Off-road prep for Johnstown’s trail trips
Johnstown sits at the south end of our neighborhood — which makes it the best launch point we serve for the big trail country along I-70 and up Colorado 7.
About eleven miles up from Parish Avenue
From Johnstown Town Hall, the shop at 7352 Greenridge Road is roughly eleven miles away and usually 15 to 20 minutes. You can take the county roads north to US-34 and in along Crossroads Boulevard, or jump on I-25 near the 2534 and Johnstown Plaza area and come up one exit past US-34. Either way you end up just east of the interstate, near The Ranch.
A heads-up on the interstate: the southbound I-25 express lane between Johnstown and Berthoud closed in 2025 for widening work that is expected to run through late 2027, so leave a little slack in your schedule if you are coming at rush hour.
From sugar town to boomtown
Johnstown was platted in 1902 and grew up around sugar — the Great Western Sugar plant out on Colorado 60 extracted sugar from molasses and has been described as the only successful plant of its kind. Today it is growing faster than anywhere else in Colorado. The town added more than eight percent to its population in a single year, reaching about 22,400 people by mid-2025, which ranked it first in the state and tenth in the country among places its size. Scheels, the 2534 development, and Colorado’s first Buc-ee’s have turned the I-25 interchanges into a regional destination.
If you are one of the newcomers who moved here for the mountains, the camping, and the dirt roads, you may already be finding out that the SUV or truck you drove in with is not quite ready for the places you want to take it.
Closer to the high country than you think
Of the towns we serve, Johnstown has the shortest drive to the trail systems west of Denver. Idaho Springs is about an hour and a half away, and Lyons — where Colorado 7 heads up toward Allenspark — is roughly 45 minutes. That opens up some of the best-known backroads in the state.
Idaho Springs
Reached from Fall River Road toward St. Mary’s Glacier, with its steepest, loosest rock on the St. Mary’s side. Moderate to difficult — think good tires and some underbody protection.
Near Idaho Springs
A 12-mile loop that climbs from about 8,500 to over 11,000 feet, with loose boulders and ledges on the western half. Skid plates are strongly recommended. Best from June through October.
Empire
About six miles and more than 800 meters of climbing to a lake above 11,300 feet. Very rocky and steep, and it can be impassable when wet — a job for a built, high-clearance 4x4.
Middle St. Vrain & Coney Flats
Off Colorado 7 near Allenspark, with rock gardens and water crossings. The Coney Creek crossing can run very deep during spring runoff.
What an I-70 trip really takes
These are full-day trips with a highway drive on each end, high-altitude rock in the middle, and no parts store nearby. The builds that make sense for Johnstown drivers are the ones that protect the vehicle, keep it moving, and let you carry what a long day out needs.
Tires
Tough, properly sized all-terrains with sidewalls that survive sharp alpine rock — and tread that works for the drive over in winter, too.
View → 02Skid Plates
Trail guides recommend skid plates on routes like Cascade Creek for a reason. Protect the oil pan, transmission, and transfer case before the first ledge.
View → 03Winches
Two hours from home and above treeline is a bad place to wait for help. A winch sized for your rig is a real safety upgrade.
View → 04Roof Racks
Room for a spare, fuel, recovery boards, and camp gear, so a long day can turn into an overnight when the weather cooperates.
View →Rigs heading for the high country
Johnstown FAQ
What does Colorado’s traction law mean for my drive to the I-70 trails?
From September 1 through May 31, vehicles on I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison need to be ready to meet Colorado’s traction law, which CDOT puts into effect during winter weather. Four-wheel and all-wheel-drive vehicles need winter, all-weather, or M+S tires with at least 3/16 of an inch of tread, or chains or another approved traction device. CDOT can also activate it on any other state highway. Check CDOT’s current rules before a winter trip.
My SUV is basically stock. Can it handle Yankee Hill?
Some stock high-clearance 4x4s do fine with a careful driver, but the loose rock on the steep St. Mary’s side is where tires, clearance, and underbody protection start to matter. We will look at your vehicle and tell you honestly what it needs — or whether to start on an easier road.
How far ahead should I book before a summer trip?
High-country roads like Bill Moore Lake often are not snow-free until late June or July, and summer is busy. Booking in spring gives us time to order parts and finish the work well before your first trip.
What customers say
5.0 from 46 Google reviews
Great job repairing my rear tire mount.
Zach did an excellent job replacing my Jeeps ball joints. Very satisfied with the joints he suggested and the work that was done.
Zach did some suspension work on my truck and it came out great, he was quick and the price was fair. Will definitely be back for more work in the future.
Zach was insanely helpful. He handled a pretty out of the box request with ease. I will recommend him to anyone in the area or passing through!
I had a great experience at Off Camber 4x4 as Zach is a true professional and pleasure to work with. He went above and beyond getting all hardware snugged up even though it wasn’t in the estimate - with being a late request made when I dropped off the truck. Additionally, Off Camber’s shop not only provided the most reasonable price out of the four estimates I received, they were the ONLY shop that recommended a follow up inspection for the type of service I had done. They installed a leveling kit, control arms, rear shocks, dual exhaust system, and a trailer receiver along with including the complementary inspection at 500 miles to make sure everything was still tight.
I had some Rubicon takeoff springs installed on my Wrangler JL Sport 2 door. It was awesome to watch Zach work. He took time to torque everything properly and still completed the job in a very timely fashion. It was a great experience!
Amazing experience. I needed to improve lighting on my truck and Zach provided excellent recommendations, found all the parts online for a good price, did excellent work and all for a very reasonable price. I'm definitely coming back. Highly recommend to everyone!
Zach was outstanding! He was fair and honest and the results speak for themselves! So happy with how the work turned out. I will be going back in the future!