Dome Rock State Wildlife Area
TRAIL REPORT
Note: Certain trails (including the one to the Rock itself) are closed Nov - July 15th each year for Bighorn calving. The sand creek loop is open year round. For info and map on what areas are closed - https://cpw.state.co.us/swa/Dome%20Rock%20SWA%20(formerly%20Mueller)
All trails here are also a SWA fee area. Hunting or fishing licenses are required to access. https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/Fees.aspx
Dome Rock Trail Ride Report - June 2024
Only the sand creek loop is open before mid July due to Bighorn calving. So you will not see the rock itself this month. We took the sand creek trail. The whole trail is clear of horse-stoppers and is generally pretty wide open besides some willows along water. If you take the trail counter-clockwise, the 2 large washouts are still present on the way down to the creek but can safely be navigated to the side even though it may feel uncomfortable. The parking lot entrance has been graded and is much better than last year although is still pretty steep for that first little bit. We were the only ones there on a Sunday which was nice. Plenty of parking for any size rig on non-busy days. The trail has also been graded as you go back up out of the valley which has made the climb much easier on the horses. A beautiful trail any time of year and definitely worth the fishing or hunting license required to access this SWA area.
Trailhead is located at Dome Rock SWA area outside of Divide Colorado. This is just past Mueller state park and is about a mile up a well maintained dirt road off the highway. The shorter sand creek loop will take you about 2.5 hrs. When it is fully opened mid July through Nov, the ride is approx 4 hours and includes a view of dome rock and the larger valley. An amazing trail all around with beautiful high range views, climbs, descents, a nice ride along the stream, great valley and of course the beautiful d
The trailhead has a pit toilet and a stream for water. No other facilities. Remember to not empty your trailer in this wildlife parking lot and pick up after your trailer to pack it back out. SWA areas are not for dispersement and and follow a packin/packout on their trailheads and parking lots.
Dome Rock Trail Ride Report - August 2023
This is a Co state wildlife area which requires a hunting, fishing, or SWA day pass to access. The shorter sand creek loop is approx a 2 hour ride and is open year round. The longer loop which actually goes by the Dome Rock itself, is a 4 hour loop and is only open mid-July through November. The closed times are to protect the bighorn sheep in the area. This is one of our favorite rides.
Location - just outside of Divide, CO right past Mueller state park. The trail actually connects to Mueller state park as well. If you choose to go that route it is an out and back and is approximately a 6 hour ride. (this report is not about that trail route). Here is a link to the parking lot - https://goo.gl/maps/L418HxyNfoRfYm3V9
The ride can be done in either direction. We recommend going counter-clockwise which will start along the river and then will end going up hill. You can also do the other direction, which would mean the steep parts are on the downhill and you would end along the river. The ride is beautiful and varied with some sustained elevation gain. The valley portion is beautiful and follows the river between some high rocky sides. The view of the Dome rock itself is worth the long loop. There are a few water crossings along the way. It also has some technical areas after dome rock (if you're going counter-clockwise) as it ascends out of the valley. There are beautiful aspen forests which are gold in the fall and filled with colombines in the spring. The ride goes along the ridge at the top of the valley with grand views and winds down to a large meadow valley before returning on the loop to the parking lot (again if going counter-clockwise).
Hazards: sometimes there can be downed aspens so having a back-country saw is recommended. For the most part, it is kept open. Sometimes the willows by the river can be overgrown and present some challenges finding the trail. The single track on the way up out of the valley can have a few places with tricky footwork but not too bad.
Parking
The turnoff has a small SWA sign. There are 2 lots which can fit rigs of large size. There were 10 trailers when we visited and there was still room for more. We arrived about 10am on Saturday in August. The entry to the parking lot is a short dirt turnoff which is a bit steep but is safe. If the hiker cars park weird it can block some of the parking spaces but usually there are not many hikers even on weekends.
