
A gravel summer road to De Herrera Lake
Usa, north-america
8.22 km
3,308 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're in Conejos County, Colorado, smack-dab in the stunning San Juan Mountains within the Rio Grande National Forest. You're heading up, up, up to the unreal De Herrera Lake, sitting pretty at a lofty 10,853 feet!
Fair warning, though: this isn't a Sunday cruise. Once you leave the paved bliss of State Highway 17, you're hitting a completely unpaved road. We're talking 4x4 territory, folks! The road stretches for about 5.11 miles, climbing even higher to 11,069 feet.
The views are incredible, but be prepared for a bumpy ride, and definitely check the weather! This route is really only doable in the summer months. Winter up here is no joke. Get ready for a true Colorado adventure!
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 8.22 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,308 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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