RECREATION & TRAVEL: The back road to North Springs

By Sun Advocate

By STEVE CHRISTENSEN
Contributing Writer
Author’s note: Odometers vary. The mileage in this article may be slightly different than the mileage you get in your own vehicle.
Gray hills and wide open vistas.
At first glance, that’s what gets your attention on the backroad to North Springs Shooting Range.
At second glance, all those gray hills with their rock outcroppings and unique peaks are pretty magnificent. As are all the vistas. All you have to do is stop and look.
So, let’s say you’re a regular visitor to North Springs Shooting Range. Sooner or later, you’re going to get tired of the drive. But, I have an alternative. There is a good gravel road that goes from Price to North Springs. And I’m going to tell you how to get there.
And yes, gray hills do dominate the landscape. But if you look at those hills, there are buttes, pinnacles, and rock outcroppings that make the drive quite interesting. And, it’s not going to take you much longer than going on the highway.
The drive is about 13 miles from the starting point in Westwood. It’s an arbitrary starting point, but it should work for everyone.
You are only on the Gordon Creek Road for less than a half mile, then you turn left past a row of mailboxes and onto the Pinnacle Peak Road. It’s gravel from here on. It’s probably no place for a Mercedes Benz sedan, but it’s fine for almost anything other than a large touring car.
The Pinnacle Peak Road is also Castle Country ATV Route 2. It’s 5.5 miles west to 7000 West, (yes, there’s a street sign) where ATV Route 2 turns north. But, you will turn south onto ATV Route 26. Then it’s almost five miles to a cross road, then left (but still on ATV Route 26) to the North Springs Shooting Range.
Here’s the mileage in a nutshell:
Start west at the Gordon Creek Road in Westwood.
0 – A 4-way STOP where Gordon Creek Road begins
.4 – Turn left onto Pinnacle Peak Road, which soon turns west
6.9 – ATV Route 2 turns north, but you need to turn south onto ATV Route 26 (7000 West) and go 4.9 miles to a “T” in the road
11.8 – Turn left (again south) and go 1.3 miles
13.1 – Arrive at North Springs
Here’s the mileage from North Springs:
0 – Start your odometer at the STOP sign as you leave the shooting range. Turn right (you are on ATV Route 26) and go 1.3 miles where ATV Route 26 turns right (east).
1.3 – Turn right (still on ATV Route 26) and go 4.9 miles mostly north.
Watch your mileage, there are lots of roads that turn off, but these are all gas well spurs.
6.2 – Turn west (right) onto ATV route 2 and go 6.9 miles
13.1 – Arrive at the STOP sign at the beginning of the Gordon Creek Road
Here’s the thing. I get bored going the same way over and over to anything. Any deviation is a welcome change. However, this area is a critical deer wintering area and the road is closed during the winter months.