Buffalo Pass

Total Miles
7.6

Technical Rating

Easy

Best Time

Summer, Fall

Trail Type

Full-Width Road

Accessible By

Trail Overview

Conveniently located just outside of Steamboat Springs, this is a comfortable ride with great hiking, mountain biking, fishing and camping options. Unlicensed vehicles are allowed on all roads, as well as the single-track south from the pass. The trail is shared with mountain bikers and hikers, and horseback riders so please be respectful. Higher roads open July 1 through December 1, and extended for snowmobiles.

Photos of Buffalo Pass

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Difficulty

Easy. Gentle grades and relatively smooth conditions. Four-wheel drive helpful, but not necessary when road is dry. Early-season conditions may be muddy from melting snow.

History

This road was once an important route between Steamboat Springs and Walden. It now serves as a quiet backcountry getaway to Forest owers. Service campgrounds and

Technical Rating

Status Reports

Buff pass leaving from steamboat is an easy gravel road until it isn’t. Still an easy trail as long as you have decent tires and some clearance. Shard rocks and imbedded boulders make for some technical fun but aren’t anything impassable or dangerous. Once you get to the top it’s an easy maintained gravel road back down the other side. Expect more traffic on the way down since it’s the easiest way to the campgrounds. Passed some heavy equipment grading the road early in the trail.

There was a bit of construction. Other than that it was fine

Prentice Hubbell

Jun 20, 2025

2022 Mercedes Sprinter

Temporarily Closed

Gate closed. Road up is dry and rocky.

Gate closed after a few miles into trails

Buffalo Pass can be accessed by the following ride types:

High-Clearance 4x4
SUV
SxS (60")
ATV (50")
Dirt Bike

Access Description

From Highway 40 in downtown Steamboat Springs, turn northeast on 3rd Street. Go one block and turn right on Fish Creek Falls Road. After 0.3 mile, turn left on Amethyst Drive. Follow this winding road north 1.7 miles until it joins Strawberrry Park Road, C.R. 36. Continue north less than a mile and turn right on County Road 38. Continue east another 3.3 miles to second parking lot on right across from entrance to Dry Lake Campground. Unlicensed vehicles can stage here.

Buffalo Pass Map

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