Columbine Lake Trail

Ophir Pass Road is a point-to-point trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Ophir, Colorado.

Black Bear Pass (el. 12,840’), officially known as Forest Service Road 648, is an infamous 4WD road that runs between U.S. Highway 550 (between Silverton & Ouray) and Telluride, CO. From the pass downhill through the Ingram Basin to Telluride, the road is one-way and features switchbacks and the notorious “Steps” with several hundred meters of drop-off on either side. If driving, you *must*...

The road to Clear Lake offers wonderful views of the South Fork Mineral Creek, and the San Juan Mountains. Some people make the 9-mile round-trip hike with 2,600 feet of elevation gain, others drive as far as their vehicle will allow and hike from there, and some make the drive all the way up. It is not really a technical drive, but it is not for the faint of heart, and it does require a high-c...

Red Mountain Pass is the site of an historic silver mining boom from 1882 to 1893. During that time, over 10,000 people lived at over 11,000 feet! Today, it's turned into a backcountry ski and snowboard touring destination.  If you are coming from the North, you'll pass through the gorgeous box-canyon town of Ouray, CO. From the south, you'll pass through Silverton, CO. This section from Ouray ...

From the Ice Lakes trailhead begin hiking through a meadow that quickly enters the forest and begins to climb. The trail will climb ~1,600 feet in the next two miles. As the trail climbs there is a scenic waterfall just over .5 miles, it is worth it to scamper up for a closer look (at ~1.0 miles there you can get a nice vantage point from the top of the same falls). After the waterfall, the tra...

Just north of Silverton, CO, lies the South Mineral Valley which is reachable down a well maintained, and paved dirt road and ends in the South Mineral Campground. The hike starts out with a sweat generating 1500+ feet of gain over its first two miles. However, there are numerous spots to stop and cool off with near constant mist from a sizable waterfall that will be to your right for much of ...