ATV Adventures: Finding color on the trail to the Daniel’s Summit Lodge
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- Some of the color we found on our way to Daniel’s Summit.
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- Kirt Merrill took this picture of the author in a pretty section of aspen on the trail to Daniel’s Summit.
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- We were in the early stages of the colors on the mountain, the contrasting blue sky was beautiful.
September is the best time to be riding in the backcountry. Weather is the G.O.A.T., and fall colors are a good reason to be on the trail. I used this trail to ride and review a Polaris General XP 1000 Ultimate nine days before. I enjoyed the trail so much that I invited some friends to join me in retaking it. Five accepted, and we headed for the trailhead.
We staged at Nobletts, a snowmobile parking lot east of Woodland on State Highway 35. It is just west of the gates that close the road during the winter months. Four machines left the parking lot bound for adventure.
We rode the highway for 2.7 miles before reaching Mill Hollow, where I stopped to let the others catch up. We weren’t using the drop system to keep track of each other. I stopped at every critical intersection to make sure we didn’t lose anyone.
Heading up the hollow, we rode by Campbell Hollow on the right and the East Fork of Mill Hollow to our left. I found it interesting that they were all hollows, as they resembled canyons to me. I even checked my thesaurus, and hollow was not a synonym for canyon, and canyon is not a synonym for hollow.
Our first stop was Mill Hollow reservoir. It is a beautiful lake with a campground by the same name beside it. It is a popular spot for fishermen. How did I know that? Not my razor-sharp prowess, I just noticed a lot of people wetting lines in the water.
We entered the Unita and Ouray Indian Reservation as we continued to climb. I didn’t find that out until I reviewed the track later, and there weren’t any signs marking the boundary. We were riding on a logging road that was smooth and fast. It showed on the map as an unpaved road until we joined the West of Duchesne River Road. We went in and out of the reservation several times on this ride.
It was the best of September days. The temperatures were in the high sixties, the sky was a deep blue, and it was filled with white, puffy clouds. The high point of the trail was just below 10,000 feet.
An interesting thing about GPS tracks is that your mistakes will show up. I missed the same turn on this trip that I had nine days ago. It was a turn off the smooth logging road onto a rough, rocky section where the trail crossed over the Currant Creek Feeder Canal.
The trail smoothed out about the time it started following Willow Creek. It was a pretty section of the trail that wound through stands of aspen in stages of turning from green to yellow and orange. The colors were not at their peak, but they were sure beautiful. We passed numerous beaver ponds through this section.
We turned north onto the Strawberry River Road for about a mile to a campground. Turning west, we followed a trail that took us by a series of camping spots. This section had many large potholes. They were dry, but if they had been full, it would have been more challenging. You can’t judge the depth of the puddle when the water is muddy.
This trail took us off the reservation. We rode just over two miles when the trail turned south and began to descend to Highway 40. If you have ever driven over Daniel’s Summit about a mile past the resort from Strawberry Reservoir, you may have seen a trail that makes a steep climb up the side of the mountain on your right. If you have ever wondered where that trail goes, I can tell you.
We came down that trail, rode the highway to the lodge, and had lunch at the Lodge Pole Grill. It is a beautiful lodge; my wife and I have stayed there before, and it is a favorite. The rooms are roomy and rustic. You can sit on a porch at the back of your room, right up against the forest border. You will surely hear forest sounds in the night.
Tummies topped off, we rode back on the same route to Nobletts, finishing a ride of about 72 miles. Clouds turned dark and a little threatening, but we managed to outrun the rain. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down, and enjoy this ride and lunch at the lodge.
Lynn R. Blamires can be reached at quadmanone@gmail.com.
