Red Mountain Pass

Total Miles
9.2

Elevation

3,697.84 ft

Duration

2.5 Hours

Technical Rating

4

Moderate

Best Time

Fall, Summer

Trail Overview

Red Mountain Pass is an easy Jeep trail that combines a lot of old mining structures with great alpine scenery. The trail connects with Highway 550 about in the middle, so can be divided into two sections. The northern section is viewable from the Red Mountain Mining History Viewpoint on Highway 550. There are numerous ruins for exploration. One of the most visited is the Yankee Girl headframe shown to the right. It is unusual as it has a 1,200' vertical shaft under the headframe. There are numerous other structures in various stages of decomposition. The Longfellow Mine is located near where the northern section intersects US 550. Old ore cars are visible below the structures along US 550. The southern portion of the trail is much different than the northern. It is mostly above the timberline and offers great views of the surrounding area. There are only a few mines in the area.

Photos of Red Mountain Pass

Red Mountain Pass
Red Mountain Pass

Difficulty

Uneven, rutted dirt trail with loose rocks, sand, erosion, and washes. Potential water crossings up to a foot deep, mud holes, and obstacles up to 18", including ledges and short, steep grades. Roads are typically one vehicle wide with places to pass.

Technical Rating

4

Status Reports

Jim Wooldridge
Jul 15, 2024
2016 Jeep Wrangler
Open
Normal
Clear trail and only a few others on the route.
Scott Cooper
Jul 03, 2024
2023 Ford Bronco
Open
Normal
Trail is open and the views are unbelievable.
Jules Palyo
Jun 30, 2024
2011 Jeep Wrangler
Open
Normal
The trail was blocked by snow. We were able to break through with some shoveling and winching. Unfortunately some people chose to go off trail around the obstruction (one even as we dug through the snow) even though it was clearly marked. Hopefully we helped to prevent others from going off trail.
Phillip Masters
Jun 26, 2024
2001 GMC Yukon XL
Obstructed
There are a couple large rocks placed in the middle of the road at the south end of the north half. This is just north of where Black Bear Road meets up with 550. That said, the north half is impassible, it sure about the south half.

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