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

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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

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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
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See also

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Notes

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References

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  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.
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37°58′32″N 107°35′04″W / 37.9756°N 107.5845°W / 37.9756; -107.5845 (Engineer Pass, Colorado, USA)