Gunsight Pass

Gunsight Pass

Gunsight Pass
Gunsight Pass

Distance

9.0 mi

Technical Rating

3 Easy

Best Time

Summer, Fall

Trail Type

High-Clearance 4x4 Trail

Accessible By

Trail Overview

This is a great Jeep trail close to Crested Butte. The actual name of the trail is Gunsight Pass, but since access to the pass is no longer allowed I renamed it. The first thing you see after leaving Paradise Divide Road is piles of coal left behind from the Smith Hill Mine which operated from 1884 to 1929. The Crested Butte Land Trust and the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety are working to revegetate and stabilize the site. As you reach the treeline you will climb an interesting set of switchbacks. Not at all difficult. When you come to the fork in the track, stay low and to the right. It will not be long before you view the Redwell Basin. Head back down by climbing up through the Daisy Mine. This alternate route is a bit narrower but no more difficult. There is one multi-point switchback in the mine area that makes Black Bear Pass switchbacks look easy. Very sharp, but there is enough room to make it. A spotter helps.

Weather

Status Reports

Andrew Flanyak
Sep 26, 2024
4x4
Open
Roughly the same amount of time going up as it took to go down. Stock 2022 Colorado ZR2, less than 1.2 hours each way including time for a few stops and air down (which was required for comfort aspects). Running OEM Wrangler tires (265/65/R17) aired down to 20 psi and it seemed to work well. The only questionable parts were in the last quarter of the drive where I came somewhat close to max breakover and then one part where there is a push out from run off that would make things tight for full size truck
B Stacks Stacks
Jul 30, 2024
SxS
Open
Normal
All the obstructions had been clear. Took about 1.5 hours to get to top. Rocky and bumpy but doable in side by side.
Matthew Dewar
Jul 10, 2024
2018 Toyota Tacoma
Obstructed
Downed Tree
Deep water crossing at the beginning that is impassable if you don’t have a high clearance vehicle. Trail is not kept up and becoming overgrown and impassible for anything like a Tacoma. We ended up turning around just a little ways in
Nathan Luce
Aug 18, 2023
4x4
Permanently Closed
Posted Private Property
Officially Closed Sign