Dare to drive the challenging Camp Bird Road -County Road 361- in Colorado

Camp Bird Road, southwest of Ouray, Colorado, is a stunner, a real feast for the eyes—if you're not afraid of heights! This unpaved beauty, also known as County Road 361, stretches for just over 5 miles from Ouray (right off the Million Dollar Highway) up towards the old Camp Bird gold mine. Ouray itself is a cool, historic mining town, and Camp Bird was one of the richest gold mines around back in the day.

**Heads up:** As of May 2025, the road is closed beyond 3.5 miles from Highway 550 due to a massive rockslide near the Hilfiker wall. Seriously, huge boulders came down and did some damage. They're working on repairs, but it's gonna take a while—at least six weeks, maybe longer. Keep an eye out for updates before you head that way!

Normally, Camp Bird Road is a popular backcountry route in the summer, giving you access to Yankee Boy Basin, Imogene Pass, and even a route down to Telluride. Be warned, though: it's exposed and can get super icy, so watch out for avalanche danger.

This road has history! Otto Mears built it back in 1883 as a toll road to service the mines. Don't expect a smooth ride. The higher you climb, the more "interesting" it gets! It starts as a graded dirt road, becomes a bumpy shelf road, and eventually turns into a moderate 4WD trail with some steep, rutted sections. If you have a low-clearance 2WD vehicle, just don't. It's also narrow at the top, so passing other cars can be a nightmare.

High-clearance 4WD vehicles are best, but anything with good clearance will probably be fine in good weather. Expect a rough surface; you might encounter mud and sand, but nothing too crazy.

The road tops out at a whopping 9,842 feet above sea level, with some sections boasting a 16% gradient! The total elevation gain is almost 2,000 feet over just 5 miles, so it's a pretty steep climb.