chasing the hot dog to Bailey....
I ran on up there Saturday afternoon trying to follow the hot dog restaurant as it was moved from Aspen Park and over Crow Hill and down into Bailey-but as usual was running late and never did catch up to it travelling south on US285.
After turning right (to go north) at the Loaf and Jug on the long hillclimb approach to Crow Hill- I followed the County Road 43 north and east as it crosses over Deer Creek. Watch for the "Rising Sun" road on your left (west) and take the next left on Singletree or Snaggletree (something like that) Forest Road 101 takes off to the west and will meet up with the Slaughterhouse Gulch loop, and I believe there is a loop off the loop as well.
Being a loop of course you will have to return the way you came. Several of the intersections look very similar. When ascending, in general,stay right to follow the main road, observe the closed off areas where others have destroyed the hillsides...
Plan ahead and leave plenty of daylight. I did not and started to regret it as darkness approached. This trail seems well suited to your friend's stock Xterra (when the trail is dry!!!) as my 95 esssentially stock 4Runner encountered just a few areas where I was wishing for my 99 and it's locking rear. Overall it was a fun trail and driven slowly I never even knocked into my new All Pro Rock Guards, not a scratch yet dang it....A light snow started to fall but the blizzard held off until Sunday, otherwise I might still be unpuckering. Good area to take dogs and mine enjoyed a few snow romps while traveling through.
Let me know when the group is game to take this on, I would hold off until it drys out in May or so Of course I fear the body damage likely kind of trails you guys seem to relish in....those of you with lockers and lifts might find it a piece of cake-it's all relative. There are a number of spots where the "preferred line" will take you very close to a single tree that will conspire with the rocks underfoot to move you slow closely as to remove a mirror or crease a body panel-but that's why it was some fun!!
Thanks Jeff (I think it was) for the basics of the directions so I could explore the area and find my way to Slaughterhouse Gulch