Alpine Loop Back Country Byway

The Alpine Loop Back Country Byway is a rugged 63-mile (101 km) Back Country Byway and Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway located in the high San Juan Mountains of Hindale, Ouray, and San Juan counties, Colorado, USA. The byway connects the mountain towns of Lake City, Ouray, and Silverton. The route ranges in elevation from (a mere) 7,792 feet (2,375 m) in Ouray to 12,800 feet (3,901 m) at Engineer Pass. The byway features high mountain passes, alpine tundra, beautiful mountain meadows, ghost towns, and relics of the silver mining era. While the meadows and tundra are accessible to ordinary passenger vehicles, a high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle is required to travel the entire route.

Alpine Loop Back Country Byway

Route information
Maintained by CDOT
Length63 mi[1][2] (101 km)
Existed1989–present
Major junctions
West end US 550 at Ouray or Silverton
East end SH 149 Lake City
Location
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
CountiesHindale, Ouray, and San Juan
Highway system
  • Colorado State Highway System
Wilderness near the Alpine Loop. (Wildhorse Peak on the left)

The Silverton Historic District and the Shenandoah-Dives (Mayflower) Mill are National Historic Landmarks. The Alpine Loop connects with the San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway at Ouray and Silverton.

Route

The Alpine Loop is generally considered to begin and end at Lake City. From there the route commonly followed is west over Cinnamon Pass or Engineer Pass to Animas Forks, and then returning east back to Lake City. The clockwise circuit starting with Cinnamon Pass generally puts the vehicle on the inside "lane" of the mountainous portions with the driver on the outside, providing a better view of the relative position of the vehicle and the outer edge of the road at the top of the drop-off. [3] The counter-clockwise direction is preferable for less powerful 4-wheel drive vehicles that may have a difficult time ascending steep sections on the western portion of Engineer Pass.

Major intersections
CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
HinsdaleLake City0.000.00
 SH 149 north		Zero milepost
​ FH 14
​
 SH 149 south		Becomes FH 30 west
​ FH 33
​ FH 33
​Camp Redcloud
​Castle Lakes Campground
​ FH 36
​ FH 35
​ FH 12
​
 FH 5 west		Becomes FH 5 west
San Juan​
 FH 2 south		Becomes FH 2 north
​ FH 18
​ FH 17
​
 FH 2 west		Becomes an unmarked road
Hinsdale​
 FH 21 south		Becomes FH 21 north
​
 FH 21 north		Becomes FH 20X east
​
 FH 20 west		Becomes FH 20 east
​ FH 24
​ FH 23
​ SH 149
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

Notes

    References
    1. "Alpine Loop". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
    2. "Alpine Loop". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
    3. "The Alpine Loop" (PDF). United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2015.

    37.9756°N 107.5845°W / 37.9756; -107.5845 (Engineer Pass, Colorado, USA)

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