A memorable road trip to Bear Lake in Huerfano County
Usa, north-america
8.36 km
3,202 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, so you're looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure? Check out Bear Lake in Colorado's Huerfano County! This alpine gem sits way up high at 10,505 feet in the San Isabel National Forest.
Heads up: you'll NEED a 4x4 to get there. County Road 422 (aka FSR422) is a totally unpaved, rugged climb. Starting from the paved CO-12, it's about 5.2 miles to the top, which sits at a lofty 10,636 feet.
When to go? Aim for late June or July through October, because snow usually blocks the road the rest of the year. Trust me, the views of the Culebra Mountain Range are worth the trip. The road is STEEP, too, with some sections hitting an 11% grade. In those 5.2 miles, you'll climb over 1200 feet! It's an average gradient of 4.52%, so prepare for a slow and steady crawl to the top.
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 8.36 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,202 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
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