Trail Gulch Road, otherwise known as County Road 51, is a mellow dirt road north of the town of Gypsum, traveling through mostly BLM land and a short section of private land. Popular with adventure motorcycle enthusiasts, this road connects I-70 with the Colorado River Road between Dotsero and Burns and is recognized as a portion of section 5 of the Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route (COBDR). Other than the occasional pothole and an extremely dusty environment, the road has no obstacles to contend with and can easily be driven by just about any vehicle. Concerns to be aware of while traveling the road include short sections where the road is only 1-1.5 vehicles wide next to a shallow ravine, washouts along the road, and several blind corners. Additionally, OHV users are often encountered traveling at a high rate of speed. Trail Gulch Road is generally a laid-back access road to the Dry Lake Motocross Park and an ideal place for bird watching in the densely populated sage habitat.
Although several spur roads offer dispersed camping options, no suitable campsites can be found along Trail Gulch Road.