Sunwapta Falls Road to Poboktan Pass — Jasper Backcountry South via Brazeau River Divide

The Flat Tops Wilderness in northwest Colorado is one of the largest lava-capped plateaus in the lower 48, and the Routt National Forest roads that skirt its southern edge are some of the most underrated overland terrain in the state. This route picks up at Gore Pass on US-40 and runs west on Forest Road 16 across rolling sagebrush benches before climbing onto the edge of the lava plateau, passing Finger Rock — a basalt spire that juts off the rim like a broken tooth — before descending toward the Yampa River valley near Yampa, Colorado. The road surface is graded gravel transitioning to rough two-track with embedded volcanic rock as you near the rim — the lava sections require patience and clearance.

Plan on a stock 4WD with real ground clearance and all-terrain rubber. The plateau edge road closes hard after the first heavy snow — October is the cutoff most years, and it doesn’t reopen until late May or June depending on snowpack. No permit required. Dispersed camping is wide open on Routt National Forest ground — some of the best no-fee camping in Colorado happens out here with zero competition. Yampa is the nearest services: small town, limited fuel hours, plan accordingly. What this trail delivers is a Colorado plateau experience without the Moab crowds or the Alpine Loop traffic — just lava rock, elk, aspen, and big quiet.