Overlanding the Southern San Juan Mountains [Giant Campsites Sunk in Mud Cocktails Offroad Paradise]

In this final installment of our overland expedition of the San Juan Mountains we tackle a network of trails in the very southern end of the mountain range near Mancos, Colorado. The three trails that were combined to create about a 20 mile loop are: Echo Basin, Helmet Peak and Red Arrow. Each one of these trails offers something different and certainly holds its own.
Echo basin is pretty much a glorified graded dirt road (any 4x4 could handle this area, Jeep, Tacoma, 4runner, etc.), so what it doesn't have in challenges, it's certainly makes up for in other ways. Right off the bat you get expansive views of the valley below and if you are looking to set up camp, I am not sure I have come across bigger, more inviting campsites than the ones on this trail. They are absolutely huge and pretty much perfectly flat. Not to mention the views are nothing short of fantastic. If you've got a large group of people looking to make a trip, this aspect alone would be worth the trek. The scenery constantly changes from open fields, to aspen groves, to pine forests. Not long into the drive things get real wet as you can see. At first it was all fun and games until some bad judgment on my part, sinking the Titan. Thankfully I was able to demonstrate the effectiveness of my Action Trax recovery boards. Since I was alone I’m very thankful that they were able to get me out of that deep mud. And that would not be the last time I used them on this trip. At this point you've probably seen there are tons of cows everywhere, so make sure to keep your eyes on the road and be ready for some possible campsite visitors.
Helmet peak offered a very different type of trail. It was obvious this path was not nearly as used, as it was much narrower and a little bit more overgrown. Which added up to some extra challenges that made for a much more engaging experience. This was also a very wet trail with countless creeks crossing by your tires. There were even shelf roads and shale fields that resembled Ophir Pass. This is where I decided to do a little exploring and managed to get myself in a bit of a pickle were the length on my non lifted truck got me stuck like a turtle on a fence post. Thankfully using the Action Trax once again I was able to gain the clearance I needed to get over the burm. After getting myself stuck twice, I decided it was time to attend to the Trails & Cocktails segment. I was able to land a cracking spot with amazing views of the mountains and the plains below. A little frazzled and a bit of a short fuse, I put together a Smog Cutter, which is a combination of mezcal, Negro Modelo beer, ginger and lemon juice. It was actually amazing, but since I was the DD on this day, I wasn’t able to really enjoy my creation.
After packing up it was time to head back down using Red Arrow. I thought this was just going to be a Plain-Jane trail, but I was wrong. This last stint was a nice surprise, although I was not able to film a bunch since it was getting dark. Red Arrow also was not heavily trafficked, so you really feel like you are in the middle of nowhere with the dense forests and babbling creeks. This section does have a lot of low bridges, so if you have a Rooftop Tent, make sure to be careful or you might lose some gear.
This area of the San Juan Mountains has a little bit of everything and since it is off the beaten path, you could have the whole area to yourself like I did. With that being said, if you find yourself in SW Colorado, I would highly recommend exploring this network of trails. And remember, What’s Your GOL?
Catch Up on Past Videos using the links Below.
Ophir Pass with Epic Campsite
• OPHIR PASS with EPIC C...
Clohesy Lake : River Crossings, Amazing Mountain Lake, Mining Ruins & Cocktails
• Overlanding Rock Crawl...
Rock Crawling Through Colorado’s History
• Rock Crawl Past Colora...
#actiontrax

[@MandaPandaPants]

Awesome video! Definitely kept me chuckling 🤭
Amazing views and your recovery techniques offer a helping hand!

[@grandeoverland6787]

Glad someone can laugh at my pain, suffering and bad choices! I make mistakes so you don't, LOL

[@rventures1021]

Your filming style is awesome! We know that it's not easy to get some of those overland shots! Cheers to another awesome vlog!! -Joe&Sharon

[@grandeoverland6787]

I appreciate that. Even the most "run of the mill" video can be a ton of work to get the right content, especially solo. I think unless you've tried it to yourself, it is difficult to know how much goes into making a video. Thanks for watching the episode, will always take the support.

[@TrailNewbie]

Loved this video - your videos always give me a good 🤣. Awesome trail, and that looked like an awesome drink too! 👏🏼👊🏼

[@grandeoverland6787]

Glad it made you laugh a little, pretty much half of the reason I put these videos together. Now that you bring it up, I could probably use one of those drinks! All the best to you

[@TrailNewbie]

@@grandeoverland6787 keep it up buddy! Really enjoy your vids. 👊🏼

[@justramblinaround]

Great video fantastic trail learned a lot! Wow mud and sh** your whole foot damn!! It was nice seeingnhow you get out of situations and switch gears! That was a great cocktail love anything with ginger seriously looked delicious! That was a great view. That was a beautiful trail and yes gorgeous trees thanks for sharing!!

[@grandeoverland6787]

Sounds like you made it through that somewhat long video, lol. Afterwards it always makes it more of an exciting adventure when you have to get yourself out of a situation, but at the time it's a little more stressful. You are right about ginger, it seems to turn most summer drinks into something refreshing. Thank you for watching and leaving a comment, I appreciate it.

[@donpennington2080]

Great video! 👍 Several 😆! My Wife has a T shirt with, That's What She Said! On it.

[@grandeoverland6787]

Nice, she sounds like the perfect person to have on a good camping trip! Being able to laugh will make or break any trip...especially if it is a little inappropriate LOL