wildernet

Aspen Ranger District

Quick Facts

Lincoln Creek General Forest Area

		Satellite and Topo Map

General Description

A beaver dam on Lincoln Creek, along the Lincoln Creek Road

Lincoln Creek Gulch General Forest Area is located east of Aspen on Highway 82 or Independence Pass Road. This area begins at the intersection of Independence Pass Road and Lincoln Creek Gulch Road at an elevation of 9,785'. The General Forest Area provides access to a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities including but not limited to the following list: backpacking, mountain biking, camping, motorcycle riding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

Directions from Aspen: Access to Lincoln Creek Road is located 11 miles Southeast of the community of Aspen on Highway 82, and then 1.2 miles on Lincoln Creek Road within a grove of aspen trees.

Seasonal Information:
Normal Summer Season: May through September (NOTE: Snow may obstruct trails and roads in the Spring, Fall and Winter months.) . Normal Winter Season: November through April (NOTE: Conditions may vary depending on snowpack.) .

		Current Conditions & Trip Reports
		Add your own trip Report! Newly re-released feature. One of the most popular features on Wildernet, trip reports allow you to share your experiences with others. This is an invaluable resource for determining what to expect on your outdoor adventure, so please participate! To prevent spamming, you must be a registered user of Wildernet in order to submit a trip report Filed By: Justin P. Strait (Basalt, Co) Number of People Encountered: 11-25 ppl Recommend to a Friend: Highly Report: Don't bring your Honda Accord! This is one of Aspens' finest camping spots. I really hate to say too many good things about Lincoln Creek because I like it just the way it is. If your looking for an Aspenite to divulge info on this spot it might cost you a few drinks, lucky for you I don't drink. So, do you like rivers with cliffs to jump from, quite relaxing camping spots with 13% humidity and cool nights, or maybe you prefer a spot not on the dirt at all and you like camping on top of large boulders. LC-YES

Recreation Opportunities

Activity		Remarks	On Site
	Backpacking	New York and Tabor Creek Trail	Yes
	Camping	Lincoln Creek and Portal Campgrounds	Yes
	Cross-country Skiing	Lincoln Creek Road	Yes
	Forest Areas	Lincoln Creek General Forest Area	Yes
	Four-Wheel Driving	Lincoln Creek Road	Yes
	Hiking & Walking	New York, Tabor Creek, Grizzly Lake and Petroleum Lake Trails	Yes
	Horseback Riding	New York, Tabor Creek, Grizzly Lake and Petroleum Lake Trails	Yes
	Mountain Biking	Lincoln Creek Road	Yes
	ATV Riding	Lincoln Creek Road	Yes
	Motorcycle Riding	Lincoln Creek Road	Yes
	Snowmobiling	Lincoln Creek Road	Yes

Related Activities

Grottos Trail - This is a popular area for picnicking and exploring. There is a waterfall, some interesting rock formations, an ice cave, and numerous short trails. This is a great area for families.

Lincoln Creek Road, #106 - There is access to many activities along the first six miles of the road. The section of road from Grizzly Reservoir to the ghost town of Ruby is much less traveled and suitable only for hiking, mountain biking and 4 WD.

New York Creek Trail - This is a moderate to difficult hike through spruce and fir forests. From the White River National Forest and the Gunnison National Forest boundary the trail is not maintained, you need to use orienteering skills to continue to Ptarmigan Lake.

Portal Campground - Portal Family Campground is located east of Aspen on Lincoln Creek Road. Campers can access some wonderful day hikes from this location as well as terrain for motorcycle riding, mountain biking, ATV riding and horseback riding.

Tabor Creek Trail - This trail follows Tabor Creek and ends at the top of a pass which looks out onto the basin of Anderson and Petroleum Lakes. A side hike, using orienteering skills, can be made to Tabor Lake to the west.