Red Elephant Hill, Empire Loop

Great climb from I-70 to loop featuring log cabin.

This is a fun 4-wheel-drive trip with plenty of challenge and great scenery. A unique feature of the route is the Empire Hilton Cabin. It’s open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Make sure to leave it the way you find it, or better. Start of trail is a county road that crosses private property. We’ve never had a problem getting through, but have heard stories that this is not always the case. The 2010 MVUM shows no seasonal closures.

Red Elephant Hill is narrow, steep and tippy in places. Empire Loop is rocky. Aggressive, high-clearance SUVs can do it.