The trail was very wet and soggy at the start with a little bit of snow here and there on the trail till about 2 miles in. Thank goodness for MORE skid plates. Try a google search on: 4WD rentals Salida Colorado Have a picnic if the weather is nice, and definitely do not forget your camera! Tincup is a cute town with lots of historical buildings. There are 3 sections of water with the third (going south to St. Elmo) being shallow and very short. No water on the trail. Some years, the entire road along the east side of the lake can totally be submerged due to spring runoff. There are many great camping opportunities along Tincup Pass Road and the area is quite popular with campers. The road is in generally good shape. Cutting through two National Forests and crossing the Continental Divide at 12,154 feet, this off-road trail offers beautiful high alpine views while following the same route used by miners and prospectors searching for their fortunes in the late 1800's. Interagency Senior/Access passes valid for 50% discount to the camping fee for one site. Has anyone recommend some rentals and tours and experiences? It is usually shallow and no problem, however, during heavy runoff it might be deeper. Take the right fork and head uphill following the rocky path. Get Directions. Only about 6" of water on the trail at Mirror Lake, the water was so clear that we could see many trout swimming about. Jk with level lift and KO 2s. Cimarronand Comanche National Grasslands It was one of our best day trips over the passes of Colorado. At a Glance General Information Directions: From Buena Vista, Colorado, take Highway 285 south for 7 miles to County Road 162. A scenic drive through Tincup Pass is a rewarding experience promising breathtaking views and visits to historic towns. If you are looking for more of a challenge, this is where Tincup gathers it's high end 6 rating. We ran Tin Cup, Napoleon, and Hancock passes in our RZR. It was more popular during the 50's and 60's for those wanting to have a mountain retreat. Trees snapped through and or uprooted and deposited on the uphill opposing side of the valley. About 3 hours to make the trip in a Jeep JK Rubicon Unlimited on 33" tires. Head south on Highway 285 for 6 miles. It is located near the historic townsite of St. Elmo. Views are incredible. It was a great drive, not much traffic, couple fo side x sides, Wranglers, Taco's, and one Subaru Forrester with a female passenger who did not look too pleased!! Thanks for all the reviews previously, it was great to know I could make it with the rental before heading up the trail. This road is open to all types of motorized vehicles including OHV's and motorcycles. The trail didnt get washed out anywhere between St. Elmo and tree line, but there was a bit of erosion overnight. Sites must be occupied the first night of payment. Mount Princeton Campground is located in the Chalk Creek Canyon, which is one of the valley's most popular areas. United States government. Explore this 13.0-mile point-to-point trail near Almont, Colorado. great little glimpse into the history of the area. and the map here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd624786.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1a9mcjz-x6Afr5yUPxDCaYjeuvpEQyfht2d6lp0bVfDb-AIUKCbCXETaw. I did not hit any skid plates or my rock sliders during the adventure. Most of the trail is pretty easy but there are large rocks to watch out for. As trail conditions change this helps us keep the community However, lots of traffic, mostly SXS. State park campgrounds - 44 sites, basic, 9 cabins, 3 yurts, year-round Dispersed camping is available south of the lake on Brush Creek Rd. Don't miss the Tincup General Store. Cross over the wooden bridge and turn left again following signs for Tincup Pass. $8.00 fee for day use if not camping overnight. Saw just a few tiny snowflakes along the way with some patches of snow in shady areas. Cancellations How long is the road to Tincup Pass in Colorado? The best fishing iswest ofCascade campground which is located 2 miles west of Mt. on official, secure websites. 2000 Frontier, 33's, 3" lift, no locker. Continue in the canyon. Tincup's past is tainted with old Wild West violence and tragedy. We drive a lifted Toyota Landcruiser on 33 tires and had no issues. The road continues along the east side of Mirror Lake. ). Forest Supervisor Office. $8.00 for a third vehicle. Unless you plan on heading back down Tincup Pass once reaching the end of the trail in Tincup, I highly recommend heading north on FSR 765 (dirt road) in Tincup to the Taylor Park Reservoir, then taking CR 209 (paved road) back to Buena Vista via Cottonwood Pass. But this area is over run with people on four wheelers. Many historic buildings still stand in the town of Tincup, including the one and only business, the seasonally operated General Store. Mt. Official websites use .gov A .gov 37019 N. Lava Lane. Luckily for him, there were plenty of experienced wheelers there to get him back on the road. An interpretive sign at the entrance to the cemetery provides information on the early settlers and miners who are buried there. Forest Supervisor Office. We attend church here every Sunday during the summer at the Tin Cup community chapel and as a matter of fact, that is were my wife and I were married! Maybe frame deep on our lowest clearance vehicle. Turn right onto CR 292 and travel for .5 miles to the campground. This is a small campground with 15 campsites. The water was only about 12 - 14 inches deep. Following heavy winter snows, always call ahead to make sure pass is open or wait until later in July. Add a review. Wrangler 4L ALL the way, but slow and steady did it. Ran this right after Hancock Pass, from St. Elmo. $8.00 fee for day use if not camping overnight. Old Tincup is a shorter distance route, but is much more difficult with large boulders and overgrown brush making it difficult to pass oncoming traffic. Sitting in a helicopter off the Trans Labrador Highway in central Labrador, Ray Sillitt said he's looking forward to learning how to gut a fish, clean a goose and try hunting for himself. Stay to the right side and hug the bank! Pueblo, CO 81008 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. It connects Nathrop, south of Buena Vista, to Almont, between Gunnison and Crested Butte. Trailers and extra vehicles must park on the spurs provided; not behind campsites or adjacent to parking spurs. The trail was exceptionally busy with vehicles going both directions. Great camping at the beginning of Tincup also. Princeton campground. rating. Active businesses include the Tincup Store and Frenchie's Cafe. The road is pretty rough from the beginning and it is slow going. The top of the pass is 12,154 feet high. I'm not really sure whether my track fell all or in part of the more difficult "Old Tincup" route but when I compare to other trails that fall into the 3-5 range (Cinnamon and Engineer Passes, Bull Park, etc), the size of the rocks doesn't feel like it deserves any less than a 5 - at least if you're going up from Tincup. I highly suggest that if you don't have the ability to air down, then you are going to have a rough day. Note the wildlife that may be in the vicinity, including marmots that live among the rocks. Trail is open and was busy today. Twin Peaks Campground is located within Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. If you want to push it a little, old tincup will offer some challenge to aggressive stock trail vehicles like the Rubicon, Pro4X, TRD, Z71 models and built trail vehicles of all makes. Continued on to Napoleon. Came up from the Tincup side. But today Tincup Pass is one of the most popular 4-wheel-drive destinations in the region. 162 for about 15 miles. Enjoyed the Tim Cup and Elmo towns, and the trail was fun with some good views. There was one section with some water runoff which was slick, but I never had to put it in 4wd. Still a few patches of snow that encroach onto the trail in a couple parts as you near the summit, but CORE has been through and hand shoveled the trail clear to make the pass open, Was easily done in a stock JKU with a few bumps and scrapes, just got to watch your lines in a few areas. Snow is extremely deep and off camber before ever approaching the switchbacks. LOL. water level was over the tires of my Jeep. You could get up to Mirror Lake in a car with some clearance (Subaru), but beyond that I was glad to have 4 wheel drive and solid clearance. Mount Princeton Campground is located in the Chalk Creek Canyon, which is one of the valley's most popular areas. 95% of travelers recommend this experience. Ran this on a Sunday afternoon from Tin Cup to St Elmo. Distance from downtown Phoenix: 40 minutes 37019 N. Lava Lane, Cave Creek Coon Bluff Campground. Cross wooden bridge and turn left. Water at the crossing point was real low, so should be no issues for anyone. Along the Old Tincup route, stay right and continue downhill at this unknown road spur. Self-servicing fee tube is available. . This is the first time I've been in this area. Mirror lake was the highlight. Would love to Atv toward tincup and pitkin. Not subaruable. Road is usually wide enough for easy passage with oncoming traffic, mostly ATVs. TTY: (719) 553-1404 We made it the whole over the pass a few days ago. Ran on a stock Xterra with KO2s. site is used. The trail and beautiful scenery both vary enough to keep it interesting. Sites must be occupied the first night of payment. This late in the season there was no water to drive through. Pass is now open, but be prepared for deep water on the tincup side. Had my passenger side entering willows and my driver side 1/2 from these terribly parked Jeeps as I squeezed by. The is fishing and camping and people to talk to. Very very scenic drive. Located in Gunnison County, Colorado, the road climbs for about 12.4 miles (20 km) to an elevation of 12,154 feet (3,704 m) above sea level, being one of the highest in the state. Shoveled out the drift at the top. From the eastern terminus at Waterton Canyon, southwest of Denver, the trail winds its way for 486 miles through the state's most mountainous regions, to its final conclusion, just north of Durango. It was nice and empty, maybe saw 4 other vehicles in total until we hit Mirror Lake. Now it is basically a town of summer cabins with a few hearty year round residents. Campers who are unable to find a campsite in one of the four developed campground may camp above the townsite of St. Elmo on4X4 Road 267. Fees are payable by cash, check or money order. Visit stay the trail people. very rocky descent. The road is open seasonally from mid June to early autumn (depending on snow conditions). It took our group of 12 rigs roughly 3 hours to reach the pass from St. Elmo. 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. Mirror lake also makes for a nice spot to stop and have lunch or to stretch you legs out. Didn't take the Old Tincup route and the rocks weren't anything to worry too much about. That part of the trail looked much wetter than the St. Elmo side. There were about 4 out of the 10 first come first serve campsites available and we stayed over at one with a view of the lake. Nothing too intense for a decent stock vehicle. 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. Although considered a ghost town, St. Elmo is still inhabited and the general store welcomes visitors every summer. 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. St. Elmo was settled in 1878 and grew to a population of about 2,000. The optional "Old Tincup" route has one difficult rocky section. Mirror lake had 3 sections that were still covered in water but none of them were more than 2 feet deep. Mountain Biking Tincup Pass Road. Overall, nothing difficult but we did have issues with one carbureted truck due to elevation. Tincup is a small residential community with many century-old buildings. There are some rough, rocky spots throughout which will require good tire placement to avoid any undercarriage/rocker panel damage. As previously stated, hug the bank. Difficult. I had been putting this trail off for years. They said there was waste-deep snow above tree line and they were not able to summit. Last remaining drift was shoveled open by local user. One tree was down across the trail. From Tincup Pass, many 4-wheelers continue west toward Mirror Lake and the town of Tincup at seven more miles. Camping and campfires are restricted in the Chalk Creek Canyon to developed campgrounds only. I ran my mostly stock LX470 and it did fine. But today Tincup Pass is one of the most popular 4-wheel-drive destinations in the region. When a trail is this popular I suppose youre bound to see some people with awful trail etiquette. Starting off in St. Elmo was awesome. The best part of this was the stop at the top of the pass where the Continental Divide marker was. Colorado has had massive snows this past winter so mirror lake covers the road. Easier. Recovered a rolled ATV that was driving off-trail at the summit. on official, secure websites. Continue moving downhill as the two routes merge once again. The Iron City cemetery is located on the east end of the campground. Great ride! policy linked to above. Accessibility: Aired down at Mirror Lake. Just like most of the lakes in this area, Mirror Lake is well stocked with fish. -On 32s with about 18 of road clearance before bottoming anything. Traveled the Tincup Pass route from Tincup to St. Elmo on Tuesday August 20. Rent an E-Bike and experience a fun, new way to explore Buena Vista, CO! Princeton is a small campground with 17 campsites. Want to report conditions for this trail? Get access to thousands of off-road dirt trails and snowmobile trails across the nation. no lift With the exception of Cumberland Pass from Pitkin, the rest of the passes are high-clearance 44 roads. Potable water is available from a handpump. Otherwise a fun, bumpy ride up to the pass. (719) 553-1400 I believe you can see and or hike to the Fairview Peak Fire Lookout. Rafting Rafting the Taylor River is available seasonally through a few different outfitters. Many SXS's, lost count, but less than 10 other rigs. It took us 5 hours to go from St. Elmo to Tincup, way longer than in previous years. It is probably one of the more difficult trails in the Taylor area, besides Taylor Pass. Take a tour of historic mountain towns on this high-mountain pass. Nearby ATV/UTV and 4X4 rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes. Because of the amount of snow, I would not recommend traveling alone on this trail for the time being. Share sensitive information only There are some great lakes/reservoirs for fishing along the way, and Crested Butte is a doable drive. The route can be made more difficult if taking the old tincup route which has one large boulder section and is very narrow with overgrown brush. Took 2 hours from Tin Cup to St. Elmo. Go west 15.4 miles to parking area (with toilet) on left. Cons Few resupply options Trailhead Elevation 9,270.00 ft (2,825.50 m) Highest point 12,853.00 ft (3,917.59 m) Features Near lake or river Backcountry camping Wildlife Fishing Big vistas Big Game Watching Wildflowers Bird watching Typically multi-day Yes Might be OK if you are in a jeep and going over Tincup Pass. Very light snow above 10,000 but nothing on the road. Made it about 4.5 miles in from St Elmo. There were a lot of sxs out, but traffic wasnt too bad. Another few weeks will be necessary until the snow melts away. A great day. Excellent trail! Dispersed Camping closures on Tincup pass and in Irwin area. Fees are payable by cash, check or money order. In center of town, turn right following sign to Tincup Pass. The Fitzpatrick Peak with an elevation of 13,112 feet (3,997 m) sits on the Continental Divide. By 1918, the town had so few people . 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. What makes this trail worthwhile is the great views and lake water crossing . The hike is a lot harder than it seems, and I have not done it. The edge of Mirror Lake was about 12 inches deep and a not an issue on the day we went. Maps are available at the SalidaRanger District office, 325 W. Rainbow Blvd., Salida, CO, 81201, Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Other than that it was pretty quiet and took me just under 2 hours. Great trip starting from Tincup stopping to camp just after the pass below tree line. 2014 Rubicon with 2.5 inch lift and 35s. Ran this from St Elmo to Tincup in a Badlands Bronco with 35s. The area is large enough to accommodate many users without blocking the trail. 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