My wife and I are headin' up the AF canyon tomorrow on our dirtbikes and we're thinking that we'd like to ride up to a lake to take a dip. My wife says that she doesn't want to tackle forest lake trail yet on her XR200 (although I know she'd cruise up it no problem) and The gravel road up to silver lake is boooring for me, (although if it were the only choice I'm more than happy to do it as long as the wifey is ridin beside me) so my question is are there any lakes up the canyon that y'all like besides the ones I've mentioned? We'll be unloading at Tibble. I've heard of a Pittsburg lake but have no clue where it is. Thanks!
Riding to AF Canyon lakes
- Thread starter pELYgroso
- Start date
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
She doesn't want to ride Forest Lake, yet you'd consider Pittsburg. 
Luckily for your marriage, Pittsburg has been closed to motorized travel for years now, probably about 10-11 yrs. The road up to Pittsburg is crazy-steep, back when it was opened, it would have been hard for a skilled rider on a good trail bike to make it up there, IMO.
Forest Lake isn't that bad for a less experienced rider, there's a river crossing and a few slightly rocky hills, but if she'd a decent beginner she should clean those sections. I'd never want to take a dip in there though.
You could ride up to Silver Lake Flats, it's a graded road all the way up. It's pretty high elevation, I'm sure it will be cold, like most lakes up there! It's 10x cleaner than Forest Lake, I think it would be a much better option if you want to go for a dip.
Luckily for your marriage, Pittsburg has been closed to motorized travel for years now, probably about 10-11 yrs. The road up to Pittsburg is crazy-steep, back when it was opened, it would have been hard for a skilled rider on a good trail bike to make it up there, IMO. Forest Lake isn't that bad for a less experienced rider, there's a river crossing and a few slightly rocky hills, but if she'd a decent beginner she should clean those sections. I'd never want to take a dip in there though.
You could ride up to Silver Lake Flats, it's a graded road all the way up. It's pretty high elevation, I'm sure it will be cold, like most lakes up there! It's 10x cleaner than Forest Lake, I think it would be a much better option if you want to go for a dip.
Or you cross the dam and take the loop that puts you right back at the inlet to Tibble and pretend you are at a high mountain lake. That is possibly a more technical trail than the one up to Forest Lake though.
Show her what Greg said and then she might trust you to take her up FL trail.
Show her what Greg said and then she might trust you to take her up FL trail.
I'll be up there tomorrow as well
with a group of probably 10 bikes :-\ I'll be coming over from the Heber side. I know we'll be headed up Forest Lake, then on to some single track. I'm with Greg, Forest Lake isn't really that bad. I took the KLR250 up there when it was down pouring with bald tires, and that was really my first time riding a bike off road. The worst part of the trail for me was the river (it was high at the time) She doesn't want to ride Forest Lake, yet you'd consider Pittsburg.
No kidding. Kami and I hiked up there last weekend, and I couldn't beleive that it was at one time open to motorized use. The lack of maintenance has probably made it look worse than it was, but still that place is crazy. Definitely worth the hike though
01XJ
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Pleasant Grove!
Yup the real silver lake. The lower lake is called silver lake flats, but upper silver lake is foot access only. I have yet to hike there my self but have seen pics and it looks like it would be worth the mile or 2 hike
jdub
Scrambler
- Location
- Provo, Utah.
And well worth it for swimming purposes. It's cool and has huge granite boulders so you won't even have to get your feet muddy. Forest Lake doesn't seem to have any inlet or outlet. Stagnant is a strong word but I'm with greg. Do you riding and have some fun at the clean lakes. Real silver lake is up the water cycle as far as you can get with beautiful snow fed waterfalls pouring into the lake.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Silver Lake has some killer fishing too, last time I hiked up there I had the lake all to myself and was getting a bite with every other cast. And they weren't tiny planters like in Tibble Fork, some of them were good sized fish.
jdub
Scrambler
- Location
- Provo, Utah.
I'd seen fish rising but assumed that they were fingerlings. I'm stoked to take the rod up next time.
Nope, no road. You have to hike up. The trailhead is to the left of that gate in the parking area.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
The trail to Silver Lake starts at the parking area for Silver Lake Flats. There's a restroom on one side and a bulletin board on the other side and the trail goes between the 2. It's a hiking trail, not a motorized trail.
The gate you're talking about crosses the small river, heads up canyon, then you have a couple choices. Turning to the left off the main trail will take you across the valley, past some good camping spots, then eventually to a mine that overlooks Silver Lake Flats. If you stay on the main trail you will begin making some very steep climbs with a couple tight switchbacks as you climb out of the canyon. It's a great drive, not too challenging but the elevation will keep you on your toes. After several miles you will drop into another large canyon, I think it's called Porcupine Canyon. Last time I was there there was a closed gate right as you drove into the canyon. In years before you could drive in and see a couple mines and get some big elevation, probably over 11,500 ft.
we ended up riding up to and around the pond/old mining area towards cascade springs and ate lunch. (shortly past the fork in the main road) then cruised back down to tibble and up to Silver Lake flats where we swam and had a rock skipping contest. Good times. I love it up the canyon! Our shiny new canyon pass took a nice chunk out of my wallet though!!! (worth it)
jdub
Scrambler
- Location
- Provo, Utah.
How much? I forgot to ask.
She doesn't want to ride Forest Lake, yet you'd consider Pittsburg.
...No kidding. Kami and I hiked up there last weekend, and I couldn't beleive that it was at one time open to motorized use. The lack of maintenance has probably made it look worse than it was, but still that place is crazy. Definitely worth the hike though
I was fortunate enough to make it up there a few times on Polaris Sportsmans before it closed, it wasn't too bad going up, most of the problem areas for me wouldn't have been bad for a bike, however there is a TON of riding on 3"~8" rocks that cover the entire road several deep on a steep incline, I don't imagine that would be too much fun on a 2 wheeler. The trip down makes for some very warm disc brakes because it's too steep to just use the engine brake.
When I hiked it fall before last (there is a thread with pics here), the road was actually in better shape than it was the last time I got to ride up it.
01XJ
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Pleasant Grove!
I believe the pass price this yr is $42 bucks
we paid 25 last year...its a joke it went up that much
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
The road past Silver Lake Flat Reservoir splits two directions... to the west and then south heading on the Milkmaid Trail (which does make a good junction for a Silver Lake hike) or east and then north as it climbs up to the old Earl-Eagle mine site and Upper Major Evans Gulch, overlooking Mary Ellen Gulch. As noted is is closed and is heavily monitored private property. At the good will of the owners I've had the opportunity to visit the site a couple of times over the past few years
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Pittsburgh is 100% closed, signed, fenced and has been eliminated from the USFS motorized travel maps dating back at least 10 years. Sorry, would love to drive it myself, but its closed.