South Halfmoon Road ATV trail in Colorado should only be considered suitable for experienced ATV riders. This ATV trail is a very rough four-wheel drive road with some very difficult stream crossings. Extreme caution should be used! Experienced ATV riders only should attempt this. As the road climbs it takes your ATV into a large open alpine basin where an old mine is located.
This extremely challenging ATV trail takes riders through 4.6 miles of San Isabel National Forest, and the season runs May through October.
You can get to the ATV trail by heading 3 miles southwest from Leadville on Highway 24. Make a right on to Highway 300 and head toward the Leadville National Fish Hatchery. Go about 1 mile down the road to State Highway 11, which eventually turns into Forest Road 110, Halfmoon Road. Drive 9.1 miles west on Halfmoon Road. South Halfmoon Road is on the left side of the road just 2 miles past the Mt. Massive/Mt. Elbert Trailhead.
Since this can be a very dangerous ATV trail, let's talk about some safety precautions that may well save your neck. As we mentioned before, this trail presents difficulties for even the most seasoned ATV rider. Crossing these streams with an ATV can be treacherous, so minimize the risk by only crossing at designated fording points or where the ATV trail is actually meant to cross the stream. ATV riders should stay in open areas and only ride on approved ATV trails. On slick parts of the trail, ease off on your ATV's throttle and use the clutch to gain maximum traction with less tailspin.
The experienced ATV rider should know it's never a good idea to ride alone, so take some buddies with you and be sure someone knows the trail you intend to ride.
