The Best Roads in Western Colorado to Elope On if You’re Scared of Heights

Heights never used to scare me, in fact, I could never even imagine being afraid of heights. Maybe I just never thought about it, maybe my mind wasn’t always going to ~worst case scenario~, or maybe I just didn’t care.

But something about getting older has instilled in me just the tiniest bit of fear when driving steep 4WD roads in the mountains of Colorado.

And if you’ve ever spent any amount of time on a 4WD road in Colorado then you know there are a couple of ways it can go. As most roads are repurposed mining roads, they’re cut into the sides of steep mountains, never paved, and hardly ever packed down enough to go faster than a 3 mph crawl.

This is especially true in western Colorado where I live. Unlike the front range where the 4WD roads are through forests and up less steep passes, the roads in the San Juans around Ouray, Telluride, Lake City, and Silverton are enough to make you poop your pants. And I don’t mean that in a joking way, I mean if your anxiety messes with your stomach, you’re in trouble.

So it’s no surprise that I spend my weekends trying to find the best views with the least amount of anxiety - something I’ve somewhat perfected over the years. And while I still try to push myself to cool locations that might be a one-lane dirt road cut into the side of a mountain with a 3,000-foot drop on one side, I now know to only explore those on weekdays as early as possible to avoid the dreaded “stop and wait for oncoming cars to pass you on a one-lane road while you wait precariously close to a cliff”. If you know, you know.

So lets start it off. In no particular order, some of the best roads in Western Colorado to elope on if you’re scared of heights.

The Best 4WD Roads to Elope On If You’re Scared of Heights

For these roads, you’ll need some type of 4WD vehicle, whether something with high clearance or true 4WD.

• Ophir Pass

  While I’ve never driven Ophir Pass from Ophir and have only driven the side from Silverton, the drive is easy breezy and not too crazy in the realm of heights. The road instead easily switchbacks up, never having a drop that is more than a couple hundred feet from the road below.

• Alta Lakes

  An easy 4WD road just outside of Telluride that climbs up about 45 minutes to a couple alpine lakes. While the road to Alta Lakes does require high clearance, most of the road doesn’t have scary drop offs and the road is wide so you don’t have to worry about other cars passing except at the very beginning of the road.

• Dallas Creek

  There is Dallas Creek East and Dallas Creek West and both go to popular trailheads just outside of Ridgway. The road is packed dirt and relatively flat, gently leading up into the base of the mountains.

• Yankee Boy Basin

  Probably the “craziest” 4WD road on this list as you will need 4WD and high clearance to access Yankee Boy Basin, it’s one of the few roads you can access in western Colorado if you are looking for an easy 4WD road. The road is steep and there are drop-offs in the beginning as you make your way up to and just past Camp Bird, but the road is wide allowing you to easily pass oncoming cars. Eventually, the road approaches a valley and you leave the steep drop-offs behind.

• Start of Black Bear Pass

  You might have heard of Black Bear Pass as one way and one of the most dangerous roads in Colorado and it hands down is. However, the road via Red Mountain Pass is only one way 5.6 miles in, and you can even hike or drive .5 a mile up to have some beautiful views of the mountains. Just don’t pass that one way point or else you’re SOL.

• Last Dollar Road

  Another easily accessible 4WD road that is mostly packed dirt without any crazy steep sections or drop-offs just outside of Telluride and Ridgway!

• Other 4WD roads

  I spend most of my weekends camping with my partner up random 4WD roads, some easy packed dirt roads, some very rocky roads, but they all have one thing in common - they don’t have steep cliffs or drop-offs. If you’re looking for easily accessible 4WD roads in Colorado to elope on, get in touch as all of my clients get personalized location scouting services for their elopement!

The Best Packed Dirt Roads to Elope on in Colorado If You’re Scared of Heights

For these roads, a standard passenger vehicle should be enough to get you to these scenic locations during dry summer conditions. Please check road conditions and your vehicles capability on these roads before attempting.

• Owl Creek Pass

  A packed dirt road just East of Ridgway Colorado that winds up to the Courthouse Mountains, Owl Creek Pass is a very easy dirt road that most passenger cars can travel on.

• Kebler Pass

  Kebler Pass is a packed dirt road that travels from Paonia to Crested Butte. It gives you access to aspen groves and some mountainous overlooks. It is a steady grade and doesn’t have any crazy drop-offs too!

• Ohio Pass

  Another Pass just outside of Crested Butte, Ohio Pass is a packed dirt road that is easily accessible with an easy grade through aspen groves.

• Gothic Road

  This packed dirt road that travels north from Mount Crested Butte is a popular location for those exploring the area of Crested Butte. However, there are many trailheads and pull-offs offering you the unique opportunity to get away from crowds in a well-known and scenic location.

The Best Paved Passes to Elope on in Colorado If You’re Scared of Heights

• Lizard Head Pass

  This paved pass between Telluride and Rico tops out at 10,222 feet and offers stunning 360 views of mountains. While the road up has some steep sections before it passes Ophir, the road is paved, with two lanes, and wide enough that some sections even have guardrails to help you feel safe.

• Red Mountain Pass

  A paved pass on the Million Dollar Highway between Silverton and Ouray that only has one steep section with drop-offs just as you’re leaving Ouray. While the section is pretty scary because there are no guard rails and the drop is a couple of hundred feet, the scary sections go by fast enough to make this drive worth it.

• Dallas Divide

  This paved road travels between Ridgway and Telluride and has a few scenic pullouts surrounded by fenced-in private property. While it won’t be the most private location as everything is just off the road, if you don’t mind a fence being in the background of your photos, the views really can’t be beat!

• Molas pass

  This paved pass between Silverton and Durango features trailheads to different lakes as well as overlooks. While it won’t offer the most privacy, at certain times of day you can find yourselves all alone at some of the most scenic locations.

• Coal Bank Pass

  This pass winds down from Molas pass to Durango and has a few more steep drop-offs than some other parts of the road in the area but has beautiful scenic views the whole drive. While there aren’t a ton of pullouts or privacy, it’s not a bad location to drive for some couple’s portraits after your elopement.

• Slumgullion Pass

  Slumgullion Pass holds the title of the steepest grade of any continuous paved road in Colorado and tops out at 11,530 feet. Located just east of Lake City to Creede, one of the least visited mountain towns in Colorado because of its “middle of nowhere” location, Slumgullion has beautiful field-like vistas with far-off mountain views. I have yet to drive this road so sorry, no photos (yet!).

• Independence Pass

  One of the more popular mountain passes located between Twin Lakes and Aspen, Independence pass tops out at 12,095 feet. It has a parking lot, restrooms, and a paved walkway to an overlook at the top, as well as access to trails in the area. While the area is not private, like most locations in Colorado, it can be if you’re up for a sunrise elopement!

The Best Paved Roads to Elope on in Colorado If You’re Scared of Heights

• Rim Rock Drive

  While you can’t elope just anywhere on Rim Rock Drive, the paved road that travels through Colorado National Monument from Grand Junction to Fruita, you can obtain a permit and say your vows at one of their designated sites. Afterwards, you can drive the scenic road to see all of the beautiful pull offs! Click here for more information on how to elope in Colorado National Monument.

• Grand Mesa Scenic Byway

  The Grand Mesa Scenic Byway is a road that travels between Grand Junction (De Beque) and Cedaredge, through the largest flat-top mountain in the world. While the Grand Mesa doesn’t have sweeping mountain views, it does have forests, lakes, and the most wildflowers I’ve ever seen in my life. The privacy on the Grand Mesa also can’t be beat, especially on weekdays.

• Highway 141 To Gateway

  Highway 141 from Grand Junction to Gateway travels through the beautiful Unaweep canyon, or “Two Mouth Canyon” as water flows in opposite directions from the top of this geologically unique canyon. Click here for more information on how to elope in Gateway.

• Castle Creek Road

  Castle Creek Road travels south from Aspen to the ghost town of Ashcroft. While it’s a busy and well-known area, especially in the fall for aspens, the area has sweeping views of nearby mountain peaks and enough access to get you away from any crowds.