We were up there last weekend- did they have a tornado sometime in the last year? I could not believe the path of destruction...hundreds of huge trees uprooted- just up the hill from the staging area! Thank goodness the trails were clear - it was still a beautiful ride! But so sad to see all those huge trees down.

Love to ride up there, but this will probably be our last camping trip in the Rainbow Falls area... can't deal with the "riff-raff" - drunks wandering into our campsite and shotgun blasts till after midnight... not to mention the TRASH EVERYWHERE! We spent a portion of our ride on Sunday just picking up trash at the campsites all along the way. I couldn't live with myself if I drove out of a campsite leaving all my trash and broken glass. I've only camped there twice, but both times we came away feeling like we camped in the ghetto. Anyone else get that feeling?

Take a drive and go just a few miles further over to the west side, Divide area and you will find quieter camping and a great trail system that is well maintained. Lots of camping areas if you are interested in exploring. Yes, there have been several windstorms down there that have taken alot of trees.

Enjoy your riding.

Sorry to hear that Katy, I could never figure out why people act like idiots and trash such a beautiful area. We're very lucky to have areas like that, guess some take them for granted. I avoid Rainbow when the weather gets good like the plague..for the same reasons you state.

Have you checked out any of the sites across the road along trail 717? Some decent camping and nice trails.

We rode the 717 system for the first time last summer (camped at South Meadows and trailered over to Painted Rocks Road). We enjoyed it a lot and after last weekend decided that will be our new "close to home" camp/ride spot. We did notice tons of beautiful, private spots for camping so we'll definitely be going back there.

Just breaks my heart though that people treat these beautiful areas like they do.

It is sad to see folks that leave the campsites a mess with trash, broken beer bottles, and pop cans. We have pulled into campsites and had to clean up before we could even have a nice fire in the fire pit. I can't understand why they leave the campsite a mess!

Too bad there isn't a way to make the abusers pay a hefty fine!!!

It just seems to keep getting worse with the trash. I dont know how many times while riding around the Pitkin area with me in the lead and my wife is no longer following. I stop to wait on her and she had stopped to pick up trash that she had seen. I will admit that there is some of this trash that could set there for years and you would never see it, but just at the right time of day and the right angle you will get a reflection off of it.

The worst place I have seen was above Bear & Blue Lake by Cuchara, CO. We had gone camping one weekend. The campground was full, but the host told us there were a few spots up above the campground. We get up there and could have paid for the trip in all the beer cans we picked up in the ravine below the site.

TACO BELL trash on Wiley gulch. I didn't know there was a TACO BELL clear out there?

A lot of threads on here talking about "what to carry on your quad"....a trash bag is a good idea. I usually will stop and pick up bottles or cans on the trail and never have a place to put them easily. If Cabman would secure his beer bottles better, I'd get more riding in.

Seriously, it's usually his clothes and/or gloves I'm picking up.