Driving the 9 steepest paved mountain passes of Colorado
Located in the western United States, Colorado is notable for its majestic mountains. It’s classified as one of the mountain states, located in the Rocky upland part of the country. Due its topography, the roads can also get extremely steep. If you’re not used to it, driving there can feel like you’re falling off the side of a cliff.
Mountain Pass | County | Elevation | Max. gradient |
Slumgullion Pass | Hinsdale | 3.528m (11,574ft) | 10% |
McClure Pass | Pitkin-Gunnison | 2.681m (8,795ft) | 9% |
Hoosier Pass | Park-Summit | 3.518m (11,542ft) | 8% |
Red Mountain Pass | Ouray-San Juan | 3.358m (11,018ft) | 8% |
Vail Pass | Summit-Eagle | 3.251m (10,666ft) | 7-8% |
Spring Creek Pass | Hinsdale | 3.323m (10,901ft) | 7,5% |
Molas Pass | San Juan | 3.328m (10,918ft) | 7% |
Douglas Pass | Garfield | 2.526m (8,287ft) | 7% |
Wolf Creek Pass | Mineral | 3.313m (10,869ft) | 7% |