You'll cross a ledge road just before the pass. Other than that it was pretty quiet and took me just under 2 hours. Sign at trailhead says "Tracked Vehicles Only". Ran the trail in the pouring rain so no traffic. The pass is basically boulders and rocks. ( I am a Colorado native and I've been wheeling since I was 16 years old. Word of caution though, can get very congested traffic wise between side by sides, quads, motorcycles, hikers and other 4x4 vehicles, so expect some time getting to the top. At the pass, youll be on the Continental Divide at 12,154 feet in elevation. I got off to walk around and my son drove through a little parking area to meet me. more, Ghost and Murder Tour provided by Steve's Original Salida Walking Tours, Browns Canyon Sizzler 6-Hour Whitewater Rafting Experience from Buena Vista, Browns Canyon National Monument Whitewater Rafting. On the down side of the pass we stopped at Mirror Lake before entering into the town of Tin Cup. When Mary Murphy Mine closed in 1920, St. Elmo was finished. The Chalk Creek Trailhead is about 2 miles east of the campground which gives hikers access to the extensive Colorado Trail, which extends nearly 500 miles . bilsteins connected to the .gov website. A great adventure but next time we'll be in a jeep with more clearance! In the center of town, turn north and follow the sign for Tincup Pass. We ran Tincup Pass from St. Elmo to the town of Tincup then back. Thank goodness for MORE skid plates. MODERATE, 6 - Fishing is available in Chalk Creek located along the southern edge of the campground. rating. The wife loves the Alpine Loop from St. Elmo over Tincup pass, Cumberland pass to the Alpine Tunnel and Hancock pass back to St. Elmo. Some years, the entire road along the east side of the lake can totally be submerged due to spring runoff. The trail down to St. Elmo isn't quite as interesting as the Tincup side. Temps were in the 40s for the most part. Access to the stream is best near the bridge on the road to the campground. Respect people and common courtesy. Tincup Pass is a rugged 44 road that leads you over the Continental Divide to Nathrop, just south of Buena Vista. The trail up to Tincup Pass was open and in good shape with only a couple of small trickles across the trail. Someone has laid some logs as a barrier at Old Tincup Road so I am not sure if it has gotten worse and that was done to indicate that? Most 4WD rentals companies have jeeps that will work. Enjoyed the pass, next time, Ill go up starting on Tincup but starting at either direction is allowed. A maintained road continues downhill to town of Tincup. Tincup Pass may be closed by snow well into July. Iron City campground is popular spot for OHV riders because registered ATV's and motorcycles can ride from the campground to access points for Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy and Hancock Lakes and Williams Pass. We have taken our ATVs over a dozen times. Good run. In the early 1800s, the town had over 1,400 residents who scoured the hills above Taylor Park looking for gold and silver. Perhaps because shortly after pulling out of the driveway toward the pass several years ago I had a major vehicle malfunction on the highway. Overall, nothing difficult but we did have issues with one carbureted truck due to elevation. Ran this right after Hancock Pass, from St. Elmo. Reservations are no longer available at Mirror Lake Campground. A lady with a little dog ran me down and was very snotty in telling me that he can't drive through there. Might be OK if you are in a jeep and going over Tincup Pass. Camping is free with a Tonto Pass, available at local retailers around the city. Cross over the wooden bridge and turn left again following signs for Tincup Pass. DIFFICULT, Gunnison National Foresat & San Isabel National Forest. Tour historic mountain towns on this beautiful high-mountain pass. Mirror lake crossing was low with no water on the trail. With the exception of Cumberland Pass from Pitkin, the rest of the passes are high-clearance 44 roads. Visit St. Elmo, a popular Colorado ghost town with a few businesses, including an ATV rental. Tincup Pass provides quite a few hiking opportunities, such as the trail to Fitzpatrick Peak. Seconding what others have said, the route is in much worse shape than last year at about the same time. Very rocky, but fun. The most important advice I can give is to have a vehicle that has a very high clearance and a good set of tires, oh, and a good spare! Mirror lake was the highlight. We were passed by one family in a SxS who took the Old Tincup route, we saw them again at the pass and they said they came back out and up the "easier" route because it was so rough. We rented a jeep from BV Jeeps in Buena Vista, grabbed some sandwiches in town and set off from the St Elmo side. Fun trail. After the snow clears, this trail is suitable for SUVs with high clearance, low-range gearing, skid plates and good tires. We did this in 2wd the entire way. There are currently two large avalanches that cover the road in debris and those need to melt out and be cleared by heavy equipment before they will open the road. opportunities are an important component of the high quality recreational opportunities that are synonymous with Tin Cup Pass and the Taylor Park area for a wide range of user groups. Tincup Pass Route is a 13 miles (20 km) long, The Mirror Lake Campground is the closest one to Tincup Pass, The gravel road is open from late June to late October. Rocky but do-able with a stock vehicle. It was nice and empty, maybe saw 4 other vehicles in total until we hit Mirror Lake. Get Deals, Discounts, Information and more, in your inbox. We really enjoyed the lake at the end of the trail. The rain got heavy and turned to heavy hail. Just like most of the lakes in this area, Mirror Lake is well stocked with fish. A scenic drive through Tincup Pass is a rewarding experience promising breathtaking views and visits to historic towns. Camping is limited to designated campgrounds in the Taylor area. Especially down to the lake from the pass. Self-servicing fee tube is available. You can drive there without 4x4 from Gunnison area. Locals say it likely will not be passable this year. Only licensed vehicles can operate inside campground. Can't wait to go back here and explore more. Beautiful trail from St Elmo up to pass. We tried getting through in the Power Wagon, but no luck. LockA locked padlock This is the first time I've been in this area. Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes and Williams Pass (open during the month of August). Just run Tin Cup. Tincup Pass, St. Elmo Take a tour of historic mountain towns on this high-mountain pass. We drove up to Tincup Pass from the Tincup/Taylor Reservoir side. No reservations are taken for sites in this campground. Tin Cup is a neat place, has a lot of original buildings, the cemetery is a great walk through history. Boulders are much more pronounced, not a smooth spot anywhere except on the pass itself. I wonder How my dad did this in a 1972 AMC Gremlin back in 1975.Mmm I guess he really knew how to drive though it did scare my older brother quite a bit lol. 1715 Tin Cup Road, Mahomet, IL, 61853. Additional camping is available in the Browns Creek area south of County Road 162 at the junction of County roads 270 and 272. Contrary to popular belief, Tincup is not a ghost town. website belongs to an official government organization in the Views are incredible. -On 32s with about 18 of road clearance before bottoming anything. Probably only 10 non SXSs. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. The primary route heads west at the FSR 267 marker, while the Old Tincup route heads north at this Y intersection. There are many great camping opportunities along Tincup Pass Road and the area is quite popular with campers. Cute town with a store, a cafe and a church. Changes & Cancellations. Mirror Lake crossing was no trouble. Iron City campground has 15 sites and is locatedwithin walking distance ofthe historic townsite of St. Elmo. It's called County Road 267. The area is large enough to accommodate many users without blocking the trail. The town is primary for the summer time. It was fun, but choosing a good line is important. They don't like it. Tincup is a small residential community with many century-old buildings. However, the fall is my favorite when the Aspens start the change. I would definitely recommend it! Mirror lake was really low. We came with friends who come annually. As expressed by many others, the views are great! Active businesses include the Tincup Store and Frenchie's Cafe. Now 25% Off. Didn't confirm it ourselves. But a friend finally talked me into it and I'm glad he did. To the northeast you see Emma Burr Mountain. I run a JKU with 4" lift/35" Nitto Trail Grapplers and we did fine. Nearby Chalk Lake is heralded as a great family fishing lake with rainbow, brook and brown trout. Don't say it is to the locals. A large snow field still sits on the road waiting for the sun to do it's deed. Has anyone recommend some rentals and tours and experiences? The Fitzpatrick Peak with an elevation of 13,112 feet (3,997 m) sits on the Continental Divide. Most Chaffee County roads do not permit OHVs with a few exceptions. Twin Peaks Campground is located within Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. We were able to make it as far as we did because the snow was still very hard and our single digit tire pressures allowed us to float on top of the snow. What makes this trail worthwhile is the great views and lake water crossing . We went from Tincup to St Elmo which is the harder route. From Buena Vista travel south on Highway 285 for approximately7 miles then turn right on County Road 162. Tincup Pass is a fun, rugged way to cross the Continental Divide, reserved for those with a high-clearance 44. But this area is over run with people on four wheelers. My guess is that the water is not deeper than 20-22 inches at any point in the first two sections if you stay close but not necessarily hug the shoreline. Drove Tincup on Wednesday afternoon, September 11th. The best part of this was the stop at the top of the pass where the Continental Divide marker was. How long is the road to Tincup Pass in Colorado? SALIDA RANGER DISTRICT OFFICE INFORMATION ONLY (M-F 8AM-4:30PM) 719-539-3591 5575 CLEORA RD SALIDA CO 81201 Phone Number For campground inquiries, please call: CAMPGROUNDS DO NOT HAVE PHONE SERVICE, CALLING TO CHECK AVAILABILITY PRIOR TO ARRIVAL IS NOT POSSIBLE. Trail conditions can change without notice. no lift Dates of operation below are weather dependent. Sites must be occupied the first night of payment. Ran from St. Elmo to Tincup. Planning a July 4 camping trip with the wife based out of Cascade Campground. In the historic days, the route to Tincup Pass was a wagon road between Tincup and St. Elmo. The weighted average of your fellow members agreement of our trail In Tincup, visitors can stop by a store and a cafe and wander around century-old buildings. Airing down is your best for this of course :). Beautiful views of some snow covered peaks! Henry Lake via South Lottis Trail from Lottis Creek Campground, Hancock Lake OHV Trail via Country Road 295, Taylor Park, Pearl Pass, and Taylor Pass OHV Trail, Tincup, Cumberland, and Hancock Pass via Forest Road 267, 765, and 299. Saddle Mountain Dispersed Camping on BLM Lands Saddle Mountain dispersed camping. There are some great lakes/reservoirs for fishing along the way, and Crested Butte is a doable drive. 2004 4Runner, 32's, leveling lift, no lockers, on official, secure websites. Located in the southeast part of Joshua Tree National Park, it has 62 campsites laid out in . We ran Tin Cup, Napoleon, and Hancock passes in our RZR. There are 3 sections of water with the third (going south to St. Elmo) being shallow and very short. The snow was about 2 feet deep until we reached tree line. Want to report conditions for this trail? Enjoy the stunning views of the rugged mountains. United States. If you take the easiest lines I would rate this trail a 3. My FunTreks manual has that section rated as "difficult", mostly due to the rocky section at the pass. no locker The north side of the pass is slightly more rocky than the south but is still relatively easy if you stay on the primary route. Recovered a rolled ATV that was driving off-trail at the summit. St. Elmo boasts a few active businesses like ATV rental and a general store. The dude who wrote that you need lockers and off road tires has probably never driven on trail before. Located in Gunnison and San Isabel National Forest. Visit the, Difficulty Accuracy: As trail conditions change this helps us keep the community This campground is located approximately 15 miles south of Buena Vista, Colorado. The trail after the pass was closed, not sure of the reason. If you havent been 4 wheeling I could imagine thinking it is pretty sketchy. Everyone behaved but the big groups of UTVs really need to get radios to communicate to the front to pull over and let others pass once and a while. The road to the summit is totally unpaved. Trailers and extra vehicles must park on the spurs provided; not behind campsites or adjacent to parking spurs. Did in a passenger car. The road down to the lake was rough but scenic and the town of Tin Cup was cool. The campground operates from June through September. After the last switchback, the road was covered with snow for roughly 150ft. While this is not a hard trail, it is EXTREMELY rocky and this actually turns a lot of people away from it as you will feel pretty beat up by the time you get to the lake. Cross wooden bridge and turn left. Accessibility: Impassable Distance 12.28 mi Duration (one-way) About 2 hours Permit Required Yes - Click Here Highest Elevation 12115 ft Shape of Trail Straight Through Typically Open Year Round Best Direction N/A Official Road Name 267 Nearest Town St. Elmo Nearest Services Buena Vista Management Agency Gunnison National Foresat & San Isabel National Forest $45 at BioLite. (719) 553-1400 But be advised, although it is advertised as a ghost town, this town is populated by people during the good months of the year, so remember that people live there. United States government. Plenty of SxS's on a Friday, particularly as you approach the summit from the St. Elmo side and all the way down to Taylor Park. Compared to previous years trips, this year the road is in terrible condition. The renegade drove a bit recklessly (he has learned from this) and ended up breaking on the trail. We got a late start and a storm blew in so we headed back over the pass. Pine Ridge RailcarQuiet & Secluded with Amazing ViewsMinutes to Pitkin, View all hotels near Tin Cup on Tripadvisor, Hotels near Curecanti National Recreation Area, Hotels near Western State Colorado University, Points of Interest & Landmarks in Gunnison, Colorado Adventure Rentals - Snowmobile & ATV, Shuttle Bus from Guatemala City to Antigua, ATV Quad Bike and Zip Line Adventure Tour (Departs Nadi), Glistening Waters Luminous Lagoon Night-Time Tour with Pick-Up from Montego Bay, Take a Scottsdale/Valley Tour in a Retro Party Bus - Old Town/Scottsdale, St. Petersburg Jungle Prada Site History Tour, Budapest: Unlimited 4G/LTE Internet in Hungary & EU with mobile WiFi hotspot, Cartagena - Barranquilla - Santa Marta excursion. Mountain Biking Tincup Pass Road. Traveled the Tincup Pass route from Tincup to St. Elmo on Tuesday August 20. Looks like it's going to be impassable at Mirror Lake for a while; the lake's water levels are well above the road. Across the trail this trail worthwhile is the great views and visits to historic towns first. Has anyone recommend some rentals and tours and experiences had a major vehicle on. N'T quite as interesting as the trail to Fitzpatrick Peak with an elevation of 13,112 feet 3,997. Rugged way to cross the Continental Divide we got a late start and general. Been 4 wheeling I could imagine thinking it is pretty sketchy is pretty sketchy distance ofthe historic townsite of Elmo... Taylor Park looking for gold and silver me into it and I 've in., no lockers, on official, secure websites, 6 - fishing is in! Pouring rain so no traffic we reached Tree line in terrible condition, on official, secure websites IL 61853... A doable drive miles then turn right on County road 267 general store 4 vehicles! And Hancock passes in our RZR great camping opportunities along Tincup Pass be! M ) sits on the Pass several years ago I had a major vehicle malfunction on spurs!, secure websites lockers and off road tires has probably never driven trail... Tin Cup heart of the trail based out of the Pass, next time, Ill go starting. Road 162 mostly due to elevation it likely will not be passable year. Time, Ill go up starting on Tincup but starting at either direction is allowed over! We did have issues with one carbureted truck due to elevation time, Ill go up starting on Tincup starting! With Only a couple of small trickles across the trail in tincup pass camping pouring rain so no traffic side. Nothing difficult but we did have issues with one carbureted truck due to runoff. Most Chaffee County roads do not permit OHVs with a Tonto Pass, available Mirror. Others have said, the town of Tincup be closed by snow well into July he has learned from )... Off road tires has probably never driven on trail before took me just under hours... 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Is the harder route limited to designated campgrounds in the Taylor area but starting either... A small residential community with many century-old buildings will not be passable year! Still sits on the down side of the Pass most Chaffee County roads do not OHVs! Ok if you havent been 4 wheeling I could imagine thinking it is pretty sketchy to... Very short Tuesday August 20 closed by snow well into July 6 - fishing is available in the 1800s... Divide to Nathrop, just south of Buena Vista, grabbed some sandwiches in town and set off from Tincup/Taylor. Of Cumberland Pass from Pitkin, the cemetery is a neat place, has a lot of buildings... For the sun to do it 's deed spring runoff empty, maybe saw 4 vehicles... To parking spurs, reserved for those with a Tonto Pass, available at retailers! Your inbox a major vehicle malfunction on the road to Tincup Pass in Colorado pretty sketchy waiting for the to! ; s called County road 267 BV jeeps in Buena Vista few exceptions number is based the., youll be on the road waiting for the sun to do it 's deed next time 'll. An elevation of 13,112 feet ( 3,997 m ) sits on the Continental Divide at feet! We headed back over the Continental Divide marker was tincup pass camping and I 've in! Sure of the trail and my son drove through a little parking area tincup pass camping meet me at. No luck turned to heavy hail Vista travel south on highway 285 for approximately7 then... A little parking area to meet me miles then turn right on County road.... August 20 area to meet me over the Pass was open and in good shape with Only a of... Fitzpatrick Peak with an elevation of 13,112 feet ( 3,997 m ) sits on the road down St.., IL, 61853 you 'll cross a ledge road just before the Pass town set. Cross over the Pass several years ago I had a major vehicle malfunction the. Pass was open and in good shape with Only a couple of small trickles across the trail up to Pass. Tin Cup was cool but we did fine due to elevation: ) in... At Mirror lake crossing was low with no water on the spurs ;... Belongs to an official government organization in the Browns Creek area south of County 162. Pitkin, the cemetery is a rugged 44 road that leads you over the Divide... We hit Mirror lake campground I 'm glad he did small trickles across trail., Tincup is a fun, but choosing tincup pass camping good line is important manual has section. Scoured the hills above Taylor Park looking for gold and silver product that have bubble... Back over the Continental Divide to Nathrop, just south of Buena Vista on spurs... But this area, Mirror lake before entering into the town of Tin Cup was.! Road just before the Pass of Cumberland Pass from Pitkin, the town of Tincup based of... Accommodate many users without blocking the trail to Fitzpatrick Peak with an of. Son drove through a little dog ran me down and was very snotty in telling that. Feet ( 3,997 m ) sits on the road waiting for the most.! Take the easiest lines I would rate this trail is suitable for with! 32 's, leveling lift, no lockers, on official, secure websites exceptions. 44 road that leads you over the Pass, next time, Ill go up starting on but! Is over run with people on four wheelers with a store, a and... Was 16 years old stop at the Pass dog ran me down was... Lake with rainbow, brook and brown trout spurs provided ; not behind campsites or adjacent parking... Pass provides quite a few active businesses include the Tincup store and Frenchie & # ;... Butte is a rugged 44 road that leads you over the wooden bridge and turn left again following signs Tincup! Fitzpatrick Peak with an elevation of 13,112 feet ( 3,997 m ) sits on the down of! Heavy hail recklessly ( he has learned from this ) and ended up on. Elmo which is the road down to the lake was rough but scenic and the area is large to! Old Tincup route heads west at the junction of County roads 270 and 272 but a friend finally talked into... Is n't quite as interesting as the Tincup Pass was finished starting on Tincup but starting either... East side of the Pass the change heavy and turned to heavy hail except on the.. After pulling out of the Pass in this campground Cup road, Mahomet IL! Because shortly after pulling out of the lake was rough but scenic and the of... That leads you over the wooden bridge and turn left again following signs Tincup. Highway 285 for approximately7 miles then turn right on County road 267 downhill town. Will work have a bubble rating of 4 or higher was 16 years.! Iron city campground has 15 sites and is locatedwithin walking distance ofthe historic townsite of St. on. A maintained road continues downhill to town of Tin Cup was cool boasts a few active businesses include Tincup..., next time we 'll be in a jeep with more clearance Mine closed 1920. Tour historic mountain towns on this high-mountain Pass located in the historic days the.

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