Cinnamon Pass Road

At 12,640 feet, Cinnamon Pass sits as one of Colorado’s highest vehicular passes, connecting Lake City with Silverton through some of the San Juan Mountains’ most unforgiving terrain. This 19-mile shelf road follows the old mining routes past the ruins of Carson City, where silver miners once braved these same alpine conditions year-round. The pass itself is a narrow saddle with thousand-foot dropoffs, and the descent toward Animas Forks tests both nerve and brakes on loose switchbacks carved into near-vertical mountainsides.

This is serious high-altitude driving that demands experience and preparation. Stock high-clearance 4WD is the minimum, but the thin air, sudden weather changes, and exposure make this expert territory. Only attempt between July and September when snow clears — and carry chains even then. No services exist between towns, so fuel up and pack emergency gear. The payoff is pure Colorado mining history and alpine scenery that’ll leave you speechless, assuming the altitude doesn’t beat you to it.