SILVERTON – Buckle up! It's time to hit the road and head out on another Colorado Adventure! This time, we're heading high into the mountains of San Juan County.
Having crisscrossed each corner of Colorado over the last five years, it's safe to say I've traveled a fair share of mountain passes. Some of the more scenic ones I've seen happen to be in southwest Colorado. But this time, we're going to a different stretch of Highway 550.
Tucked away in the sprawling mountains of the San Juan National Forest is a high mountain pass with stunning views of what makes Colorado so great. Welcome to Molas Pass! This pass is situated along Highway 550, just south of Silverton and about 45 minutes north of Durango.
Hiking in this area is absolutely spectacular! Not only do you have the Colorado Trail to tackle, but there's plenty of backcountry hikes available too. The Colorado Trail is a 471-mile path from Durango to Denver. The section of trail near Molas Pass is pretty spectacular! Some popular destinations along the way include Lime Creek Drainage, Engineer Peak and North Twilight Peak.
For a full list of great hikes near Molas Pass, follow this link: http://bit.ly/1kAnrYK.
If you're not big into hiking, there are also horseback riding trails available too. In fact, the Colorado Trail is also accessible by horse. To learn more about that, visit: http://bit.ly/WfCx08.
In the distance, you will be treated with views of Molas Creek and Molas Campground. Speaking of camping, there's plenty of places to set up fort and sleep under the stars. Some sites cost money, others are free. It all depends on where you're looking to camp.
Popular pay campine site: http://bit.ly/1suqNV0.
Free Camping is available on National Forest Land: http://1.usa.gov/WfCCRz.
If you're a cycling fan, Molas Pass also happens to be the last pass for cyclists competing in the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic race. During the race, riders race a train all the way from Durango to Silverton.
For more information about the race, head to its official website: http://ironhorsebicycleclassic.com/.
Safe travels!
~9NEWS Reporter Kevin Torres
**An earlier version of this story recommended three restaurants to visit in Silverton, Colo. These restaurants are actually in Silverton, Ore. 9NEWS regrets the error. For a list of restaurants from the Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce: http://silvertoncolorado.com/business-directory/dining/**
