the road to Boulder Gulch would also be welcome.

I would also welcome any other suggestions for wildflower locations in the San Juans that would be accessible in my Outback.

Thank you in advance for any suggestions or input you have.

Brian Schrayer

In all honesty, I think you are too low clearance for most of the 4x4 roads out there. The road from Silverton to Animas Forsks isn't too bad until the last mile or 2. Anything past Animas could be an issue for an Outback. Not sure what road Boulder gulch is on so I can't speak directly to that one. You could consider a jeep rental in Ouray or Silverton. I don't consider Last Dollar road to be 4x4 at all so don't judge 4x4 roads based on that one.

Your legs will always get you to the trailhead!

Or if you're Jody Grigg, your legs will get you from the trailhead to the little tiny rock outcropping on the exposed, 13,000-foot ridge, where you will pitch a bivvy in a raging lightning storm and spend the night, thus coming away with both sunset and sunrise pictures from a place no sane person would ever be caught dead in.

Here's a page from 'Colorado's Best Wildflower Hikes' that may help you. I've never been there, but from the description it looks like you'll know whether to make the creek crossing or park and walk a mile (..see 'Directions').

Thanks, John. That book is actually how I found out about the location. The write-up mentions that it is a little used area and so far it sounds as if no one here has been there. It definitely sounds like it is an area worth exploring and I might have the place all to myself!!

Thanks, Jack. I appreciate your honesty. I forgot to mention that I drove my Outback to Animas Forks without trouble, but as you say that is also an easy road. I saw the pictures of the Eureka Gulch trail from Darren Kilgore's website and it looked like that leg of the road was easily accessible and did not require high clearance / 4WD, but looks could be deceiving. However, I'm not sure about the road that actually goes into Boulder Gulch. I am sure that you are right that It is best to rent a Jeep and not risk it.