Devil’s Punchbowl — Schofield Pass Crystal River Gorge

Devil’s Punchbowl is the landmark everybody talks about on the Schofield Pass road. Below the pass on the Marble side, the Crystal River drops through a tight rock gorge and pounds into a deep pool. The road clings to the canyon wall right above it. It’s loud, it’s cold, and it’s a good place to stop and walk the next stretch before you drive it.

This is the crux of the trail. The track is narrow, rocky, and off-camber in places, with the gorge on one side and little room to correct a bad line. Mud and snowmelt make it worse in early season, and the road usually isn’t passable until late June or July. Spotters earn their keep here. Verify current conditions with the Forest Service before you go, because creek flows and washouts change the line from year to year. Pack out your trash, stay off the fragile banks, and don’t get close to the water’s edge. A fall into that gorge is not a recoverable situation. Have a dirty day.

Narrow gorge, loud water, the crux of Schofield