Alpine Loop Colorado from Lake City

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Lake City Colorado

   Lake City is the sort of village that never quite got the memo about the twenty-first century. Tucked into a high valley of the San Juan Mountains at around 8,600 feet, it has about 370 residents, a short main street of wooden false fronts, a handful of cafes and a county courthouse that serves one of the emptiest counties in Colorado. It was a silver-mining town in the 1870s, and the mines lasted just long enough to leave behind a pretty centre and a ring of ghost towns. The nearest bigger place is Gunnison, and the closest for fuel is in the village itself, so check your tank before heading into the backcountry.

   Read the complete Lake City Colorado write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Lake City Colorado is where the day begins. Next is Engineer Pass.

2. 2. Engineer Pass

   Engineer Pass is a gravel road, which matters, because up here the word gravel means rock, ruts, shale, creek crossings and exposure. At nearly 3,900 metres it is the highest point on the Alpine Loop, the long dirt circuit that links Ouray, Silverton and Lake City through the heart of the San Juan Mountains, and it is a proper high-country dual-sport ride. This is no place for a heavy tourer or an inexperienced rider on a road bike. A light adventure bike with good tyres, a competent rider and a sensible start time make it a different story.

   Read the complete Engineer Pass write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Engineer Pass comes up about 30 km into the recorded legs. Nothing on this route is higher. Next is Animas Forks, mostly downhill.

3. 3. Animas Forks

   Animas Forks is a ghost town that looks as though the residents stepped out an hour ago and forgot to come back. At about 3,400 metres it sits in a high basin where several creeks meet to form the upper Animas River, ringed by steep slopes, and a scatter of weathered wooden buildings still stands among the grass and wildflowers. The Duncan House, with its bay window and painted trim, is the most photographed, and the old jail and the remains of the Gold Prince mill can be seen nearby.

   Read the complete Animas Forks write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 39 km into the recorded legs you reach Animas Forks. Next is Cinnamon Pass.

4. 4. Cinnamon Pass

   Cinnamon Pass is the friendlier of the two high passes on the Alpine Loop, though friendly is relative at 3,852 metres on a dirt road. It links Lake City with Animas Forks over the shoulder of the San Juans, and its name is supposedly from the cinnamon-coloured rock of the slopes, which glow rust and orange in the right light. The summit is a broad, open saddle with a marker, a wide view of ragged peaks, and usually a few jeeps, a few motorcyclists and a few marmots arguing over the best rock.

   Read the complete Cinnamon Pass write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Cinnamon Pass, late in the day at 3852 m. Next is Lake City Colorado, mostly downhill.

5. 5. Lake City Colorado

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Lake City Colorado write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Lake City Colorado. That is the ride.