Mosquito Pass

This high alpine pass offers some of Colorado’s most dramatic mountain scenery, with views of 14ers stretching in every direction. The road is rough and rocky, requiring high-clearance 4WD, but the payoff is massive — you’re literally driving above treeline through some of the most spectacular terrain in the Rockies. Expect crowds on summer weekends, and afternoon thunderstorms can roll in fast up here.

The pass is typically accessible June through September, weather permitting. Snow can linger well into summer on the north-facing slopes, and the road becomes impassable in winter. No services or facilities at the pass itself — just raw alpine beauty and thin air that’ll leave you winded.

Colorado's highest driveable pass at 13,186 feet