It had been in their family for generations. Ask for Chad! We had the mill for ourself and could enjoyed itWe hiked in a couple weekends ago and met the folks running it. Established in 1951, Crystal River Jeep Tours ranks among the oldest adventure tour operations in the state. I was driving a long wheelbase 4x4 F150 and decided to park at the 4 miles sign - and was rewarded with a much lower stress journey to the mill. Expecially coming up to blind turns, and there quite a lot of them on this trail. It was our first hike and if you plant to hike ALL OF IT be prepared for it to take 6+ hours all around. The destination certainly makes the hike worth-it but as many others have noted, this is a popular 4x4 road. Really beautiful river trail the whole way!Went on an overcast/rainy day so the road was not busy. I am not a super experienced hiker and this was my longest one to date. For us, it took 4 hours there, we spent about and hour there and it’ll would’ve been 3 ish hours back, but thankfully we got a ride from awesome people in a jeep. I didn’t bring any cash so we were able to. Guide knew the road well, I would NOT EVER drive this myself! Crystal Mill has been on my bucket list for years, this is definitely the best way to get there. If you are not interested in driving, or your vehicle does not have generous ground clearance, the trip to Crystal and The Mill can be reached by foot, mountain bike, or guided jeep tour. The directions and mileage here take you to the mill, the little town and store are another maybe quarter mile. Also making anti-political comments, show further stupidity and in no way provide usable feedback to the site.
Take one of our guided tours to historic Crystal City and the Crystal Mill, experience the breathtaking views and wild flowers along the Lead King Basin road or the valley panorama from the … From there, you’ll hike down to a bridge, past a lake, then do multiple up/down hills all the way there.
Must make reservations with an off-road jeep company in advance - our driver was great.This is touted as the second most photographed spot in Colorado (behind the Maroon Bells) and it takes some doing to get to the Mill. I have a compact suv and found that road easily passable. The 4x4 folks were all super friendly. The jaunt is well worth it. The destination certainly makes the hike worth-it but as many others have noted, this is a popular 4x4 road. Go into it knowing that, enjoy the day and enjoy the refreshing water at the end! It is a straight up incline for the first two miles. I’ll start by saying the trail is really beautiful & definitely worth doing!
10 dollars to go down to the water is not worth it, but the guy working was willing to bargain and our group paid 18 dollars for 4 people. He is very knowledgeable and understands how to connect with people through education!!! It is a straight up incline for the first two miles. They go super slow due to the terrain so we were rarely dusted out with the exception of one or two four wheelers zipping by. We're sure Tony appreciates it as well.We decided to do the Crystal River Jeep tour. Awesome trail! Our family had a blast and he made it even better! After that it’s a nice stroll along the crystal river. 10 reviews of RPS Rentals "Opted for the four hour Lead King Basin trip that goes up above Crystal and the mill. We only passed two cars on the way there but seven on the way back. Crystal Tour: $135.00 per person (1 passenger) $110.00 per person (2 passengers) $85.00 per person (3 or more passengers) Departure Time: 10:00 am and 2:00 pm Duration: 3 hours: This tour takes you to the historic Crystal Mill and Crystal City, 20 minute stops at each site. Our tour guides negotiate the difficult terrain in our heavy duty Jeeps, while you ride along and enjoy the grandeur of the Crystal River Valley. The first bit is shaded and so is the last. Also, you The Crystal mill was every bit as impressive in person as it is in photographs. Get to the iconic Crystal Mill in style and comfort. Experience the breathtaking views and wild flowers along the Lead King Basin road. The first section of the trail is steep, but after that is not bad. They do have an outhouse tho, in case you have other business. At the end of the trail the milk is there w a tour guide giving info and if you sign a waiver and pay 10$ you can go to the base and take pictures. Join one of our expert and knowledgeable tour guides through historic Marble and Crystal City, and past the Crystal Mill. The drills were used to bore holes in the mine walls for the placement of dynamite. First, there is a road to get to the road that will take you to the mill. The once legendary Como, Tin Cup, Pitkin are on our route. It’s five miles out and back on an extremely rough and narrow road that requires a high clearance four wheel drive vehicle. We are open from late May through November, depending on road conditions. I couldn’t recommend it more. The truck that fell off (see pic) is all rusted now and hard to find but it’s the halfway point. Crystal River Jeep Tours is located in Marble, Colorado -- where the pavement ends and the beauty begins. But there’s plenty of spots to rest and take on the scenery. Once the dynamite was detonated, the miners removed the ore.The mill closed its operations in 1917. Dip into the Devil's Punch Bowl at the foot of Schofield Pass.
It was amazing.
The only reason I gave the hike 4 stars instead of 5 was the traffic from the cars/ATVs. Just make sure to bring snacks and a lot of water if you plan to hike it.Decent trail, Jeep made it through just fine!