Alpine Loop 4WD Scenic Byway
The Alpine Loop Back Country Byway is a 65-mile BLM-designated 4WD scenic route traversing the heart of the San Juan Mountains in Hinsdale and Ouray counties, connecting the historic mining communities of Lake City, Ouray, and Silverton across three high mountain passes and through the ruins of the Colorado silver mining era. The loop crosses Engineer Pass (12,800 feet) between Lake City and Ouray, Cinnamon Pass (12,620 feet) between Lake City and Silverton, and passes through the ghost town of Animas Forks, a remarkably well-preserved high-altitude mining settlement at 11,200 feet that operated as an active silver camp through the 1880s and 1890s. The Alpine Loop is Colorado's premier high-alpine 4WD destination and one of the most photographed off-road routes in North America: the route crosses above treeline for miles at a stretch, traverses the exposed tundra and talus slopes of the San Juan high country, and provides 360-degree views of the 14,000-foot peaks that surround the route on all sides including Wetterhorn Peak, Uncompahgre Peak, and the Sneffels Range. The terrain demands genuine 4WD capability, not all-wheel-drive or crossovers, but dedicated 4x4 vehicles with low range; the rocky shelf roads on the pass climbs and the water crossings in American Basin and Picayne Gulch require real clearance and traction. ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes, and full-size 4x4s are all accommodated on the byway. Colorado OHV registration is required. Dispersed camping is available throughout the BLM and national forest land. BLM Gunnison Field Office (970-641-0471) manages the byway; Lake City and Silverton each have full visitor services, lodging, fuel, and trailhead parking for trailered rigs.