Black Bear Pass (Forest Service Road 648) is one of the most notorious public 4WD roads in the United States, a 12,840-foot pass crossing from US-550 at the summit of Red Mountain Pass down a one-way descent to Telluride. The road's reputation rests on a series of tight switchbacks above Bridal Veil Falls — Colorado's tallest waterfall — where the route narrows to barely wider than a vehicle and drops thousands of feet in less than a mile.

The road runs one-way (downhill from US-550 to Telluride) for the descent. Traffic is reversed only one day a year during the Telluride Jeepers Jamboree. Most of the route is rated moderate; the switchback section is the difficulty driver. Black Bear opens the last week of July most years and closes with fall snow. The road has had multiple fatal accidents.

Trailhead: 37.90100, -107.72600

Technical Difficulty: extreme
Length: 8.5 miles
Direction: One-way
Vehicle: Low-range 4WD with high clearance, off-road tires, excellent brakes, articulation, and a fully functional emergency brake. The descent's switchbacks tolerate no equipment failures.
Nearest town: Telluride, Colorado
Terrain: Forest Service Road 648 — a steep one-way descent over a 12,840-foot pass to a series of tight switchbacks above Telluride; rocky, exposed, and one of the most dangerous public roads in the lower 48
Cell coverage: None on the pass
Best months: Aug, Sep
Management: U.S. Forest Service
Trailhead: 37.90100, -107.72600

Resources

Plan in Epic Plans Official site Open in Google Maps

Directions

Drive south from Ouray on US-550 (the Million Dollar Highway) to the summit of Red Mountain Pass. The Black Bear Pass turnoff is on the west side of the highway near the summit, marked.

Approximate Red Mountain Pass coordinates: 37.901° N, -107.726° W.

Photos · 1

Getting Oriented

Black Bear Pass crosses the divide between the Animas and San Miguel river drainages in Ouray and San Miguel counties. The pass starts at the summit of Red Mountain Pass on US-550 — itself a notable mountain crossing — and descends west to Telluride. Bridal Veil Falls, the highest waterfall in Colorado at 365 feet, plunges off the cliffs the road switchbacks down. The pass takes its name from a black bear that allegedly inspired its construction.

Trail Overview

From Red Mountain Pass on US-550, the road climbs east through high alpine basins past the ruins of mining-era cabins. The pass summit at 12,840 feet sits in a barren talus field. From the summit the road descends west — moderate dirt for the first miles, with views into the upper Bridal Veil Basin.

Then the switchbacks. The road narrows to a single lane with no turnouts, drops 1,500 feet in less than a mile, and turns through tight corners that require multiple back-up maneuvers in some vehicles. A fully functional parking brake is essential; a brake failure on this section is generally fatal. The road passes Bridal Veil Falls and the Smuggler-Union Hydroelectric Plant before depositing drivers into Telluride.

Driving the full pass takes 3 to 4 hours.

Points of Interest

Red Mountain Pass summit. Trailhead on US-550. Mining-era ruins visible from the highway.
Pass summit. 12,840 feet, on the divide between two major drainages.
The Steps and Tight Corners. The switchback section above Telluride — the technical crux of the route.
Bridal Veil Falls. Colorado's tallest waterfall at 365 feet. Visible on the descent.
Smuggler-Union Hydroelectric Plant. A historic 1890s power plant on the cliff face, still operating.
Ingram Falls. A second waterfall visible along the descent.

Where to Camp

Dispersed camping is allowed in the surrounding national forest with the standard 14-day stay limit. No developed campgrounds on the route itself. The Telluride Town Park and the Ouray-area campgrounds are the closest options.

Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip

Travel late July through September. The pass is impassable the rest of the year.
Inspect brakes, emergency brake, and tires before starting. Brake failure on the switchbacks is generally fatal.
Travel one-way only (Red Mountain Pass to Telluride). The road is one-way for the descent.
Drive the route with someone who has done it before, or consider a guided jeep tour.
Carry recovery gear; recovery is rarely needed but extraction takes hours.
Lightning hits the alpine sections in summer afternoons. Start early.
Cell coverage is absent.
Children and nervous passengers find the descent stressful. Consider sending them around via US-550 and meeting in Telluride.
Yield to ATVs and side-by-sides on the lower section.
Contact the Uncompahgre National Forest's Norwood Ranger District at 970-327-4261 for current conditions.

Hazards

Brake-failure fatalities. The switchback descent has had multiple fatal accidents over the years. Inspect brakes and emergency brake before driving.
Tight switchbacks. Single-lane corners that require backing up multiple times in some vehicles.
One-way only. No reverse traffic except during the annual Jeepers Jamboree.
Lightning. Alpine ridges hit by summer afternoon storms.
Snow closure. Late July through September is the entire season most years.
No cell coverage.
Mining hazards. Open shafts and unstable structures.
Altitude. Pass summit at 12,840 feet.