Ridge Stock Driveway: Nellie Creek to El Paso Creek

Uncompahgre Wilderness & Fall Colors 2025 | Friday & Saturday, September 26-27, 2025

This weekend I headed up into the Uncompahgre Wilderness near Lake City so I could spend one final weekend hiking in the high country above treeline as my season in the mountains comes to an end. I’ve been wanting to hike more sections of the Ridge Stock Driveway Trail that traverses much of the wilderness from American Flats in the west to the Alpine Plateau in the east, and I thought it would be fun to hike a segment above Nellie Creek, Big Blue Creek and El Paso Creek, which all surround the base of Uncompahgre Peak– the highest point in the San Juan Mountains! I left from work on Friday afternoon, grabbed a bite to eat in Delta, and then took the Blue Mesa Cutoff over to the Lake Fork of the Gunnison which I followed upstream to Lake City. Although I was hoping to see some fall colors along the way this weekend, I was a bit surprised at just how nice the colors were all around Lake City. I don’t think I’ve ever headed this way in search of fall colors before since my typical go-to spots are around Ouray, Silverton and Crested Butte, but now I think I’m going to have to come back this way again in the future!

The colors were looking pretty nice as I followed the Silver Thread Scenic Byway to Lake City.

I stopped for a quick photo of this scenic little waterfall as I headed up Nellie Creek.

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It was a beautiful autumn drive up the Nellie Creek Road.

Overlooking the colorful Nellie Creek drainage during a light rain.

I found a good campsite shortly before reaching the trailhead at the end of the road. The peak seen above camp is PT 13106 which would be my first destination on Saturday morning.

Shortly before sunset this deer wandered near my camp.

I was hoping for a nice sunset this evening, but it was just too cloudy and gloomy out. Once it was dark out I got in my sleeping bag and went to bed early. I was up well before sunrise on Saturday morning and finished the drive to the trailhead in the dark. I started hiking up the Uncompahgre Peak Trail about an hour before sunrise and after about a mile I started climbing the switchbacks up the Big Blue Creek Trail. I made it to the pass on top of the ridge just in time to watch the sunrise.

Uncompahgre Peak at Dawn

First Light on Uncompahgre Peak

A touch of light on PT 13158.

PT 13158 at Sunrise

As I worked my way up the steep slope towards the summit of PT 13106 I got a good view of Silver Mountain on the other side of Big Blue Creek.

Although the sky was mostly clear around Uncompahgre Peak at sunrise, clouds quickly filled the sky and made for some interesting light on the landscape.

Once I reached the top of the ridge I thought the hiking was going to be easier, but I found some very icy and slippery rocks all along the top and I had to be extra careful with each step.

On the summit of PT 13106.

Instead of returning the way I had come up, I decided to hike down the other side of the peak which was a much gentler slope and would allow me to come back on the Ridge Stock Driveway.

There were great views all along the ridge!

It was an easy alpine tundra walk down to the Ridge Stock Driveway, which follows the top of the ridge seen below.

Looking across the upper end of Big Blue Creek there was a great view of Redcliff, which is very prominent from this side.

Ridge Stock Driveway Ridge & Big Blue Creek

Once I reached the Ridge Stock Driveway I turned left and followed it back towards Nellie Creek.

I think this part of the trail has some of the best views of Uncompahgre Peak, and it was looking good this morning!

After returning to the pass I decided to continue along the ridge and then connect back up with the main trail just below Uncompahgre Peak. I ended up following what looked to be an old trail most of the way, which was probably part of the original Ridge Stock Driveway route.

I continued up and over the ridge and followed the Ridge Stock Driveway into the El Paso Creek drainage.

Broken Hill

I stopped at this great overlook along the Ridge Stock Driveway before the trail started to descend steeply to El Paso Creek.

Wetterhorn Peak & Matterhorn Peak

I was originally thinking about hiking down El Paso Creek and looping back around into Nellie Creek, but my legs were starting to get tired and I thought it would probably be best to just follow the Uncompahgre Peak Trail back to the trailhead, so that’s what I did.

Hiking below PT 13106 on my way back to the trailhead.

Uncompahgre Peak Trail

Leaving the Uncompahgre Wilderness. See you again next year!

The colors looked just as nice this afternoon as I drove back down Nellie Creek.

After getting lunch in Lake City I headed back up Henson Creek to spend a little time photographing the fall colors before starting my drive back home. The colors were pretty spectacular this weekend!

Mountain of Colors

Green & Gold

Aspen Trunks

Henson Creek Road

Henson Creek Fall Colors

North Fork Colors

I did go on one more short hike into the upper reaches of the North Fork on Henson Creek where I had this view of Dolly Varden Mountain.

Looking down the North Fork of Henson Creek from the highpoint of the short hike.

Here are just a few more photos I took of the colors as I drove down from the North Fork and back to Lake City. All in all, it was a pretty nice trip into the mountains for the last time this season!

>> Nellie Creek to El Paso Creek Photo Gallery