After receiving a record snowfall in the Southwest this past winter, we expected that most of the high elevation trails in Colorado would still be closed; however, we found out at the end of May that one of our favorites, Cinnamon Pass, had just opened. So, we decided to make a day trip to run it from our house in Grand Junction, and check out the towns of Ouray, Silverton, and the ghost town of Animas Forks on our way.
Typically, Cinnamon Pass is run as part of a longer trail ride from Ouray to Lake City, called the Alpine Loop, but since many of the other passes are still snowed in, we needed to travel a bit more pavement in order to access the trail. One of my husband’s mantras is “the mountains are calling, and we must go,” so we decided to take the big Bronco this time, just in case we ran into deeper snow. As we discovered, though, this trail will be fine with either the Bronco or the Bronco Sport.
Even the paved roads in this part of the world are sketchy
If you’ve never visited this corner of Colorado, you need to put it on your bucket list, as even the paved roads through the San Juan Mountains can be an adventure. The route from Ouray to Silverton over the Million Dollar highway can be a thrill –– or terrifying to those afraid of heights.
With multiple tight turns and limited guard rails due to the narrowness of the road, the driver cannot afford to be distracted by the gorgeous scenery. Legend states that this road, that was completed in 1883, was so terrible that people wouldn’t risk traveling over it again for a million dollars.
After passing through Ouray, we stopped briefly to check out the trailhead just above town that is the start of the Alpine Loop. We already knew Engineer Pass, which we would need to cross to get to Cinnamon, wasn’t open yet, so we just snapped a couple of pictures and continued on our way.
51 million ounces of silver created Silverton
We continued the Million Dollar highway climb over Red Mountain and came to the town of Silverton. This quaint little town got its name from the immense amount of silver that has been mined there since 1874, over 51 million ounces according to the Historic Marker Database. Add to that a couple of million ounces of gold, and you can see why miners tolerated extreme and remote conditions, all for the dream of striking it rich. Those miners are now gone, and the town mostly survives on tourism, with several shops and restaurants.
My great grandmother-in-law was one tough lady
Since we had our lunches packed from home, we didn’t stop in Silverton, but continued right through the town and followed the main road headed towards Animas Forks ghost town and the trail that would lead to Cinnamon Pass. It wasn’t long before the paved road transitioned to dirt and remnants of old mines and mining equipment appeared.
The road leading to Animas Forks could be considered an off-road trail in its own right. Tucked tightly along the rushing Animas River, the road was built in the late 1800s and is narrow and winding. Today, it had considerable snow along the route, making most portions of the road only a single lane wide. The drive is absolutely beautiful and after traveling around 12 miles, we made it to Animas Forks.
Like Silverton, this too was a mining town that in 1876 had a population of 450 people and had a hotel, saloon, and a general store. There are still several buildings remaining and you can spend an hour or so exploring among the ruins. Interestingly enough, my husband’s great-grandmother taught at the one room schoolhouse here over a hundred years ago, so this ghost town has even more of a personal story for me.
The Old Wagon Route to Cinnamon Pass hasn’t changed much in 150 years
Leaving Animas Forks –– at 11,200 ft. of elevation –– behind, we began climbing up the steep switchbacks above the town toward Cinnamon Pass. This is yet another road that was built in the 1870s to create a wagon route from the mining town of Silverton to Lake City.
The pass sits at 12,640 ft. of elevation, and the drive is both incredible and beautiful. Since the pass had only been open for three days, we encountered a fair amount of traffic, which creates a level of hyper-awareness on the single lane route. It is to be noted that uphill traffic has the right of way, but as no one really likes to back up on a narrow road for several hundred feet, we watched carefully and paused at a wide spot to allow a truck to descend.
Passing through cut walls of snow several feet higher than the Bronco, we made it to the windy top and stopped to have a friendly chat with a couple from Durango in their Jeep.
Check out Cinnamon Pass in the Bronco Trail App but be aware of trail conditions
Looking down the other side, the road continues on and down to the small town of Lake City. We turned around here due to time, but my husband Brian mentioned that the trail gets rougher on the way to Lake City and might be more challenging for a Bronco Sport.
As always, you should check trail conditions before driving the trail yourself. This trail is listed in the Bronco Trail App as “Cinnamon Pass, Wager Gulch” and is labeled as moderate, which we agree with. The section that we ran from Silverton to Cinnamon can be driven with all Broncos, but due to some loose rocks and small ledges, bash plates are recommended for the lower-clearance vehicles.
Another great day on the trail
Our return journey was uneventful, although interestingly enough, we quickly left the couple in the Jeep Rubicon behind, running very comfortably with our IFS on the rough trail. We retraced our steps, passed a few more adventurers, and stopped in Ouray for a quick hike to the waterfall, an early dinner at Maggies and a beer at Mr. Grumpy Pants, all highly enjoyed and highly recommended. It was another great day on the trail.
Have you run this trail in your Bronco? Let me know in the comments and share your thoughts on this or other trails in the area.
Comments
You must log in or register to post here.