Red Cone Road to Webster Pass — South Park High Country Circuit via Handcart Gulch
Colorado's highest drivable summit. No room for mistakes.
Red Cone at 12,801 feet is Colorado’s highest legally drivable point — a volcanic summit cone with zero guard rails and a shelf road that narrows to one lane of exposed rubble above a thousand-foot drop into Handcart Gulch. It earns its reputation. The circuit pairs Red Cone with Webster Pass to the south, linking the two via Handcart Gulch Road from the ghost town of Webster on the Snake River Valley side back to the South Park flats near Jefferson. The terrain is pure above-timberline volcanic wasteland: loose red scree, off-camber ledge rock, and summit exposure that will make inexperienced drivers rethink their life choices. The descent into Handcart Gulch on the east face of Red Cone is the crux — steep, loose, no room to meet oncoming traffic, and exactly the kind of line that separates a well-set-up rig from one wearing street-biased tires.
Experienced drivers with properly equipped rigs only. Lockers front and rear are strongly recommended. The shelf sections on Red Cone are genuinely dangerous for stock vehicles or drivers without mountain shelf-road experience. Snow can fall at any month at this elevation — July through early September is the safe window. No permit required but the road is managed by Park and Summit Counties; check conditions locally. Fuel at Fairplay before entry. No water on route. Dispersed camping available in the surrounding Pike National Forest below timberline.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Expert |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Dirt, Mixed, Rock |
| Features | High Altitude, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 18 mi / 29 km |
| Duration | 1 day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 12801 ft |
| Best season | July-September |
| Minimum vehicle | Highly modified 4WD with lockers |
| Nearest town | Fairplay, Colorado |
| Land manager | Pike National Forest / Park County |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | fs.usda.gov |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner run Red Cone and Webster Pass?
No. This circuit genuinely requires a highly modified rig — lockers front and rear, high clearance, and skid plates. Stock trucks have been recovered and damaged here. Red Cone's loose volcanic shelf and Webster's rocky switchbacks will punish anything that isn't purpose-built.
When does this route actually open, and is snow a real concern?
July through September is the reliable window. Red Cone sits at 12,801 feet and holds snow well into June — sometimes July. Early-season attempts often end in a turn-around or a recovery. Check current conditions with Pike National Forest before you leave Fairplay.
Do I need a permit or pass to run this circuit?
No permit is required to drive the trail itself. It runs through Pike National Forest on public land managed by Park County. If you camp overnight in dispersed sites along the route, standard Leave No Trace rules apply — no fee, no reservation, 14-day stay limit.
What's the hardest section and what makes it genuinely dangerous?
Red Cone's summit approach is the crux — a narrow shelf road on loose volcanic scree with near-vertical exposure on the downhill side and no room to pass or turn around mid-section. A tire slip or mechanical failure here has serious consequences. Descend Webster Pass with the same respect; the rocky switchbacks demand controlled, low-speed lines the whole way down.
Is there any cell service on this circuit, and how far is the nearest fuel and help?
Cell service is zero for the entire 18 miles — plan accordingly and carry comms (sat communicator minimum). Fairplay is your last stop for fuel, food, and any forgotten gear; it's roughly 10–15 miles from the trailhead. The nearest recovery services are also in Fairplay, so go self-sufficient or don't go.
Trail track
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