Last Dollar Pass is one of Colorado's best back-country roads

Okay, picture this: Last Dollar Pass, perched way up in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, at a cool 10,676 feet. This isn't your average Sunday drive; it’s a 22-mile dirt road adventure (#638, if you're mapping it) snaking between CO-62 and CO-145.

Back in the 1800s, this was the supply route for miners, but now it's a seriously scenic alternative to the highway between Ridgway and Telluride.

Now, a regular car *can* handle it when it's dry, but after a downpour, things get muddy, and 4WD is your friend. Ideally, you want a high-clearance vehicle for this one. Allow two to three hours to soak it all in — there's hardly any traffic to rush you.

But hey, keep an eye on the sky! Don't even THINK about tackling this road in bad weather. It's usually open from June to September when things are dry.

The views? Epic. Think massive aspen groves (hello, fall foliage!), wildflowers popping in early summer, and jagged peaks like the Wilson Range and the Sneffels Range dominating the horizon. Keep your eyes peeled for deer, elk, and maybe even a bear! Fun fact: this is where they filmed the opening and closing scenes of John Wayne's "True Grit"!