White River National Forest · Colorado

Big Ridge Cutoff

2.7 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 2228 · trail class 3 · typical grade trail_grade · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking

Begins at the forest's mile 0, 40.0363, -107.4417 - no trailhead mapped Drive to where the trail begins

Big Ridge Cutoff #2228 the Forest Service's write-up

The Big Ridge Cutoff Trail is 2.7 miles long, beginning at Rio Blanco County Road 8 near the Lost Creek Ranger Station. It crosses the White River and then meanders up the side of Big Ridge until it meets the Big Ridge Trail #1821 at the top of the ridge. The first section of trail passes through private land. The bridge is on private property; riders must ford the river on the east side of the bridge. Please remain on the trail as it passes through private property. After passing through the private section, the trail enters a dead lodgepole pine stand and traverses several aspen groves surrounded by pines. The top of Big Ridge provides a nice view of the Flat Tops, with the Little Marvine Peaks, Rat Mountain and Sable Point dominating the landscape. Domestic cattle may be grazing in the area.

Restrictions Please respect private property.

This hike on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in White River National Forest

All 729 trails in White River National ForestFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.