A memorable road trip to Badger Mountain in CO
Badger Mountain is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.427m (11,243ft) above the sea level, located in Park County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Colorado.
Set high in the South Park Hills of the Rocky Mountains, within Pike National Forest the road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s called Forest Road 228 (Badger Mountain Road). The route is mellow, gaining elevation gradually, and mostly shaded. A solid 4x4 with good clearance can drive to just below the summit register.
Accessibility is largely limited to the summer season. It is not generally snow-free until late June or even July in some years. The drive is pretty steep, hitting a 10.3% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting at La Salle Pass, the ascent is 6.92km (4.3 miles) long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 455 meters. The average percentage is 6.57%.