From Silverton, head east on Highway 110 for about 7 miles and turn off right at the Middleton public toilet County Road 23. As it quickly deadends leaving you confused, you'll want to follow a left up a slope at the trail's beginning. You'll reach a shelf road at about 1.5 miles where you'll see an amazing waterfall to your right. Keep an eye out for muskrat and other critters as well as wildflowers. As you continue driving the road worsens and just about at the end is a fork in the road where you'll head left to continue on to the abandoned mine site, a relatively small parking area and lunch spot for your group. You'll find possibly a number of ruts, holes, a tiny bit of mud, some rocky spots. Again, a stock vehicle should handle this just fine. Head back the way you came. The trail takes roughly 1 hour or more if you want to stop and take photos.
Trail Story by Michael Shimniok
I was out exploring in Troubled Child on Monday of the 1999 Recon Mission after having met Art in Silverton. He pointed me towards Maggie Gulch. They say you should never four-wheel alone and I generally agree, but I was careful, extremely well-equipped for survival, and my truck was quite capable as well. I still don't recommend it. After a detour along Arrastra Gulch, I headed on to Maggie which ended up being a super scenic drive with trees, aspens, huge gulches, a waterfall, alpine scenery and lots of little furry critters.
Towards the end it got kind of scary (remember I was alone, no one to tow me out) with all the mud and huge ruts and holes. But TC made it through just fine even though I gave 'im a pounding to avoid getting stuck. Roy's welding job held up great and the shackles didn't stick anymore! At the end of the trail is a great view back, but also lots of old steel from a mining operation of some kind. A small area where you can turn around in might fit a half-dozen or more FSJs if they're parked carefully--I was imagining the 2002 invasion in which the trail leader would have to arrive and direct each person into a tight parking spot... anyway...
So I headed back in a lot quicker time than it took to get up (fewer pictures) and was back in Silverton in no time.
Sources
Jeep Trails to Colorado Ghost Towns, Robert L. Brown
Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails, Charles A. Wells.
The 4X4 Trail Book-Number 1, Colorado Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc.
Troubled Child on Maggie
Gulch, photo by Michael Shimniok