mk.dunbar

Trail time: 1-3 hours
This trail is fairly easy though you spend a lot of time on a shelf road. The road is usually narrow so if you have to pass someone it could be difficult and dangerous. The trail connects Telluride and Silverton and is very scenic. The Black Bear Pass and Imogene Pass trail runs will return from Teluride over Ophir Pass. Ophir Pass is also a good choice to make a loop to Teluride with Last Dollar Road.

Our trip through the alpine loop was 70 miles through some of Colorado's most beautiful countryside. Scenic vistas, mountain passes, clear flowing streams, and varied wildlife are abundant along this route and every corner will reveal a new surprise. The trail came to prominence in the late 1800's when miners came in search of silver, gold, and ore. Needing a way to transport supplies and minerals via horse cart, they cut large paths through the mountains from Silverton to Lake City and finally to Ouray Coloarado. In many places signs of the mining rush still exist, from old bridges to buildings and even equipment that was left in place to rot away. Today these tracks are largely used by bikes and four-wheel drives and include some favorites like Cinnamon and Engineer Pass.
Though many parts of this loop are fast well maintained forest roads, there are sections which require low range and careful driving. Above all the roads are narrow and taking even a moment to look away can spell disaster.
Flora and fauna can range drastically in the alpine environment and it is all beautiful. Conifer, pine, and deciduous trees, wildflowers, shrubs, mushrooms, mosses, and lichens all have a strong presence in the area. Fauna include many species of bird, fish, goat, large cat, and of course bears. Caution should be used when camping along the loop to avoid attracting large predators. Be sure to contact local park rangers for more information on what to do around bears and large cats.
This track is not passable during many portions of the year and we recommend going from mid June up until the first snow of the year.. Always contact the local forest service for current road conditions and do not attempt if freezing conditions or snow are present on the trail.

This is approximately a 100 mile loop which can be done in a full day. A more leisurely two day trip is recommended which gives the opportunity to try some of the impressive camp grounds. Although a lot of the track can be done in a conventional 2WD, certain sections require high clearance 4WD, especially the steep gradients and switchbacks.
We chose to join the White Rim Road via Potash Road from Moab which allowed us to both climb and descend the very impressive Shafer Switchbacks.
An entrance fee of $10 applies to all vehicles and camping fees also apply.