Slumgullion Pass to Lake City — Hinsdale County Alpine Loop Connector via Spring Creek
San Juan high country above 11,000 feet.
Slumgullion Pass at 11,530 feet sits on Colorado Highway 149 above Lake City — but the real driving happens when you leave the pavement and drop into the Spring Creek drainage toward the Alpine Loop network. The Slumgullion Earthflow, a 700-year-old landslide that dammed Lake San Cristobal and is still moving at about 20 feet per year, is visible from the pass and is one of the stranger geological facts you’ll encounter on any overland trip in the lower 48. From the pass, FR 788 and associated tracks connect into the Alpine Loop system toward Engineer Pass and Cinnamon Pass — giving you a high-altitude connector that avoids Ouray entirely if that’s the objective. The surrounding terrain is classic San Juan: tight willowed valleys, above-treeline exposure, and residual mine tailings from the silver boom that gutted these mountains in the 1880s.
A stock high-clearance 4WD handles the lower Spring Creek sections; the upper connectors toward Engineer Pass demand a proper short-wheelbase rig with lockers in wet or snow conditions. Season runs July through mid-September — snowfall above 11,000 feet is possible any month. No permit required but the San Juan National Forest MVUM is essential navigation. Lake City is the last reliable fuel and food stop before committing to the Loop. Cell service is nonexistent above the valley floor. This is a serious high-altitude day run or overnight loop for drivers who already know the San Juans.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Rock |
| Features | Camping, High Altitude, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 18 mi / 29 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 12400 ft |
| Best season | July-September |
| Minimum vehicle | Short-wheelbase 4WD with lockers |
| Nearest town | Lake City, Colorado |
| Land manager | USDA Forest Service — Gunnison National Forest |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | USFS Gunnison NF — Alpine Loop BLM Alpine Loop Scenic Byway |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Jeep Wrangler or 4Runner handle this trail, or do I need lockers?
A stock short-wheelbase 4WD with lockers is the minimum — this is not a trail for open-diff rigs or long-wheelbase trucks. The Spring Creek section has loose rock, off-camber shelf road, and ledges that will punish anything without real low-range and traction control or lockers. A lifted Wrangler or Tacoma with a locker is comfortable; a stock 4Runner without a rear locker is a gamble you'll regret above 12,000 feet.
When does this trail actually open after winter, and is it rideable into October?
July through September is the reliable window — snowpack above 12,000 feet can linger into late June and the road gets soft and rutted during spring melt. October is a coin flip: early October can be fine, but early snowstorms close this route fast and without warning. Check current conditions with the USFS Gunnison National Forest office before you go.
Do I need a permit to drive this trail or camp along it?
No permit is required to drive the trail. Dispersed camping on Gunnison National Forest land is free and allowed with no reservation, but you must camp 100 feet from water, roads, and trails per Leave No Trace and forest regs. No fee station, no campfire permit required at this time, but check the USFS Gunnison NF site for any fire restrictions active during your dates — they change seasonally.
What's the hardest section and what should I actually expect?
The Spring Creek drainage section is where this trail earns its difficulty rating — loose shale, embedded boulders, narrow shelf road with significant drop-offs, and no bailout if you stuff a tire. At 12,400 feet the air is thin, your engine loses power, and a recovery takes twice as long. Go slow, pick your lines before you commit, and do not attempt it if afternoon thunderstorms are already building — lightning exposure up here is serious.
How far is it to the nearest gas station, and is there any cell service on the route?
Lake City is your last fuel stop — there are no services between the trailhead and town, and the nearest backup option is Gunnison roughly 55 miles away. Expect zero cell service for the entire 18-mile route; this is a dead zone. Carry a satellite communicator — a Garmin inReach or SPOT is not optional on a trail this remote at this elevation.
Trail track
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