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970.325.4484 | info@soajeep.com

ALPINE LOOP

12,800 feet / Approx 10 hours / advanced

Alpine Loop – Colorado Scenic Byway & Jeep Tour
This tour is no longer offered.  Information here is strictly for planning purpose.  

The Alpine Loop is designated as one of Colorado’s official Scenic Byways, and for good reason.

Crossing the heart of the San Juan Mountains, this Jeep tour ascends over two renowned high-altitude passes (Cinnamon and Engineer Pass), and crosses some of the most pristine wilderness offered throughout the Southwest. Additionally, the Alpine Loop tours adventurers through seven different ghost towns. Once prosperous mining towns, these now abandoned ghost towns provide you a glimpse into history and what it was like to live and mine for wealth in the mountains of Colorado over one hundred years ago.

Highlights

  • Official Scenic Byway
  • High-altitude passes
  • Pristine Wilderness
  • Ghost Towns
  • Mining History
  • 90+ miles
  • 10-hour experience

Due to the length of this trip we are no longer offering this tour.

This page remains for information purpose only.

If you do plan to drive the Alpine Loop we highly recommend you plan to overnight in Lake City.  By planning an over night (which requires a two day rental) you will have a much more enjoyable experience vs driving for 10+ hours without getting out and enjoying the scenery, and after all aren’t you here to enjoy the mountains.  

  • Champion Mine Headquarters

    Photo by James R. Burke

  • Cinnamon Pass

    Photo by Kathryn R. Burke
  • Fall Color Cinnamon Pass

    Fall Cinnamon Pass

  • alpine-loop-topo

    Arial View

  • animas-forks-silverton

    Town of Animas

  • fall-animas-forks-silverton

    Animas Valley October

Trip Details & Logistics

The Alpine Loop 4X4 Scenic Byway

Depart from Ouray, Colorado. Experience the renowned Alpine Loop over some of the San Juan Mountain’s highest and most magnificent mountain scenery.  Summit Engineer and Cinnamon Passes at elevations nearing 13,000 feet. See the mining relics of the San Juan Chief, Mickey Breene and Capitol City. Look for alpine wildflowers, wildlife and the crystal waters of Lake San Cristobal. Tour several ghost towns and historic districts connecting Ouray, Lake City and Silverton. Please plan on a 10+ hour experience as the entire Scenic Byway is approximately 100 miles long.

“Absolutely our favorite experience in Ouray! Top notch customer service and great equipment. This was our Rocky Mountain high for sure!”

M. Hadley, Grapevine, TX