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The GazetteJanuary 20, 2019 | updated 8 years ago
10. Trail Ridge Road - This popular tourist destination takes drivers atop the Continental Divide, which separates west-flowing and east-flowing rivers. The drive itself is picturesque and not particularly challenging. It makes this list because of its popularity. It’s heavily traveled by inexperienced tourists, who end up driving in the middle of the road. You’ll also experience RVs struggling to crawl up the inclines. (Courtesy Photo by National Parks Service)
These are our picks for Colorado’s 10 most challenging drives with a big assist from former UCCS athletic director Stephen Kirkham, who’s driven all of them many times.
10. Trail Ridge Road – This popular tourist destination takes drivers atop the Continental Divide, which separates west-flowing and east-flowing rivers. The drive itself is picturesque and not particularly challenging. It makes this list because of its popularity. It’s heavily traveled by inexperienced tourists, who end up driving in the middle of the road. You’ll also experience RVs struggling to crawl up the inclines. (Courtesy Photo by National Parks Service)9. Douglas Pass – While Douglas Pass isn’t particularly high (8,268 feet) or steep, it is built into a shale mountainside that makes for frequent lane blockages and erosion of the shoulders. It’s heavily used by truckers because it’s by far the most expeditious route north from Grand Junction. The narrow lanes, heavy use and erosion make for unexpected surprises. (Courtesy Photo)8. Pikes Peak Highway – On this road you’ll ascend above the timberline and, on many days, above the clouds themselves. From atop the peak, you’ll witness the wide, magnificent vista that inspired Katherine Lee Bates to write ‘America the Beautiful.’ A new visitor center is planned, but in the meantime the existing rustic structure has a charm of its own – and some pretty awesome donuts! (Michael Ciaglo, Gazette File Photo)7. Phantom Canyon Road – Connecting Highway 50 near Florence to Cripple Creek/Victor, Phantom Canyon Road is one of southern Colorado’s most popular drives. The narrow roadway winds through the scenic canyon making use of rough-hewn, one-way tunnels, narrow gaps gouged through the mountainside and a distinctive curved bridge. (Courtesy Photo)6. Independence Pass – Connecting Aspen and Twin Lakes, Independence Pass is named after prospectors who formed a town of the same name after defying Gov. Frederick Walter Pitkin’s order not to cross to the west of the Continental Divide. Now a ghost town, some remnants of the settlement can still be seen. The pass is closed during the winter and is a single lane in some places. (Courtesy Photo, Daniel Case via Wikipedia)5. Oh-My-Gosh Road – This 8½-mile road gets its name from being a two-way road that is only about 1¾ cars wide. It features steep grades, no guardrails and washed-away shoulders. Beyond those shoulders are steep cliffs. The road connects Idaho Springs and Central City. (Courtesy Photo, dangerousroads.com)4. Million Dollar Highway – Built in the late 1880s, this part of the San Juan Skyway is listed among the most spectacular drives in the world by dangerousroads.org.”From Durango, through Silverton and Ouray, to Ridgway, the highway delivers jaw-dropping vista after vista,” the website reads. The Million Dollar Highway also includes a pass that happens to be our No. 1 most challenging drive. (Courtesy Photo)3. Old Fall River Road – Built by convicts and opened in 1920, Old Fall River Road is a steep, unpaved path from Horseshoe Park in Rocky Mountain National Park to Fall River Pass. You’ll take Trail Ridge Road back down because Fall River Road is one-way. As you drive it, you’ll see why. It’s rarely wider than 14 feet and features hairpin turns so tight that larger cars will have to maneuver back-and-forth to finish the turn. Its 15 MPH posted speed limit is about as fast as you’ll want to go. (Courtesy Photo, National Parks Service.)2. Shelf Road – A popular destination for experienced rock climbers, Shelf Road is carved out of the side of a cliff and connects Canon City to Cripple Creek/Victor. It’s a two-way road that is just over a single vehicle wide in many places. As a result, one of the two vehicles must back up to a spot wide enough for the two to crawl past each other. You’ll be close enough to shake hands with the other driver. (Courtesy Photo, U.S. Bureau of Land Management)1. Red Mountain Pass – This pass in southwest Colorado connects Silverton to Ouray and reaches an elevation of 11,018 feet. There are no guardrails as the roadway is too narrow in most places to accommodate them. There is no shoulder and inches from the edge of the pavement is a sheer drop-off of hundreds of feet. If a truck comes in the opposite direction, there will be just inches between you and it. (Courtesy Photo, The Durango Herald)
