Colorado is home to quite a few high-elevation rides, but few of them come to close to the splendour of the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway. While the name might suggest a peaceful drive in the countryside, it is anything but. The route takes riders through the rugged San Juan Mountains, using rocky mining roads from the 19th century. It’s a journey back in time, to when Colorado was a rowdy mix of pioneers and entrepreneurs, and miners trying to make a quick buck off the natural riches beneath these mountains. This trip is for experienced riders who are comfortable on rough, isolated roads.
Planning Your Ride on the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway The Alpine Loop Scenic Byway starts in Ouray and crosses Engineer Pass on its way to Lake City. It then turns southward around Redcloud Peak to cross the Continental Divide again at Cinnamon Pass before descending to the historic town of Silverton. It takes around six hours to cover the 70-mile route, which has numerous ascents and descents of up to 3,000 feet.
Engineer Pass, at an elevation of nearly 13,000 feet, is a photo-op waiting to happen. The road narrows, and overlooks a sheer drop to the creek below. It’s imperative to take this section slow, especially if a rainstorm has hit recently and the road is washed away or very muddy. Cinnamon Pass should be treated with a similar level of caution.
The road is not passable during the winter, and the best time to ride it is between June and October, before the first snow of the season. As this is a fairly isolated stretch of road, it’s important to come prepared: have an understanding of basic motorcycle repair, and carry enough food and water to last overnight if needed.
Fuel This Alpine Scenic Loop Byway is short enough at seventy miles, so it’s unlikely you’ll need to fuel up during the ride. Buy gas in Ouray before starting out, but if for some reason you do need more, Lake City has fuel. It can be a good stopping point if you need a break before tackling the second half of the route.
Accommodations and Food The Alpine Loop can easily be done in one day, so it’s unlikely you’ll need overnight accommodations during the ride. But if you want to get off the bike and hike around a while, Lake City is really the only viable stopping point. It’s also one of the only places to get food and water. Both Ouray and Silverton have excellent dining options and numerous hotels for before and after the ride. You’ll most likely be coming from Denver, and it would be a good idea to plan on staying a night in each so you have a full day to do the Alpine Loop.
Sights A third of the way into the ride is the ghost town of Capitol City, an abandoned mining town founded in 1877. There are a few log-framed buildings including a post office, a couple of houses, and a brick kiln, and it’s a good spot to stretch your legs. The ghost town of Animas Forks has a similar charm, and can be found on the second half of the route after Lake City.
You’ll definitely want to spend some time at the top of each of the two passes to take in the views of the 14,000-foot peaks around you. It’s amazing to see these landscapes that look the same now as they did to the explorers who came through over 150 years ago. However, the road can get crowded during the summer, so move your bike as far to the side of the road as is possible.
Photo Credit: Robert Thigpen /CC BY Photo Credit: PDTillman /CC BY Photo Credit: Prime Real Estate /CC BY
Featured Image Photo Credit: A.L. Szalanski on Wikimedia Commons /CC BY
