
How To Travel The Beaver Creek Road
Usa, north-america
14 km
3,686 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, adventure seekers, listen up! If you're cruising around Park County, Colorado, and you've got a hankering for some serious off-the-beaten-path action, you HAVE to check out County Road 655, a.k.a. Beaver Creek Road.
Nestled high in the Rockies, this isn't your average Sunday drive. We're talking a solid 8.7 miles of unpaved glory, so ditch the sedan and bring your 4x4. Seriously. Also, be aware that this area is marked as private property, so respect the signs!
You can usually only get up here in the summer. We are talking late June/July territory for snow-free conditions.
Starting near Alma, the highest incorporated town in North America, you'll climb to the Beaver Creek Iron Mine at a whopping 12,093 feet. The views? Absolutely insane. It's a pretty steep climb of around 1,700 feet over those 8-ish miles, so prepare for some serious uphill.
And if you're feeling extra adventurous, there's a little gravel road north of Beaver Ridge that'll take you even higher to about 12,424 feet! Just remember this is a high altitude drive, so be prepared. Enjoy the views!
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 14 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,686 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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