Windy Pass Trail No. 566

Trail Conditions: Trail Cleared of down trees for 3 miles to open meadow

Please share trail update info in comment section below

 

Length: 4.2-miles (one-way) total trail length; 2.6 miles (one way) for suggested day hike

Elevation Stats: Altitude gain 1,893′.  Starting Elevation 7,474′

Trailhead Facilities: None

Windy Pass Trail #566 Map

Suggested Day Hike:  5.2 mile roundtrip to the top of Windy Pass. 

The Windy Pass trail a multi-use trail that starts directly from Highway 160 near Treasure falls.

The Windy Pass trailhead can be a little difficult to locate but once on the trail the way is very evident.  The trail will gain 1,893′ in 3.2 miles and will take you through small meadows, aspen and mixed conifer forest. The trail crosses a small creek with a nearby spring. While the climb is in fairly dense forest, upon reaching the pass you will be afforded spectacular views to the east and west. The suggested day hike returns to the trailhead from this point.  A longer option is to continue on the Windy Pass Trail for another 1.3 miles to the junction of the Treasure Mountain Trail No. 565. This last segment of trail is on contour with the mountain and thus there is less elevation change and there are several spots with open views.

Driving directions:  From US 160/US 84 junction, continue east on Highway 160 for 14-miles to West Fork Road. Watch for “Windy Pass Trail” sign on the left side of the highway.  The trailhead is located on the opposite side of Hwy 160 (your right when travelling north east).  In about 0.3 miles past West Fork Road you will see a San Juan National Forest sign on your left, park here.  Use care when crossing highway 160.

Driving Directions Map

Interactive Driving Map

15 thoughts on “Windy Pass Trail No. 566

  1. Kudos to the crew that cleared all the trees from Hwy 160 to Windy Pass. Lots of work done there. The trail is still very wet and muddy. Water resistant footwear helps. I look forward to checking out the connection to Treasure Mt. Trail soon (hopefully there is still a trail.)

  2. The trail to the top is clear of trees although lots of overgrown vegetation on the second half. After the top and connecting to treasure mountain trail looks to be abandon, missing trail in 100’ sections and several down trees. As of 9/2022

  3. There’s a fair amount of deadfall on the trail going up to the pass, but most of it isn’t too difficult to pass. We enjoyed the view from the pass and also the hike on the east side of the pass through beautiful forest — until the trail started to disappear and then reappear with what could have been deer trails. After even the deer trails ended in the middle of nowhere, with a lot of deadfall, we turned back. We think we were close to the Treasure Mountain Trail where we turned back.

  4. Hiked up and through all the blowdown to reach the junction with Treasure Mountain trail. I last hiked this trail in October 2021. Much has changed. Vegetation is trying to reclaim parts of trail. Dead trees litter the path. Hats off to trail crews bringing this one back.

  5. 5/21/2022 Lots of windfall 10-12 in the first half mile. I stopped about 1/2 mile after the 2nd meadow when I hit 4-5 across the trail in one place. Drainages all have water.

  6. 5-20-21. Lots of trees still down this year and snow stopped us at about 9500′. We were about .25 miles from the top and had to turn around.

  7. We left a vehicle at the Windy Pass trail head on 160 and then drove up East Fork Rd 6-7 miles to the Windy Pass trailhead (Within a private ranch) on the other side, hoping to hike 7-8 miles back to our vehicle on 160. We hiked 4 miles up but didn’t feel confident that we’d end up at our vehicle. We may have missed the fork with Treasure Mountain trail and ended up on that trail. We hiked 4 miles back down to East Fork Rd. If anyone has comments about what we did wrong we’d love to hear them. All considered the scenery Was beautiful and the trail was in great shape. A strenuous day hike for a bunch of 50 somethings!

    • The connection from treasure to windy is at the back of a meadow and is marked but very hard to see on the tree. If you hit a distinct two plank bridge you have gone about 100 yards too far. The trail from the sign is immediately overgrown with a large down tree. From there you can put it together although until the trail improves you should have GPS to “follow” it. There are other down trees on the travers until a steep hill that marks the top of windy.

  8. Sat., June 20, 2020
    Only three downed trees on trail (all were easy circumvent), a few water crossings that are down to a trickle and one mildly muddy spot.

  9. Small snow patches and several small stream crossings below the pass–none were problematic. A few downed tress and some very faint trail between the pass and the junction with trail 565.

Please give us your comments on trail