Driving the high-altitude road to Cumbres Pass in Colorado
Usa, north-america
75.8 km
3,057 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, folks, buckle up for Cumbres Pass! This beauty sits way up high in southern Colorado, near the New Mexico line, clocking in at a cool 10,029 feet. You'll find it snuggled in the Rio Grande National Forest, south of La Manga Pass.
"Cumbres" means "crest" in Spanish, which is fitting because you'll definitely feel on top of the world! The road, known as Colorado State Highway 17 (SH 17), stretches for about 47 miles between Antonito, Colorado, and Chama, New Mexico. The road first opened in 1879 as a toll road. It was improved and reopened in 1923.
Get ready for some climbs, though! The steepest part hits almost 13%, and the approaches are around 6% on the north side and 4% on the south.
Cumbres Pass is usually open year-round (yay!), but keep an eye on the weather in winter. It can get snowy up there, leading to temporary closures. Still, it's rare for it to be shut down for long.
Where is it?
Driving the high-altitude road to Cumbres Pass in Colorado is located in Usa (north-america). Coordinates: 39.9034, -97.9525
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 75.8 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,057 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 39.9034, -97.9525
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