The Hardest Jeep Badge of Honor Trail in Colorado | Holy Cross Trail

Today we take on the hardest Jeep Badge of Honor Trail in Colorado: Holy Cross Trail. This will be the first Colorado Jeep Trail we hit for our 20 Badges in 30 days challenge.
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This trail is scenic, challenging, and full of obstacles. This is one of the best off-road trails in Colorado! We show you what you need to complete the trail in this 4x4 trail guide. There are water crossings and rock crawling. The trail ends at the ghost town of Holy Cross City. You do not want to miss this off-roading adventure!
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Video Contents:
00:00 What is a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail?
01:38 The Moderate Section
03:25 Vehicle Damage Likely AKA The Difficult Section
08:33 Damaged Parts & A Tough Obstacle
11:31 Crossing French Creek
14:57 Should We Turn Back?!
20:05 Back Down the Obstacles
22:20 Back at Camp...
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[@boudreau1020]

This is a great representation of what NOT to do when you reach a snow drift. I understand the recovery, but then the blatant disregard after that to continue driving on the hillside next to the trail and tearing it up in an attempt to bypass the rest of the snow drift, shows nothing but disrespect for the people that work extremely hard to keep trails open. You even document the fencing at 16:32 that is clearly telling you you aren't suppose to drive there. Then conveniently at 16:52, that fencing has been tossed into the shrubs. I hope you are better land stewards for the rest of your trip than you were on this one.

[@BenandBrandi]

We don’t police the people that ride with us. We do what we think is right as should everyone. As you notice we (my jeep) get stuck in the snow drift and we turn around after the recovery. We had no other option than what we did. You cannot see it from the film but it was almost impossible to turn around where I did. And rather than risk going into the creek to turn around the others opted to try to go on through the drift and turn around up the hill. As they did successfully. The JK in front of me recovered us and had no choice but to either back out and try going up the snow drift or hang the left that he did. The trail is fine and rarely do recovery’s not get off the trail.. watch literally any recovery KZbin channel. It happens. Hope this helps clarify.

[@GarageGeek]

You could have recovered from the back. I hope you make better decisions in the future because people make recoveries while maintaining respect for the trail every single day.

[@chriskuptz9387]

When you reached the snow drift, you should have stayed the trail or if that wasn't possible, you should have turned around.

[@BenandBrandi]

Good tips. However the snowdrift was at the end of a creek crossing. The only place to turn around is where and how we did it. We did not stray from the trail other than having to winch a rig that drifted from the snow. And even then was only a few feet off. Hope this helps clarify the situation better…

[@andercam7297]

@@BenandBrandi Sorry... but at 16:30 in the video, this is NOT staying the trail. This is what gets the trails shut down! Please be respectful of the trails so they can be enjoyed for years to come.

[@coloradoprospecting1034]

How did he not stay the trail

[@BenandBrandi]

People love to start shit in social media. And act righteous and elitist. I slid off the trail because of a snow drift and had to be winched out from both sides. This required someone to go around me and up the bank (off the trail briefly) The “KZbin professionals” had a much better way of getting it done I’m sure. Thanks for watching! Hope YOU enjoyed the video. -Ben

[@steveludwig4200]

Its called being an underprepared, ignorant and most of all arrogant little boy...

[@melissapinela778]

Not sure where you’re from but in Colorado we stay on the trails. Please respect our trails in the future.

[@BenandBrandi]

Interesting… during our time in Colorado we consistently see vehicles with Colorado plates doing exactly that… we have made posts about this in the past on our social pages.. take care now.

[@melissapinela778]

Definitely don’t follow what other people do. The more educated people the better. Some of us are just kindly getting the word out since seeing a large influx of people to our state in the recent years. Our trails have change quite a bit and we’re just trying to keep them in good condition. Wasn’t trying to trigger you.

[@BenandBrandi]

@@melissapinela778 maybe speak for yourself and not others? not to mention an entire state... just saying.

[@melissapinela778]

Haha you have a nasty little ‘tude.

[@JEEP-N-DIRT]

That was a good representation of a good time with jeep family!! Cudo's to Brandi for all that footage, running around, slipping, and still keeping her breath at 10000 ft. Lol.

[@bigthurm44]

Love the idea of 20 trails in 30 days.

[@GarageGeek]

I am glad you enjoyed your time in Colorado. However please keep in mind that we fight really hard to keep our trails open. And one of the most important tenants of that is staying on the trail. Next time you wheel in Colorado please respect the trail, otherwise the trail might be closed and that ruins it for everyone.

[@BenandBrandi]

Explain specifically how you “fight hard” to keep the trails open… we all pay taxes and that’s what keeps the trails open. The government works for us. People need to quit getting that twisted.. that’s why we are in this mess!

[@GarageGeek]

@@BenandBrandi We fight hard by having some self-control and fighting feeble minded urges to go off-trail. Taxes go to govt. land managements who are the ones that close the trails when trail blazing and littering get out of hand. Why? Because these days environmentalists are the majority. That's who the govt works for. We Jeepers got to watch each others backs.

[@1badcj8]

​@@BenandBrandi dude this is hands down the wrong attitude.. It seems you are getting things twisted, Bad. I tried a different post in that I saw you had already been told about your mistakes. I could tell by watching you drive your a bit unexpereanced, that very ok, your out and learning on every run .this one of those where you should have said "noted, we'll try to do it better next time".

[@BenandBrandi]

@@1badcj8 I guess we will just have to see in November eh?

[@1badcj8]

Whats in Nov? Sorry I dont get it? @@BenandBrandi

[@AdventuresOfRogersAndHenderson]

Great video! Looks like a quite a ride!

[@BenandBrandi]

Thank you! Yes it was a great time with great people!! That’s what it’s all about! Hope you are a subscriber!!

[@WarthogOverland]

Subscribed - awesome video, awesome rigs 👍

[@BenandBrandi]

Thank you!! X3

[@DefiantOffroad]

Great video. I can't get over the incredible land that you all have access to in the west!

[@BenandBrandi]

For sure! BLM land is so awesome!

[@BenandBrandi]

Hope you subscribed! We will have a new episode every week!

[@desertadventures4221]

First time you channel! Good video

[@BenandBrandi]

Thank you!! Hope you watch more and tell your friends!! 😉🤙🏻

[@JEEPIMPACT]

Great video's

[@TrailExpedition]

Awesome video! Will be doing this trail in the next few weeks in my Rubicon Gladiator. You think my 2” lift, 37s, winch and skid plates can tackle it?

[@TealOxAdv]

Great video. I can definitely relate on the slips while recording and spotting. 😂

[@BenandBrandi]

Haha. Yeah it was pretty slick! Happy trails!

[@AdamuDNA]

I live in CO. Thought you were champs for the effort. Way to go!

[@prayerwarriorgodlovesusall8117]

Great channel 😇

[@desertdanblacksmith1394]

Up at Holy Cross City....there is a chute above a wagon trail....where the wagons were loaded with ore.....I used to pan for gold their below it......❤

[@One_Less_Thing]

It’s cool to see another Gobi JL Rubicon. Other than mine I have not seen another one. Nice rig.

[@desertdanblacksmith1394]

I need a badge of honor?......didnt know you got a badge each time 😂...I went up their a lot!

[@kayloradventure]

There's one more difficult ledge after French Creek. I hope you get better weather for the rest of the trails.

[@BenandBrandi]

Thank you! Hope you subscribed!

[@johnanthony6141]

In Colorado we always stay on the trail.

[@Trail429]

That’s one way to avoid the crowds

[@arecbarrwin6346]

"Attemp" 🤣. Nah for real though, looks like it was a blast!

[@BenandBrandi]

Bahaha! My wife was so upset when we found this after re watching! Then I was like hell with it, it will drive comments! Thanks for watching!

[@desertdanblacksmith1394]

I used to take people all the time up here back in the 70's and 80's.....old school rigs.....V--l Guides.....they were red colored if anyone interest d.....also used to take VIP up to top of mountain for Wine and Cheese parties picnics....lol

[@Chiefs_Adventures]

Excellent video, and it looks like a ton of fun! Great job to the camera operator for some awesome shoots! Absolutely jealous! Woukd love to be there!!

[@davesoc]

That's odd. I made it to the city June 24th, and there was zero snow right after French Creek. Pretty wild the trail got that much snow less than a week after, and we're almost in July.

[@sinepari9160]

Thats the thing about the high country, just just never know! It's also been a historically wet spring/summer.

[@Kilted-Jeeper]

Crazy weather and many memories made!

[@BenandBrandi]

Yeah! We were so surprised to be blocked by snow at the end of June! Thanks for watching!

[@richards144]

do you guys think this could be done on a Rubicon with the extreme recon package- 35" tires and about a 2" lift?

[@BenandBrandi]

For sure! Just don’t go when it’s wet! You will have a blast!

[@martyglapa359]

At about 3:28 minutes into the video, where the vehicle damage sign is, is that then end of the 1-way section (at about the 1.3 mile mark from the trailhead)?

[@BenandBrandi]

That sounds right..

[@rodneygrussling7559]

Loved the video, some beautiful country.

[@BenandBrandi]

Thank you!! We agree!

[@RM-kc6qk]

I always wondered how anyone got through trails like this with horses and wagon. Horse shoes slip on rock

[@BenandBrandi]

Exactly!

[@daveisnothere]

When the horses and wagons went up here this trail had not been eroded by thousands of 4-wheel drive adventurers yet and was not much rougher than a poorly maintained gravel road. I had been up this trail a few times in the early 80's and in my old 67 CJ5 I only really needed 4WD at French Creek and the obstacles past the city on the road to Cleveland Lake. In fact a few of us had been all the way to the city in 2WD when we first went up to the city in the late 70's, we used to do that for fun on many trails, just airing down and a rear locker can do wonders. haha Seeing the obstacles in the video so much has changed and the trail has become a lot more difficult even in the last 35+ years.

[@wibornz]

I have run Holy Cross. I know it is rated as the hardest badge trail, but I think that you will find as I have that it is not the hardest badge trail. It is the hardest one in Colorado, but I think you will find Pritchett Canyon, Cliffhanger, the Rubicon as harder trails. From my experience of running 55 badge trails.

[@BenandBrandi]

For sure. We did specifically say hardest badge trail in Colorado. FYI. 😉

[@wibornz]

@@BenandBrandi must have missed that. Great video. I am subscribed and My wife and I like the video and watching your Fins & Things now. I think it is awesome that the kids are included. Great adventure for them too.

[@BenandBrandi]

Thank you!!! We have traveled all over the country with them! If you get time go back and watch some of our older episodes from Colorado.. happy trails!

[@jeffrypresutti3139]

Looks like fun.

[@vincentmamotos9937]

this definetely needs alot of armor and recovery gear

[@callmebkn]

Just saw yall in montrose..

[@BenandBrandi]

Glad you stopped by the channel! Hope you follow our content. 👊🏻🇺🇸

[@t7image]

First time I’ve seen your channel. Great video. You have my sub.

[@BenandBrandi]

Love to see this!!! Thank you! Hope you comment on future videos!

[@bryantwhittaker6086]

Was there a diesel out there with y'all? If so, were there any "performance modifications" done to it? We have an EcoDiesel Wrangler and looking for a recommended delete kit/programmer.

[@BenandBrandi]

Yep. He had no issues! Not sure on the programmer or anything…

[@bryantwhittaker6086]

@BenandBrandi Awesome! Yea, we love ours, it's a torque monster

[@msg2myson1]

Campground septic run off........LOL.......you're funny Ben.

[@blakehartman3379]

Great video. That diesel Gladiator is sweet!

[@BenandBrandi]

Sounds like shit though! 😉

[@Pickleoffroad]

The hardest jeep badge of honor trail is gut buster at stony lonesome

[@BenandBrandi]

I have heard it’s a tough one. However we said the hardest in Colorado. 😉

[@Pickleoffroad]

@@BenandBrandi didn’t see that sorry

[@BenandBrandi]

@@Pickleoffroad no worries! I was just clarifying.

[@nnorris77]

Why does the gladiator whine so much?

[@BenandBrandi]

I think he said he has a leak at the turbo..

[@forresthughes1989]

You get more traction if you air Down tires

[@BenandBrandi]

Ofcourse. Tires have 12psi in this video I think..

[@spencerkunz]

@@BenandBrandi6-8 would have been better

[@jsimsgt96]

When did you do this trip?

[@BenandBrandi]

Last week! Still over the road now.

[@jsimsgt96]

@@BenandBrandi I’m heading there tomorrow. Hope there’s been some melt

[@BenandBrandi]

We cleaned tracks pretty good. I’m betting you can get through! Let us know! -Ben

[@jamesstark3892]

Cute trail. Lmao

[@141fire]

Who put the screaming goat in the gladiator

[@BenandBrandi]

😂

[@Marcus_is_the_rizzler123]

I saw you at a gas station today

[@BenandBrandi]

Glad you stopped by our channel! Hope you follow along…

[@URsooomad8613]

For a Jeep it's a "badge of honor trail", for a Toyota it's playtime😂

[@BenandBrandi]

Haha. We like all rigs! I’m definitely not a “jeep guy” by any means…

[@garrettwagoner726]

My dad had a sticker on his tacoma that said “jeep recovery vehicle” 😂😂 9 times out of 10 that was the case 🤣🤣

[@DonovanGoodwin]

Lol

[@Coolhansolo]

My SAS F-150 would eat that up. Not !! That rock was slippery !!

[@BenandBrandi]

For sure!! This trail was no joke in the rain and snow! Hope you subscribe!

[@jeeperp3926]

On that first difficult obstacle.. your friend didn’t have a better line, he’s just a better driver. You really need to work on some very basic crawling and off-reading techniques and skills.

[@BenandBrandi]

You have no idea what you’re talking about.. but continue. 😉

[@1badcj8]

First Holy Cross is a great trail... But way far from the hardest😂. The video is well done however, except for the music, I come on to watch cool people wheeling, not watch music videos. You guys' vids, while good, would be much better without the music. I just don't understand why so many folks think the music makes the video... its the people and more so the WHEELING 😊. I certainly wish I knew how to edit like, you guys though, it's very good, and I watch Tons of these...

[@BenandBrandi]

Well… thank you… a couple of things here… 1. We said holy cross is the hardest Jeep BADGE trail. It is. 2. Our videos have much better viewer retention when we HAVE music. We have tried without. There is a reason everyone does it. Thank you for watching I hope you continue to watch going forward!

[@1badcj8]

Ben you seem a bit defensive?!? None-the-less: 1. We said holy cross is the hardest Jeep BADGE trail. It is. Ah "Jeep BADGE" - Not something I've ever pursued in any way shape or form so I didnt catch that... 2. Our videos have much better viewer retention when we HAVE music. We have tried without. There is a reason everyone does it. Yep doing what everyone does is best. I figured some don't watch just for the joy of Wheeling and getting a brief fix by watching some vids 😀. I will give ya the cred of doing a little less than others, that is better. Thank you for watching I hope you continue to watch going forward! Yeah maybe, you are welcome. I hope you guys keep having fun and keep making vids.Again wish I could do vids like that, its a bunch of work. Did you and your wife go though a tutorial on how to do it? If so which one?

[@BenandBrandi]

Not defensive at all sometimes dialog gets lost in text! I just wanted to clarify things. We did not take any courses. Self learned. Thanks again!

[@joshswitzer3327]

Everyone made it the first try besides you

[@BenandBrandi]

That’s because they’re was only ONE first try. That was Me, after everyone saw I took the wrong line they went up a new route.. that’s the way it works. 😉

[@steveludwig4200]

5:35 - Just shows what a novice you are. You have to get TOWED over the rocks and next dude drives straight up no problem...

[@meepsalot9323]

You’re in Walmart

[@BenandBrandi]

Editing the next video! 😉

[@alec4699]

Misleading. Correction, there isn't a "hard" badge of honor trail. Its entirely for novices. Otherwise they wouldn't sell badges lol..... Its basically the stick on version of ducks that people put on the dash..... True badges of honor are rock rash, pin stripes, and carnage. Sorry not sorry Idk who was leading on the difficult section but don't let them bust your balls.. Its ALWAYS more difficult leading. People following will always have it easier because their aware of what's to come and they'll have confidence that you didn't.

[@BenandBrandi]

I see. Have you done Holy Cross? Because it is NOT a novice trail…

[@alec4699]

@@BenandBrandi I see what’s traversing it. It’s novice. Trucks and badly built jk’s with mass produced lifts kits designed for on road stability which lacks off road capability.

[@BenandBrandi]

Where not talking about rock bouncer trails.. we are talking about off-roading..

[@alec4699]

@@BenandBrandi yes off roading. Building with capability in mind doesn’t mean the assumption of a rock bouncer needs to be made. Coil springs designed with the free length and coil rate needed for off-road vs coils built stiff for stability on road exists.. heavy steel bumpers vs aluminum light weight bumpers exist. An over sized heavy tire installed on the very rear of the vehicle is hella novice. My TJR still has stock axles and factory wheel base but built with capability in mind. Street legal. With a lift designed for off-road. Weight kept in check. It all correlates. Do you know what manufacturer makes a coil spring designed for off-road?

[@marclampley851]

You obviously aren't from Colorado...... Get a rig and come back!!!!!!!!

[@jimt2316]

This is a fine example of how NOT to tread lightly. Videos like this ruin trails for folks that stay the trail.

[@BenandBrandi]

What to know about secret? Anyone driving a 4x4 vehicle off-road with big tires is not “treading lightly” people that say it often are just virtue signaling… if you really want to “tread lightly” sell your 4x4 rig, get some sandals and WALK… or are you all talk??

[@raypeery6317]

This kind of response is why your channel failed. Good riddance. @@BenandBrandi

[@BenandBrandi]

@@raypeery6317our channel failed? Funny.. I thought we were in the top 1% of KZbinrs… glad you stopped by to tell me we failed while you watch and engage with our content.. cool. Buhbye now.

[@raypeery6317]

Uh huh. Enjoy the pennies, you earned them. LOL@@BenandBrandi

[@BenandBrandi]

Enjoy tough talking your phone screen. 💪🏻

[@johnmahoney7876]

Badges what a joke like you're some badass four-wheelers or something😅😅😅

[@BenandBrandi]

Huh?