The hills and gullies between Barnhartvale and Juniper mostly have no names, except for Sunrise (Middle) Mountain and the Rio mountain bike trail.   A series of trails starts at the end of Uplands-McLeod Road in Barnhartvale and leads west to gullies and ridges.   A couple of older double tracks are now complemented by some newer single tracks and various combinations can be planned, but it may take more than one hike or bike to find the right connections.   After a few explorations, we now have some loops that we enjoy and recently completed one on the snow.

Follow the gas line road west as it heads toward the gravel pit. Take the upper diagonal track as it winds up the ridge. Near the top, a small side track angles off south before the route drops down into the Rio Gully. Follow this bike track as it winds up the ridge, generally staying on the east side, Watch for second junction in a gully and continue south. As the trail climbs, the trail and the gully end at the same elevation. Follow the gully south and watch for a turn east to the old double track. We have always referred to this route as the Zilch Route (last gulch before the mountain). Follow the good double track north to the pipeline, or alternately, watch for a flagged side trail that takes the hiker/biker through a pass behind the Altius Lookout and down.
We enjoy these trails in the winter. The upper trails can be snowshoed and access to Scott Road, Sunset Hill, or the Upper Pratt Trails can be added for additional mileage. None of the trails are signed and you may find yourself backtracking if you take a wrong turn. Since this is all part of the fun, suit up and explore the Zilch area.