Green Mtn Rd s(u) by Bicycle - Velo

Green Mountain Road s(u)

Central Wyoming is a sea of sage with a few islands of high needle forest. One of those islands is Green Mountain, south of Douglas. A nicely graveled loop road traverses the high ridge, with an additional out and back access road to an overlook.

1.START-END NORTH-1:jct US278 - Green Mtn Rd
2.route splits into eastern and western part of loop road
3.TOP, 9060ft
4.jct with Mine Acess Rd and road to Wild Horse Point
5.jct with unmarked road, following East Cottonwood Creek
6.START-END NORTH-2:same as point 2

Approaches

From West. The turnoff onto Green Mountain Road has an attractive BLM sign, that really can't be missed. The road rolls along and climbs towards the gentle ridge of green trees to the south. The scenic action is happening in the back, in the much lower Granite Mountains. They have oh-so-many more different shapes: pillows, pyramids and mesas separated by cracks and different textures. Between the Green Mountains and the Granite Mountains runs the old Oregon Trail as well as US287. Several landmarks have extensive roadside documentation.

Shortly after the Green Mtn Road splits the grunt climb begins. This is not terribly deep gravel or severe washboard. It's the combination of the two. In any case, the Granite Mountains are slowly starting to appear from what seems like an aerial perpsective. The forest promised from below, finally appears and pretty much swallows up the road. But there are still a few view points opening up to these landwaves of the Granite Mountains below. Eventually the road reaches a high point on this Green Mountain Ridge in a high sage meadow with a far view to the north also available.

From East. (described downwards) I was up here during Labor Day weekend, and there seemed to be a whole city of large camping semi trucks up here, occupying most every crevice of the woods. The dirt road is so wide and large that even these vehicles made it up here. Shortly after the highest point, a large junction features several signs. One option towards the east is an out and back to Wild Horse Point. After 3 miles you get some additional views to the east and the Ferris Range. There are no junctions with trails that permit additional ways down from the viewpoint road. It is strictly out and back.

But another road at the mentioned junction does offer a way down to the north. It is gated and labeled "Mine access road -no public access". The profile follows the remaining option heading back north on the official Green Mountain Rd. A fairly steep decent through straight woods leads to moderately hot brake pads. There are no more views until the road exits the forest.

There is only one more junction with an unlabeled but scenically impressive track heading east across the sage brush. Private land between here and US287 makes following this option complicated.

The profile stays on the Green Mountain Loop Road. Combining Green Mountain Loop Road with Mine Acess Road has a different summit point: Green Mtn Rd - Mine Acess Rd(sh).

Dayride with this point as highest point:

COMPLETELY UNPAVED

( < Stillwater Pass | Green Mtn Rd - Mine Acess Rd(sh) > )

Green Mountain Road s(u) , additional out and back : jct US287 - Green Mountain Rd > up Green Mtn Rd > Green Mtn Rd counterclockwise > Green Mtn Rd s(u) <> out and back to Wild Horse Point <> short separate out and back down Mine Access Rd > down eastern part of Green Mtn Rd <> out and back on unlabeled BLM Rd at jct with East Cottonwood Creek << turnaround point ~3.8miles one way with low point ~380ft below jct >> down Green Mountain > back to starting point at jct US287 - Green Mtn Rd: 42.3miles with 4250ft of climbing in 5:54hrs (garmin etrex32 m5:23.09.2).