Bolam Pass in Colorado: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide
Usa, north-america
17.7 km
3,487 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, adventurers, let's talk Bolam Pass in Colorado! This beauty tops out at a cool 11,440 feet, straddling Dolores and San Juan counties deep in the San Juan National Forest.
You'll cruise along Forest Service Road 578 (aka Hermosa Park Road or Bolam Pass Road), but be warned: it's all unpaved. The first 11 miles? A breeze. After that, hold on tight! It gets seriously bumpy, with shallow water crossings and a real "two trails in one" vibe. Think 4WD low, high clearance, and tires that can take a beating.
Heads up: winter slams the door shut, usually from late October to late June/early July. Summer's your best bet, but even then, be ready for anything the mountain throws your way.
Bolam Pass connects US 550 (south of Silverton) to State Highway 145 (north of Rico), and it's a shortcut from Durango (near Hermosa) to Telluride.
But the views? Totally worth it. You'll be surrounded by stunning scenery and relics of Colorado's mining past. This is remote, wild Colorado at its finest, and supposedly one of the best single-track adventures you can find.
Where is it?
Bolam Pass in Colorado: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide is located in Usa (north-america). Coordinates: 36.3959, -95.0934
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 17.7 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,487 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 36.3959, -95.0934
Related Roads in north-america
moderateTake the Scenic Route and Discover Morgan Summit in CA
🇺🇸 Usa
Okay, road trip enthusiasts, buckle up for Morgan Summit! This gem sits high in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California, clocking in at a cool 5,764 feet. You'll find it smack-dab in Tehama County, and it's entirely paved – smooth sailing! Now, here's the thing: this road, shared by Highway 89 and another road you might want to research, is a twisty-turny paradise. Think 140 miles of pure driving bliss, demanding your complete and undivided attention. Keep an eye out for trucks hauling trailers. The 29.1-mile stretch runs from Mineral to Chester (right on Lake Almanor!) and marks the highest point on California Route 36. Expect stunning scenery, but also be aware: some spots have serious drop-offs without guardrails, plus blind curves that will test your skills. Cell service is spotty (if existent at all), so download those maps ahead of time! While the pass is usually open year-round, winter can bring closures due to the weather. So, maybe skip it right after a downpour or at night. When the sun's shining and the roads are clear, though, Morgan Summit is a drive you won't soon forget. Get ready for an adventure!
hardWhere is Gibbons Pass?
🇺🇸 Usa
Okay, folks, buckle up for Gibbons Pass! This stunner sits way up high in southwest Montana, right on the border between Beaverhead and Ravalli counties, chillin' within the Bitterroot National Forest. We're talking 6,975 feet above sea level, smack-dab on the North American Continental Divide. History buffs, listen up: Lewis and Clark took a piece of their return trip right through here. The road itself? It's the Bitterroot-Big Hole Road (Forest Road 106), and it's a wild one. Think steep, winding, and narrow... with not a whole lot of room to pull over. Definitely not the place for RVs or anything bigger than 25 feet, trailers, or cars that sit low to the ground. But the views? Absolutely worth the white-knuckle drive. Just take it slow and soak it all in!
moderateSylvan Pass in Wyoming: A Paved Gateway Through Yellowstone NP
🇺🇸 Usa
Okay, road trip lovers, listen up! I've got a gem for you: Sylvan Pass in Wyoming. We're talking serious altitude here – 8,553 feet (2,607m) to be exact! You'll find it straddling Teton and Park counties, nestled in the northern part of the state. This beauty, named after the nearby Sylvan Lake, snakes through the Absaroka Mountains. US 16, a fully paved road, is your path to glory, first carved out way back in 1914. Get ready for a 77.8-mile (125km) adventure stretching from Lake Village to Cody. Don’t think you’ll be alone out there; this is a popular route with around 1,200 vehicles a day making the trek. Heads up, though: avalanche danger is a real thing here! Perched high on Yellowstone National Park’s east side, Sylvan Pass is a seasonal treat. Regular vehicles are a no-go from early November to late April. But for a unique winter experience, commercially-guided snowmobiles and snowcoaches get the green light from mid-December to mid-March. The park never sleeps, so feel free to drive in and out anytime once the Pass opens. Just a friendly reminder that Yellowstone has five entrances spread far apart, and closures can happen, so check road conditions before you go!
hardCanoe Mountain is a truly outstanding SUV adventure in Canada
🇨🇦 Canada
Okay, buckle up, adventure junkies! We're heading to Canoe Mountain in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, home to some seriously epic views and one heck of a climb! This isn't your Sunday drive – at 2,628m (8,622ft), it's one of Canada's highest roads! Nestled in the Monashee Range, this is off-road heaven. Canoe Mountain Road is a rugged, unpaved path leading to a CBC TV tower at the very top, which, FYI, is supposedly the highest vehicle-accessible launch spot in the country. Picture yourself at the edge of the world! Summer is your window of opportunity, and you absolutely need a 4x4 or ATV to conquer this beast. The road's seen better days, so expect slow and steady progress. We're talking narrow stretches, hairpin turns, lots of loose gravel, and some seriously steep climbs near the summit. Starting from BC-5 Highway, it's a 12.60 km (7.83 mi) trek to the top, with a whopping 1,809 meters of elevation gain! That's an average gradient of 14.35%, so hold on tight! Being the northernmost peak of the Monashees pays off big time with panoramic views in every direction. Get ready for mind-blowing vistas of Kinbasket Lake and surrounding landscapes. Plus, at the summit, you'll find a memorial to Daniel Cantin. Get your camera ready - you won't want to miss this!