Note that we did not start at Barlow Pass, but continued down to the bypass trail less than a mile beyond the Barlow Pass TH. We had mountain bikes and I'd read that this route is easier on bikes. I don't know if that is true or not, I think it doubled the elevation gain and made it a little longer. The notes for trees down and overgrown trail are only relevant to this section.
The Barlow Pass TH was PACKED when we drove by in the early afternoon (Sunday). No one was parked at the gated road for the bypass trail. We chose this route due to the river crossings with bikes and children sounding more difficult, plus more foot traffic. I second guess this now because the bypass had some short, steep climbs, started at a lower elevation (requiring more uphill travel), had 3 large trees down, and some sections were so overgrown we had to go quite slow. But the downhill parts were enjoyable, and the forest was pretty. Ripe thimbleberries, but the blueberries were a bit tart still. We joined the main Monte Cristo trail 2 miles from the townsite. Had to walk bikes over a riverbed but otherwise it was nice terrain with a wide trail.
There is a bike rack at the townsite, so we left our steeds to explore on foot. I really enjoyed the old photos posted around, it shows how resilient the forest is. It has almost swallowed the old town right back up into nature. We checked out the ore concentrator then headed back towards the bikes. It was hotter than expected, but most of the trail we were on was shady.
The ride back was much easier, but wished we had brought more water. Saw lots of backpackers on their way out, but overall not as many people as expected for how many cars were parked along the road.
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