Where is Williams Pass in Colorado?

Okay, picture this: you're just outside the ghost town of Hancock, Colorado, smack-dab on the Chaffee/Gunnison county line, bordering San Isabel and Gunnison National Forests. You're about to tackle Williams Pass, a crazy high mountain pass topping out at 11,788 feet!

This isn't your average Sunday drive, folks. We're talking a five-mile stretch of pure, unadulterated, unpaved Jeep trail, called Williams Pass Jeep Trail (NFST #298). Think rocky, narrow, and if it's been raining? Mud bogs galore! This bumpy ride, following an old 1880s toll road through an alpine meadow, is seriously challenging, especially when you get squeezed tight amongst the trees and shrubs.

Starting from Alpine Tunnel National Forest System Road #839 (NFSR) and climbing north to the Continental Divide onto NFSR #295, you'll be hitting some steep sections with gradients up to 8%. High-clearance 4x4 vehicles are a must. Seriously, don't even think about it otherwise.

Here's the catch: Williams Pass is only open for a few weeks each year, usually in August (if the weather plays nice). After being closed for a whopping 12 years, it reopened in '97, but even then, some years it just doesn't open at all. So, check the conditions before you go, or you might find yourself seriously bummed!