Red Mountain Pass

Total Miles
9.2

Elevation

3,697.84 ft

Duration

2.5 Hours

Technical Rating

4

Moderate

Best Time

Fall, Summer

Trail Overview

Red Mountain Pass is an easy Jeep trail that combines a lot of old mining structures with great alpine scenery. The trail connects with Highway 550 about in the middle, so can be divided into two sections. The northern section is viewable from the Red Mountain Mining History Viewpoint on Highway 550. There are numerous ruins for exploration. One of the most visited is the Yankee Girl headframe shown to the right. It is unusual as it has a 1,200' vertical shaft under the headframe. There are numerous other structures in various stages of decomposition. The Longfellow Mine is located near where the northern section intersects US 550. Old ore cars are visible below the structures along US 550. The southern portion of the trail is much different than the northern. It is mostly above the timberline and offers great views of the surrounding area. There are only a few mines in the area.

Photos of Red Mountain Pass

Red Mountain Pass
Red Mountain Pass

Difficulty

Uneven, rutted dirt trail with loose rocks, sand, erosion, and washes. Potential water crossings up to a foot deep, mud holes, and obstacles up to 18", including ledges and short, steep grades. Roads are typically one vehicle wide with places to pass.

Technical Rating

4

Status Reports

Kenny G
Sep 03, 2024
2021 Jeep Gladiator
Open
Very cool trail that's easy and full of scenery and old mines. Did this S to N. You can combine it with Corkscrew, California, Cinnamon. Started at 9am in Silverton and, was in Lake City at 6pm. Spent 2 hours walking around old mines.
Greg Markel
Aug 22, 2024
2008 Toyota 4Runner
Open
Normal
Muddy/Wet
Jim Wooldridge
Jul 15, 2024
2016 Jeep Wrangler
Open
Normal
Clear trail and only a few others on the route.
Scott Cooper
Jul 03, 2024
2023 Ford Bronco
Open
Normal
Trail is open and the views are unbelievable.

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