Lower Bench Trail #650

The Lower Bench Trail #650 begins at Forest Service Road #411, Campbell Point Road, and ends at an intersection with the Upper Bench Trail #625. The trail travels east of Campbell Lake and descends onto a bench above South Fork Mesa Creek. It continues east and after about 2.2 miles it intersects the Coal Creek Trail #605 and crosses Coal Creek. It works it was east along the bench crosses several small canyons and after about 4 miles it drops down to South Fork Mesa Creek and follow it for 0.6 miles before climbing out of the drainage and ending at the Upper Bench Trail.

General Information

June

Open to Hiking and Horseback.

Getting There

Elevation

8,800 ft.

Directions

From I-70: Take Clifton/Delta Exit, #37 and follow the I-70 business loop, continuing to the third stop light take a left on Hwy 141. Proceed south to intersection Hwy 141 & Hwy 50. Take a left on Hwy 50 and continue to the town of Whitewater, approximately 2.5 miles. Turn right on Hwy 141 and travel 14.4 miles to a road that is not marked with a county designation. Just prior to turning south onto this road, there is a sign. The sign reads: NATIONAL FOREST ACCESS, DIVIDE ROAD, UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU. Follow this road for 6.1 miles to the National Forest Boundary. Travel 21.6 miles South FSR #402, Divide Road, to its junction with FSR #411, Cambell Point Road. Turn west on Cambell Point Road and continue 3.1 miles to the trail beginning on the south side of the road near Campbell Lake.