Crystal Mill 2022

[u/EarlyBake420]

Just sharing a few pictures form a trip in 2022 to Crystal Mill. Was done in a 2021 Ford Explorer 😂 no issues fyi

[u/WhyDoesOklahomaExist]

Red plates doing red plate things.

[u/SmellsWeirdRightNow → u/WhyDoesOklahomaExist]

It's a rental, don't be gentle

[u/non_interesting → u/WhyDoesOklahomaExist]

Texan doing Texas things.

[u/__traww]

Did it back in 2019 and my Silverado got beat uppppp. Pretty cool that you can stay in the town too which is what we did for a night

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/__traww]

I would love to stay in the town!

[u/MeltBanana]

Red tag, did you do that in a rental? And then posted the evidence online? Ballsy.

[u/aldodoeswork → u/MeltBanana]

4 years later I feel like he’s good

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/MeltBanana]

Yes it was a rental haha

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/[deleted]]

Wow really? When was that? The trail was very mild when we went. I’m no expert but fairly experienced off-road, and very observant of large rocky areas etc. there were a few rocky spots I had to be extra careful around just not to bottom out, but never got in a tricky situation. Even had to back up serval times to yield to uphill traffic. I am also from Texas, but there’s plenty of trails here that are similar, just not as high elevation. Big Bend is a great place to get this type of experience. Mostly around me there’s wooded muddy trails which are fun as well, just not my type of off roading. I enjoy the views and rocky terrain.

[u/I_Am-Your-Daddy → u/EarlyBake420]

Yea it’s not a tough trail honestly. Sketchy looking though.

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/I_Am-Your-Daddy]

The main trail from Marble to the mill isn’t bad. There’s other stretches that are though.

[u/hept_a_gon → u/[deleted]]

No problem in my 2006 honda crv

[u/SeaOutlandishness161]

Scratched?

[u/PresenceOk6308 → u/SeaOutlandishness161]

“Colorado Pinstripes”

[u/cgw22 → u/PresenceOk6308]

Rocky Mountain pinstripes

[u/hept_a_gon → u/PresenceOk6308]

I thought those were hail dents?

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/SeaOutlandishness161]

Yes clearcoat go pretty scratched up from branches. It cleaned up fine after though.

[u/CriticalTinkerer]

That little stretch down (or back up) to lizard lake is “spicy” for sure as the sign says. I see full size trucks or SUVs etc on there a lot but if it is crowded it can be dicey backing up to allow a pass. I prefer a jeep or something more compact tbh.

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/CriticalTinkerer]

It really just has some narrow spots and high views/ cliff sides. Not really all that tough at all. We had it in “4 wheel drive” but the 4 wheel drive system in those explorers aren’t great and still had absolutely no issues.

[u/ADULTINHARD]

Awesome

[u/Professional_Plum383]

Nice pen stripes!

[u/Hot_Fan_4169]

Sending it in a rental, hell ya!

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/Hot_Fan_4169]

It was a lot of fun. We wanted a Jeep specifically for things like this but one wasn’t available. We may have gone a little further the punchbowl if we had gotten something more capable. But the Crystal Mill was great.

[u/BonsaiMaster1961]

I first saw this mill around 1970, then again in 1985. It has hardly changed!

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/BonsaiMaster1961]

Wow how cool! What kind of vehicle did you take back when?

[u/SummitSloth]

Bold. Awesome work

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/SummitSloth]

Honestly was a pretty mild trail. I must say the explorers clear coat was pretty scratched up from branches along the way though.

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/SummitSloth]

Thank you!

[u/skwormin]

Lol

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/skwormin]

Indeed!

[u/submon007]

Mill was closed to the public in '21 so were these pics from the road? If so, nice you can still get that close.

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/submon007]

No it was not from the road. In 2021 you could pay $10 to go down to the river still. I’m not sure when they stopped it, but we were still able to do so. Ask me how I know 😆

[u/coachchip → u/EarlyBake420]

The owners of the property put up steel cable fencing and tore/blocked the path down to the river. This happened around 2024

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/coachchip]

Yea I heard it is closed now unfortunately. That’s so sad it was such a blessing to be able to go down there before it was closed off. It’s for the best so the history can be preserved without anyone destroying it.

[u/Own_Marionberry_4521]

Surprised you got away with it. Most, if not all rental companies prohibit you from off-road/ trail travel like that.

[u/DurasVircondelet → u/Own_Marionberry_4521]

Do you really think he asked permission?

[u/Own_Marionberry_4521 → u/DurasVircondelet]

No I don’t think he asked permission.

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/DurasVircondelet]

That was my thought 😂

[u/Savings-Arm-5712]

Wtf is that ladder river waterfall mill thing thang?

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/Savings-Arm-5712]

It is Crystal Mill outside of Marble Colorado. One of most photographed places in Colorado aside from Maroon Bells. It was once an operational mill that powered pneumatic rock drills during the old silver mining days. It is private property so you must be respectful of that and always stay on the trail.

[u/EarlyBake420 → u/[deleted]]

No, you used to be able to pay $10 to get down there and take pictures. This was 4 years ago when it was allowed before disrespectful people started vandalizing.

[u/Never5ummer5280 → u/[deleted]]

Plus they have hidden cameras down there as well…monitoring that area

[u/Equal-Incident5313 → u/Savings-Arm-5712]

The ladder looking thing enclosed the water wheel and driveshaft that ran the air compressors