In September 2025, I took the BeagleBus up beyond South Mineral Creek near Silverton to the Rico–Silverton trailhead. Getting there pushed the Ekko to its limits. The mountain scenery at the end is one of the reasons I still want to go back.
Location: South Mineral Creek area, near Silverton, Colorado
Photos and video: September 26–27, 2025
I’ve made better decisions
Before heading farther up the road, I asked a couple of guys whether they thought I could make it in the Ekko. They thought I’d be fine.
There was a rocky stretch, probably half a mile or a little longer, where I started thinking I’d made better decisions in my life. It was a Jeep trail, and meeting another vehicle coming the other way would have been a serious problem.
There was no way I was going to be able to back down what I’d just driven up. This was at the very limits of the Ekko’s ability.
I made it through that section and, if I’m remembering correctly, two creek crossings before reaching the trailhead. Of the vehicles I saw up there, mine seemed the least equipped for that kind of road.
A little more experience
Someone once looked at my Ekko and said, “Your Ekko looks like it has more experience than mine does.” This was one of the trips where it got some of that experience.
The place at the end was incredible. The photos and video show the creeks, pools, mountains, and autumn colors that made it stick with me. I wanted to return this year, but never made it back.
I’d love to go again. Before taking a rig up there, though, I’d scout the road and make sure I really understood what I was getting into. Making it through once isn’t the same as saying it’s a good road for an Ekko.
A look around
The video below shows the destination, including a flyby of the BeagleBus. It does not show the difficult road section or the creek crossings I drove through.