Tigiwon Road
Aliases: Notch Mountain Road
This narrow, winding mountain road covers a wide variety of habitats as it rises up to the main trailhead for Mount of the Holy Cross. Right at the start of the road, along the stream, you can find breeding Swainson’s Thrush and American Dipper. A little higher up are some nice aspen stands with a few mixed conifers; check for Red-naped Sapsucker, Violet-green Swallow, and (at night) Flammulated Owl. Then the road goes through lots of lodgepole pine (plus a few chokecherry and willow thickets good for the likes of MacGillivray’s Warbler) before transitioning into nice spruce-fir before the campground at the end of the road.
Restrictions: Be careful of traffic if birding along the road
County: Eagle
Directions: From the Minturn/Leadville exit off I-70 (exit 171), head south on US 24 about 12.5 miles to a right turn onto Tigiwon Road.
Alternate Directions: From the Minturn/Leadville exit off I-70 (exit 171), head south on US 24 for 4.8 miles to a right turn onto Tigiwon Road. The road goes for 6 miles to its end.
Habitat: Stream, Aspen Grove, Mixed-Conifer Forest, Lodgepole Forest, Spruce-Fir Forest
Dates of Access: Open June - October, closed during the winter.
Hours: 24 hours
Ownership: US Forest Service
Admission or Fees: Free
Parking: Roadside pullouts and gravel parking area
Lodging: Camping
Handicapped: No
Handicapped Access: Limited
Delorme: 37 D6
ROC: 70 A3
Latitude: 39.51404
Longitude: -106.43013