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Mountain Passes in Colorado

84 mountain passes in Colorado with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Grand County has the most (9). The darkest skies are at Stony Pass (Bortle 1).

Top mountain passes

Independence PassMountain Pass
Independence PassLake County · 3,689 m
Loveland PassMountain Pass
Loveland PassSummit County · 3,656 m
Molas PassMountain Pass
Molas PassSan Juan County · 3,326 m
Berthoud PassMountain Pass
Berthoud PassClear Creek County · 3,452 m
Coal Bank PassMountain Pass
Coal Bank PassSan Juan County · 3,234 m
Wilkerson PassMountain Pass
Wilkerson PassPark County · 2,897 m
Red Mountain PassMountain Pass
Red Mountain PassOuray County · 3,383 m
McClure PassMountain Pass
McClure PassGunnison County · 2,680 m
Ute PassMountain Pass
Ute PassTeller County · 2,800 m
Mosca PassMountain Pass
Mosca PassAlamosa County · 2,968 m
Rabbit Ears PassMountain Pass
Rabbit Ears PassJackson County · 2,874 m
Trout Creek PassMountain Pass
Trout Creek PassChaffee County · 2,895 m

Mountain Passes by county

All mountain passes (84)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Independence PassLake County3,689 mAspen2
Loveland PassSummit County3,656 mKeystone3
Molas PassSan Juan County3,326 mTelluride1
Berthoud PassClear Creek County3,452 mGeorgetown3
Coal Bank PassSan Juan County3,234 mTelluride1
Wilkerson PassPark County2,897 mWoodland Park3
Red Mountain PassOuray County3,383 mTelluride1
McClure PassGunnison County2,680 mCarbondale2
Ute PassTeller County2,800 mWoodland Park4
Mosca PassGreat Sand DunesAlamosa County2,968 mAlamosa East2
Rabbit Ears PassJackson County2,874 mSteamboat Springs2
Trout Creek PassChaffee County2,895 mBuena Vista3
Fall River PassRocky MountainLarimer County3,585 mEstes Park3
La Poudre PassRocky MountainGrand County3,104 mEstes Park3
Milner PassRocky MountainGrand County3,279 mEstes Park3
Monarch PassChaffee County3,446 mSalida2
Vail PassSummit County3,236 mFrisco3
Searle PassSummit County3,668 mBreckenridge3
Cumberland PassGunnison County3,668 mBuena Vista2
Carnero PassSaguache County3,100 mDel Norte2
Original Monarch PassChaffee County3,515 mSalida2
Dunckley PassRio Blanco County2,977 mHayden2
Poncha PassChaffee County2,751 mSalida2
Willow Creek PassGrand County2,944 mGranby3
Wolf Creek PassMineral County3,299 mPagosa Springs1
Douglas PassGarfield County2,501 mLoma1
Guanella PassClear Creek County3,554 mGeorgetown4
Hoosier PassSummit County3,515 mBreckenridge3
Imogene PassOuray County3,998 mTelluride1
Lizard Head PassSan Miguel County3,123 mMountain Village1
Marshall PassSaguache County3,317 mSalida2
Mosquito PassLake County4,017 mLeadville3
Cordova PassLas Animas County3,432 mWalsenburg1
Cottonwood PassChaffee County3,694 mBuena Vista2
Cameron PassRocky MountainLarimer County3,124 mEstes Park3
Cochetopa PassSaguache County3,109 mGunnison2
Hancock PassChaffee County3,722 mBuena Vista2
Pass Creek PassCostilla County2,859 mWalsenburg2
Ripple Creek PassGarfield County3,157 mHayden2
Red Hill PassPark County3,042 mBreckenridge3
Sangre de Cristo PassCostilla County2,886 mWalsenburg2
Slumgullion PassHinsdale County3,462 mOuray1
Spring Creek PassHinsdale County3,319 mOuray1
Yellowjacket PassArchuleta County2,373 mBayfield2
Shrine PassSummit County3,379 mFrisco3
Buffalo PassRoutt County3,138 mSteamboat Springs3
Gore PassGrand County2,907 mKremmling2
Hagerman PassPitkin County3,639 mLeadville North2
Kebler PassGunnison County3,049 mCrested Butte2
Muddy PassJackson County2,627 mSteamboat Springs2
North PassSaguache County3,051 mGunnison2
Ohio PassGunnison County3,068 mCrested Butte2
Cucharas PassLas Animas County3,029 mWalsenburg1
Arapaho PassBoulder County3,629 mFraser4
Argentine PassClear Creek County4,025 mGeorgetown3
Tenderfoot PassTeller County—Cripple Creek4
Cerro SummitBlack Canyon Of The GunnisonMontrose County—Montrose2
Unaweep CanyonMesa County—Orchard Mesa2
Dallas DivideSan Miguel County—Mountain Village1
Hardscrabble PassCuster County—Florence3
Monument HillEl Paso County—Woodmoor6
Wind River PassRocky MountainLarimer County2,789 mEstes Park4
Pawnee Pass (Indian Peaks)Boulder County3,823 mNederland4
Ptarmigan PassRocky MountainGrand County3,709 mEstes Park3
Rogers Pass (Colorado)Gilpin County3,623 mFraser4
Stone Man PassRocky MountainGrand County3,812 mEstes Park3
Stony PassSan Juan County3,838 mOuray1
Vasquez PassClear Creek County3,564 mGeorgetown3
Webster Pass (Colorado)Summit County3,686 mKeystone3
Windy Pass (Mineral County, Colorado)Mineral County3,035 mPagosa Springs1
Coffeepot PassGunnison County3,879 mCrested Butte2
Hayden PassSaguache County3,254 mSalida2
Ptarmigan PassEagle County3,588 mFrisco3
Schofield PassGunnison County3,268 mCrested Butte2
Boulder-Grand PassRocky MountainGrand County3,681 mEstes Park3
Georgia PassSummit County3,535 mBreckenridge3
La Manga PassConejos County3,121 mChama1
Jones Pass (Colorado)Grand County3,796 mGeorgetown3
Kokomo PassEagle County3,666 mBreckenridge3
Lake PassGunnison County3,724 mAspen2
Currant Creek PassPark County2,891 mCripple Creek3
Arapaho PassJackson County2,729 mSteamboat Springs2
Buchanan PassGrand County3,610 mNederland4
Halfmoon PassBoulder County—Fraser4

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph mountain passes

Mountain passes sit above valleys, so they reward sunrise and sunset with layered ridges, valley fog and long shadows.

  • Check road status before driving: many high passes close seasonally or after storms.
  • Look for the road itself as a leading line — switchbacks from above make strong compositions.
  • Weather changes fast at elevation; carry layers even in summer.
  • Summit pull-outs often face one direction; use the sun azimuth table to see whether sunrise or sunset suits the view.
  • Wildflowers bloom late at pass elevations — often July to early August in the Rockies and Sierra.

Season: Summer and early autumn are the main season; winter visits depend on plowing and avalanche conditions.