Description

This is an easy loop with French Gulch Road that connects Reiling Dredge and B&B trailheads, and passes old mine ruins.

Beginning from Reiling Dredge, the trail to Minnie Mine cuts west and upward on an old dirt road cut into the hillside.

It starts out heavily treed but thins as you get higher on this sunny south slope.

In only ¾ mile the road reaches the ruins of Minnie Mine and its large tailings pile.

The clearing around the mine makes a great viewpoint as well. Most of the buildings are collapsed into piles of wood, but some structures still partially stand, along with the remains of more foundations.

Be careful because the structures and ground around them may be unstable.

Continue past the mine to find several more ruins and tailings piles, which were all part of the same complex during the heydey of mineral extraction in French Gulch.

These are all located along a relatively level traverse that the old road takes.

Head downhill on a narrower trail about .75 miles further past Minnie Mine to end at the B&B Mine Trailhead, then use the road to complete a loop. Sources: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/colorado/minnie-mine-loop https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/5566515/minnie-mine