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Ophir Pass
Trail Types
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Trail Information
Difficulty - Mandatory
3 -
MODERATE
Difficulty - Optional
3 -
MODERATE
Status
Impassable
Distance
10 mi
Duration (one-way)
About 1 hour, 30 minutes
Highest Elevation
11796 ft
Shape of Trail
Straight Through
Typically Open
Year Round
Best Direction
East
Official Trail Name
630, 679
Nearest Town
Ophir
Nearest Services
Telluride
Management Agency
Uncompahgre National Forest / San Juan National Forest
District
Norwood Ranger District / Columbine Ranger District
Highlights
Altitude
Forest
Iconic
Overland
ScenicClimbing to 11,789 feet and passing through both the Uncompahgre National Forest and the San Juan National Forest, Ophir Pass is a spectacular mountain pass that offers alpine views of the upper Ophir Valley and neighboring peaks. This pass has been traversed for hundreds of years for many different reasons. The pass was originally used by the Navajo on hunting trips between the San Miguel and Animas Valleys. In 1878, the tiny mining town of Ophir was established, and by 1881 the new Ophir Pass Toll Road began to carry goods between early mountain settlements. The arrival of the railroad decreased the use of the pass in the early 1890s, and the road became a rarely used wagon road. Finally, in 1953, the modern Ophir Pass that we know today was first opened to Jeeps and other off-road vehicles. While the shelf roads may test your fortitude, the views off of this iconic trail are well worth an afternoon. For Jeep owners, this road is 1 of 6 trails in Colorado recognized as a Badge of Honor Trail. Don't forget to use the Badge of Honor app to check in and get a special badge showing trail completion.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Stock SUV with High Clearance and 4 Low
Concerns:
Summary:
The trail is most difficult between Waypoints 8 and 10, where low-range 4WD is needed along the narrow shelf road.
Community Consensus
(Last reset on 09/21/2022)
8 votes
11 votes
0 votes
Easier
Spot On
Harder
The weighted average of your fellow members agreement of our trail rating. As trail conditions change this helps us keep the community aware of changes.
Mandatory
3 -
MODERATE
The hardest part of the trail that you
cannot bypass - you have to drive it.
Optional
3 -
MODERATE
The hardest part of the trail that is
purely optional - you can bypass it.
Typically, more rock or undulated road surface. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 12" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 12" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 24" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep. Read More about our Rating System
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JD Marshall
Official Crew
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Trail Navigation
Ophir Pass is a high alpine 10-mile mountain pass from Highway 145 to Highway 550, connecting Ophir and Silverton. The pass is naturally closed by snowfall each year and plowed open by county road crews late each Spring. The road is bumpy, packed dirt that is well traveled as you leave the town of Ophir and begin ascending 2,000 vertical feet to the summit. There are several small stream crossings but no significant obstacles until you reach the treeline. The final push to the summit is extremely rocky and rough along a loose, narrow shelf road covered with tallus rock that can test the nerves. There are limited passing opportunities above the treeline on the west side, but visibility is very good. Once cresting the summit, the road widens and begins a gradual descent down a hard-packed dirt road. East of the summit, the road number changes as you travel into the San Juan National Forest. Since this trail is fairly easy on vehicles, any stock high-clearance vehicle with 4WD should easily get through in good conditions. Airing down will make your ride a bit smoother. Lingering snow, water, or bad weather can make this trail treacherous.
1. Western Trailhead (0 mi)
Just right off the highway, you will find the western trailhead off Highway 145. There is ample parking and enough room for several vehicles to meet up and air down.
2. Ophir Post Office (0.4 mi)
The Ophir Post Office, established in 1878, is another good place to air down if you want to do it a bit further away from the highway.
3. Town of Ophir - Stay Right (2.11 mi)
The town of Ophir was named after a biblical mine that brought gold to King Solomon. Pass through the town slowly, and keep your eyes peeled for the signs that show the direction toward Ophir Pass.
4. Water Crossing (2.84 mi)
You will cross over the first of several water crossings at this Waypoint. There are relics of old mining history here as well as beaver ponds. Continue straight.
5. Water Crossing and Unnamed Spur - Continue Straight (3.34 mi)
As you make your way up Ophir Pass, you will encounter another water crossing. There is also an unnamed spur road heading south, which is not on the MVUM.
6. FS 630.2C - Stay Left (3.62 mi)
Stay left to continue on Ophir Pass. Swamp Canyon (630.2C) to the south dead-ends several hundred feet off Ophir Pass.
7. Unnamed Road - Stay Straight (3.92 mi)
An unnamed road lies right off the trail to the north. Stay straight to continue up to the beginning of the scenic part of Ophir Pass.
8. Begin Shelf Road - Limited Passing Opportunities (4.91 mi)
A long, narrow shelf road begins here with very limited passing opportunities for the next half mile. From this point, visibility is good, allowing you to see oncoming traffic. The next passing opportunity is just over a tenth of a mile away and only good for 1-2 vehicles.
9. Pull Out Opportunity (5.04 mi)
Here is a small area wide enough to pass oncoming traffic. This wide spot is only suitable for a few vehicles depending on vehicle length. Continue to look ahead for oncoming traffic. This section of shelf road ends in a quarter mile.
10. End of Shelf Road (5.27 mi)
The road widens ending any oncoming traffic fears. Continue through the switchback heading towards the summit.
11. Ophir Pass Summit (5.82 mi)
Here is the summit of Ophir Pass. There is plenty of parking and opportunities to enjoy the summit. There is also a short but steep hike to Crystal Lake just to the south. The road number changes here from 630 to 679.
12. OPUS Hut Parking (6.32 mi)
Continue downhill, passing the entrance to the OPUS Hut, which stands for Ophir Pass Ultimate Ski. First opened in 2011, this hut is a full-service European-style backcountry hut where you can rent a sleeping spot.
13. Unnamed Road - Stay Right (6.78 mi)
Continue downhill to the right, passing this old, unnamed road that enters private property and once led to the Freda Mine.
14. FS 819 - Stay Straight (9.02 mi)
FS 819 breaks off to the southwest for 0.3 miles and leads to the Zinc King Mine and Bonner Mine. Continue straight following 679.
15. FS 820 - Stay Straight (9.58 mi)
Continue straight, passing FS 820. FS 820 is a short spur road that leads back to Highway 550, 0.67 miles north of the eastern trailhead for Ophir Pass.
16. Bridge Campsite (9.73 mi)
This large campsite beside the bridge over Mineral Creek is great for trailers and RVs.
17. Eastern Trailhead (9.98 mi)
The trail ends as it intersects with Highway 550. The area here is wide enough for a group to air up and offers several small campsites. Travel north to reach the town of Ouray in about 45 minutes. Travel south to reach the village of Silverton in about 10 minutes.
Dispersed
The only dispersed camping along the trail is near the eastern trailhead in several established dispersed sites. Camping is difficult along the rest of the trail due to terrain or private property. More dispersed camping options can be found on the east side along South Mineral. On the west side, Matterhorn Campground offers improved camping options. Both Telluride and Silverton offer traditional lodging.
Starting Point
Telluride
Western Trailhead:
From The traffic circle west of Telluride, head south on Highway 145, passing the Telluride Brewing Company and Mountain Village. Follow Highway 145 for 7 miles turning left on FSR 630 and following signs for the town of Ophir and Ophir Pass.
Eastern Trailhead:
From Silverton, head northwest out of town on Highway 550. Travel for 4.2 miles along the highway, turning left on FSR 679 following signs for Ophir Pass.
Trail Reviews
4.8/5 (111)
Impassable
Visited: 11/30/2023
These trails are at a high altitude and are impassable until next season!
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/07/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Most of the trail was easy. The part from the summit down for the next half mile or so heading west is the narrowest/rockiest and probably why this trail is rated a 3. The majority of the trail is pretty easy though. Leaves were great this time of year.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/02/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Made it to Colorado. And this trail was on the list. I did Imogene first, then down this trail. Comparing the two trails isn't fair as Imogene was 20x cooler. But this was a nice alternate way back to Ouray from Telluride, took me about the same amount of time as it would if I drove the highway.
The shelf road was cool Waypoints 8 to 10, past that the trail was mild and less than amazing. But maybe because I just came off Imogene. Would I do it again, maybe if I was in the area and I needed a dirt way between Ouray/Silverton and Telluride. But I got my badge, so next time I will likely run Black Bear over (If it ever opens), and then back through Imogene.
As far as the trail conditions, I found the trail extremely easy. Ran 2wd High pretty much the full trail. Maybe it was recently graded. Joking aside, the things I slowed down the most for was the reverse speedbumps in town.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/21/2023
Ophir is a classic, not much left to be said but watch for traffic on the shelf. only 1 obstacle on the switchback and it was all rock stacked when i got there so it was easy. have fun out there!
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/20/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
This is about a 2.5. My wife drove the entire trail for her first time doing a 3. I did not find the hiking trail to the lake-strange. Fun easier trail to get from Ouray to Telluride. Also drove up to Bridal Veil Falls from Telluride-worth doing.
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Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 09/16/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
The biggest challenge on this trail is dealing with oncoming traffic. I did the trail from east to west and there are some stretches where there are few places to allow vehicles to pass. Keep an eye out for oncoming traffic and be mindful of the rules that uphill traffic generally has the right of way. There are no real obstacles and if it weren’t for the exposure this would be a 2.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/11/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
We ran this trail from west to east in the morning. It had rained quite a bit the night before but the ground was tacky, not slippery, and there wasn’t much water in the crossings. The western side of the pass is definitely rockier, with some small ledges. None of them present a real obstacle, including the ledge on the switchback at Waypoint 11. You can get right over it in 4Lo. There is plenty of parking to enjoy the summit at the top. The eastern side was a smoother road surface but was steep. The shelf road on the western side does have great visibility to see if anyone is on the road before starting. We did hit some traffic, mostly running the trail east to west. Another amazing trail with tremendous views!
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/09/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Awesome trail, completed it from east to west to get to Telluride, amazing views. The trail itself I'd say is a 2 from waypoints 17-11 (the summit), however the trail gets a bit tougher once you get to the shelf road this trail is known for. For my vehicle, going down the rocky shelf road was a little tricky, since I didn't have the centerline clearance to clear all the rocks so I had to pick my lines carefully and the skid plate did get a couple bangs here and there, my vehicle has 9.2 inches of ground clearance from the factory, though I was aired down, so probably closer to 8.9 or so inches. As for the difficulty, it really wasn't bad, we didn't have much traffic so that was an added bonus. Overall, I highly recommend this trail for anybody in the area, makes for a scenic arrival (or exit) into Telluride, just make sure you have high clearance!
Open
Visited: 08/30/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Open & easy. 2016 Jeep JKUR.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/25/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Awesome trail, super easy just crawl your way along and enjoy the views. This was a great first trail after getting into town to warm up to the shelf road driving!
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/18/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Always great views! Easy trail with the only obstacle being the first switchback after the shelf coming up from Ophir. It’s gotten kinda dug out, but any vehicle with high clearance shouldn’t have an issue.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/17/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Nice quick trail with some scenic views. If shelf roads get your nerves this trail won’t disappoint. It also is quite bumpy on the shelf road portion but a fun trail none the less.
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Open
Visited: 08/04/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Did this trail on the way back from Telluride after doing Imogene Pass. There is one section that is a little sketchy feeling but not difficult. Amazing views like all trails in the area. This was a nice more calm trail after doing Imogene and would also be a good trail back to Ouray after Black Bear Pass.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 08/02/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Trail has great views. The harder direction is goi.g east to climb up the shelf road.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 07/25/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Nice quick trail, with some great views! Still some snow at the top, but it's been plowed through so.. no sweat.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/19/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
I really liked this trail because of its length. After doing the longer ones in the area, this was a nice change. The views were amazing!
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/17/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
Trail is all clear. Rock is a bit loose on the West portion leading up to the summit. I would definitely recommend running it from Telluride so you have the benefit of driving up hill on the narrow shelf road. Awesome trail.
Open
Visited: 07/14/2023
San Miguel County has plowed their end and the trail is now fully open.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/12/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
A great trail even with just one side open.
Open
Visited: 06/26/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Fantastic views. Came from the Silverton side/East Side. Easy climb to summit but was impassable from 100 yards west of the summit due to deep snow drift. On a strange note a bicyclist climbed to the peak and proceeded west through the snow.. Hardcore.
Partially Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/21/2023
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Easy trail, love the views. Open to the top from the east, but still unplowed on the west shelf-road side. Can't wait to go back later in the summer to complete the whole trail.
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Partially Open
Visited: 05/31/2023
Open on the San Juan side (Silverton/east side) to the top. The San Miguel side (Ophir/west side) is still unplowed and blocked by snow.
Impassable
Visited: 12/01/2022
This trail travels above the timberline and is considered impassable due to snow until spring. See you next season!
Impassable
Visited: 11/03/2022
These trails are at high altitude and have gotten snow this season as of this notice. Travel on these trails is now considered dangerous and they will announce official seasonal closures of these trails soon.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/15/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Easier
This was a trail I had been wanting to do, but never had the right vehicle for. No problems at all with the terrain (Stock 2-Door JK Rubicon) and didn't have any passing issues (which would really be the only stressful situation). Definitely the best way to get to Telluride from Silverton.
This trail guide's difficulty was changed on
09/21/2022
Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 09/11/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
A bit conflicted on this trail. Amazing views, boring trail. A transfer case is highly advisable. I would personally not do this trail in an AWD or 2WD rig, but I am sure it's been done. This would be a great beginner trail or stock vehicle-friendly trail, otherwise, I put this on the bottom of the bucket as far as the San Juans go. Ophir is a trail I am glad I did once, but will probably bypass it in favor of the more interesting trails in the area.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/10/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Very scenic and easy trail, that I used as a shortcut to Silverton from my campsite at Alto Lakes. I highly recommend this trail.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/07/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Nice easy trail. Incredible views. Going up on ledge to the pass from Telluride was fun as a passenger for a change (not for the faint of heart). Great weather. Ran last dollar before this and red mountain mine after. Awesome day.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 09/05/2022
Great trail! Awesome views! I did this in my stock beat up Jeep Liberty on street tires… the shelf road area was tough on the little Jeep but the skid plates held up Hahah! I would not take a Subaru on this one for sure. With a little trial etiquette the shelf road is doable with some pull outs here and there. For sure an easy pass compared to most of the trials in the area.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/28/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Finally drove the full length of this east to west. Overall a scenic and easy drive. I think it took like 20 minutes to get to the summit on the east side, and the west side went quick too. No passing on the shelf section so look ahead before continuing up or down it. If you look down while driving the shelf you'll see the old car of someone that apparently went for a rough ride down the moutain.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/27/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Pretty easy trail as the guide suggests. Great views and little traffic on a saturday. Stayed in 2WD until the descent into Ophir. There is a hole forming at the switchback on WP 9 but nothing bad. A great trail to start on!
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/23/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
We took Ophir Pass as we were leaving Mountain Village and headed back home. While we went the non preferred route of west to east I wouldn’t have it any other way. After experiencing the Alpine Loop and Imogene Pass earlier in the week Ophir was a walk in the park. As you will read, the greatest obstacle is the shelf road as it is both relatively narrow and rock can be deep and loose. There are places though to pull off and let others pass as needed but you can plan ahead as there is good visibility all the way up the shelf road. Reason I would prefer the west to east direction is that I prefer to have better control going uphill on the shelf road with the loose rock and also the fact that descending on the east side of the pass is relatively easy since the elevation change isn’t that significant plus the loose rock is very limited on the east side.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/19/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Definitely a must do if you're in the area. I took Ophir over to Telluride and then Imogene back to Ouray which is a nice loop. I agree with others that this is probably the easiest pass of all of them, but the descent from the summit is a pretty narrow and rocky shelf road. Nothing to worry too much about, but just be prepared for that. There's lots of visibility, so it's easy to see if there's any oncoming traffic.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/07/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Easy but fun trail (they’re all fun after all).
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/09/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Ophir Pass is a fairly simple trail coming from Silverton and leading up to the summit. At the summit the views to the west are amazing. The most “difficult” or at least the most mentally challenge part is coming down the Ophir side of the summit. The shelf road covered in loose rock feels more intimidating than it is. Be sure to look far ahead to make sure no other vehicles are coming your way.
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Open
Visited: 06/05/2022
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
We made it to beginning of the trail around 7pm so light was beginning dwindle. My buddy who's a local of the area gave us a waypoint for a campsite a few hundred yards into the trail. We set up camp and were eating by 7:30. Several Jeeps were coming down the pass on the Western side as it dark...we even had a vehicle come through around midnight. Conditions were really good the next morning...about 55 and sunny. As we rounded our way up to the Summit we could see quite a bit of snow still. Once you get close though you could tell the trail was wide open between the snow banks. We drove between about 5 feet of solid snow/ice on our way to the summit. Overall a really cool trail that almost any stock vehicle should be able to conquer. Cheers!!
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Open
Visited: 05/23/2022
Ophir is open for the season! County notified via email that the road is now open all the way through.
Impassable
Visited: 10/12/2021
The area received 10+ inches of snow yesterday with another snow quickly behind it. These trails are to be considered largely impassable at this time due to increasingly deteriorating and dangerous conditions. Look for these trails to be open again in the Spring.
Open
Visited: 10/05/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
East to West. I drive a 2nd gen tacoma with a 2" lift. Really fun, beautiful, and easy trail. Used it to connect from the end of Cinnamon Pass to Imogene.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/19/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Ophir Pass seems like the perfect San Juan Mountain trail to get you warmed up and acclimated to driving the passes in this area.
We didn't encounter anything difficult, just a whole lot of spectacular scenery. We documented the highlights of our trip up and over the pass in the video linked here, so feel free to watch it if you want a good idea of what to expect along the route!
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/19/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Did Ophir Pass East to West, the trail gets very rocky above the tree line but is not particularly challenging. We did come upon a tow truck blocking the trail while the driver picked up a stranded motorcycle. The driver was very accommodating and pulled onto the shoulder at a switch back to let us pass. The view was fantastic and well worth the trip. And as stated by another reviewer, this is good trail to get experience before taking on the more challenging trails in the area.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 09/07/2021
Great trail to start your San Juan "Badge of Honor" Jeep trail run. Great views, good introduction to shelf roads, fair amount of rocks to deal with and a few obstacles to traverse.
If you start with this trail then run Imogene on the same day it's a good progression as Imogene has everything Ophir has but the shelves are narrower, the climbs/descents steeper, the obstacles bigger and the trail longer.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/24/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
The views are just stunning. A nice, easy drive.
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 08/21/2021
Coming from Grand Junction over Imogene, then Ophir back into Ouray just in time for dinner. Great day loop trip from Grand Junction. The shelf road is always fun and I love the sound of the loose rocks on the self section.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 07/22/2021
This is accurately rated and if not comfortable with shelf roads would get you uncomfortable quickly. With so many passes closed in the area due to slides, this one was a bit busy. Nice easy shelf though for beginners and the trail guides were surprisingly accommodating to the uphill right of way, every single one pulled over for us as we came up from the Telluride side.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/14/2021
Ophir pass was the first trail we hit in the Ouray area. It was beyond incredible! There is really nothing challenging about this trail, but it is a great alternative to taking black bear pass if you want to go from Ouray to Telluride. I'd highly recommend this trail as a starter to get warmed up for the rest of the trails in the area.
Open
Visited: 07/03/2021
Went on a holiday weekend, decently crowded but the trail is wide enough in most places to manage easily. Little snow left. Very easy trail, the shelf road is Rocky but no major obstacles, just keep an eye out for uphill traffic and wait for a chance. Good alternate to running black bear to get to Telluride from 550, did that and then took Immogene Pass back in the afternoon for a nice long day on the trails.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/29/2021
This was the first real trail for my stock sport Gladiator and it was awesome! The trail is pretty easy for a stock 4x4, not sure about 2wd for the whole route. Couple small water crossings. The shelf road is very cool, made my wife nervous but it was not a big deal. Marmots near the top of the pass were plentiful and some great hiking up there!
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Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 06/22/2021
Difficulty Accuracy:
Harder
Beautiful drive. First time traversing a scree field, was a bit nerve wracking. But the views are worth it. I'm rating this as "harder" because the week before we did this, a box truck tried using the route and got stuck in the scree field, and had to be towed out. This left the deep, loose, big rocks, deeply rutted.
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Open
Visited: 06/21/2021
Pass is open again. The box truck was removed by 5pm same day last week.
Temporary Closure
Visited: 06/18/2021
There is a box truck blocking the trail. The county is en route.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/15/2021
We came up from Silverton side which is a very easy drive to the top. There was Snow at the top of the pass, but there was enough room for a 4-5 Jeeps to park and take a photo. Road down the west side is the roughest part. There was some deep loose rock which I took to be a threat to my tire's side walls. Last thing you want to do is change a tire on the west side narrow shelf. Turned out all was good. Great views, Great drive. (If you have a choice, start on the Silverton side as the views are better and the loose rock on the west side is easier to drive down than up.)
Open
Visited: 05/27/2021
Officially open for the season.
Partially Open
Visited: 05/12/2021
The east side of the pass is open to the top as it has been completely plowed by San Juan County. Work to clear the west side is supposed to start soon.
Not Reported
Rated
4/5
Visited: 03/22/2021
This trail is nice little jaunt between Ouray and Telluride, the views are spectacular. I will say I am pretty sure that a Subaru could do this trail the only issue I could see them having is clearance. Rocky and loose shale at the top could make it moderately difficult at just the summit area the Telluride side being worse than the Silverton/Ouray side. We did this trail last year in Late August and there was no snow at all, it was raining when we did it and foggy at the top. The rain didn't make it harder just slippery in spots. I will say this the town of Ophir is not very 4x4 friendly they have posted signs that say if your vehicle is not registered to drive on asphalt that it is not allowed in Ophir. ALL Side by sides, Motorcycles, and Buggys must turn back before city limits. We did not see or hear of any issues while passing through this little town.
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 10/26/2020
County has closed the trails for the season due to the large snowfall.
Open
Visited: 10/23/2020
Trail is currently open all the way through again with only the lands south of the road closed due to the fire.
Partially Open
Visited: 10/21/2020
Due to the Ice Fire, the east side of Ophir Pass in San Juan County is currently closed. Find the forest order and map here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sanjuan/notices/?cid=STELPRDB5245061
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/17/2020
This was actually our first trail as a family. We had a blast! We went on a Saturday so I was expecting a lot more waiting but we got really lucky. The tundra with a 6" lift and 35s had no problem with the trail. The rocky section on the Telluride side of the pass was a little exciting but nothing too scary. Had no issues and can't wait for the next adventure.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/11/2020
2018 Subaru Crosstrek
1.5" Lift
235/75R15 Toyo AT2
Fun trail but fair warning the trail has changed quite a bit from when it was originally mapped. Over all the trail is easy, however between Waypoints 8 (the summit) and 10 the trail is covered in really loose slate rock. This will pose more of a challenge for vehicles running radial passenger tires, but still doable.
We traveled the trail from the Silverton side to the Telluride side which made the shelf roads easier in my eyes as we descended down the summit ever so slowly, as apposed to climbing up the slate rock.
Beautiful views and I would definitely do the trail again next time I am in town.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/10/2020
We had a busy day knocking out Jeep badge of honor trails. The mildest of all the trails.
Open
Visited: 10/05/2020
It was an awesome ride! We ran this one “quickly” on our way to hike near Silverton. There is a little bit of a pucker factor if you’re uneasy on shelf roads, but it’s a fun ride.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 09/19/2020
Second time running this trail and it was much more enjoyable the second time around. Was traveling some some family, one of which does not like longer offroad ventures, and she absolutely loved the pass. The shelf road is pretty easy, just go slow. This time around, we took our time, stopping for some pictures and to appreciate the colors changing down towards Ophir.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/18/2020
Waypoint 9 has changed dramatically. The scree starts just at the top of the pass and gets worse as you head down that first section. A rock rolled from under the tire and I took a terrific hit to the oil pan and started dumping oil. (4 hours later and I had things back under control.) Ahead of us were 3 motorcycles that had no business being on the trail. They were dumping their bikes almost every 50-75 feet.
We had fun (all except the oil part). The aspens were turning and the scenery was great.
One thing we all need to remember is that when you see a vehicle stopped by the side of the road with the hood up, stop and ask if everything is OK. Only three people out of about 30 stopped to see if I needed help.
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 09/16/2020
Fun descent into the town of Ophir with some good scenery at the end of the drive. Hill descent worked well. There is room to pass as needed. I would recommend if you are in the area and enjoy high elevation passes to explore.
Open
Visited: 09/07/2020
Super easy overall. Did it twice over the weekend and once in 2wd and didn’t air down which was a little rough. I’d air down if you can for comfort. Great views and great trail.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/06/2020
The last trail of our trip and what would you know, someone broke down right before Ophir where it's a one way. Still, had great views and was just the easy trail we needed before heading home.
Open
Rated
3/5
Visited: 09/06/2020
Simple trail we ran from Telluride and the little town of Ophir to the Million Dollar Highway / 550. Very busy pass with many Subarus coming from 550. Had a 20 minute wait while traffic came downhill off the cliff line. View were nice going up, and on the downhill, but the pass is very rocking with limited views.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/03/2020
This was our first Jeep "Badge of Honor" trail. We're doing this in a stock 2020 Cherokee Trailhawk, so we wanted an easier trail to begin with. Beautiful views and the trail wasn't too crowded on a Thursday. We did meet a person in a Wrangler at the summit who asked if we were going down the west side of the summit "in that" (referring to our Trailhawk). I just said of course. The trail can be done in any stock Jeep 4WD vehicle without the need for a lift, big tires, or an Wrangler ego.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/30/2020
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
Fun, easy trail with some amazing views and shelf roads that are enough to add some excitement without being scary (depending on how much experience you have on shelf roads I guess). The little town of Ophir was cool to drive through and then ending at the Million Dollar Highway with a beautiful drive into Ouray was great.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/30/2020
Ophir Pass is a great trail to “warm up on.” There are no real obstacles to tackle but the shelf road will make absolute sure you’re paying attention. The views are awesome and the town of Ophir is pretty cool, too. Overall, it only took me 1hr20mins.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/18/2020
Did this as the first of an all day on the trails and I was glad I did! It was a perfect way to introduce passengers to shelf roads and yet the views are spectacular!
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/16/2020
Easy trail, helps to have clearance. We drove east to west. Heading west toward the peak is easy with minimal grade. As soon as you leave the peak heading toward Ophir you are on the shelf road. High clearance helps make it an easy decent. Plenty of passing spots on the shelf road. We came across a Honda Pilot on the shelf road packed with college aged guys. With a careful eye from both our vehicle and a two Jeeps behind them, the Pilot made it safely down. At the bottom we asked why they took that road and their response was Apple Maps said it was the shortest path to Telluride from Ouray!
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/13/2020
Easy for a stock wheelbase mid size SUV/Jeep. Only issues to be concerned were the pucker factor while heading west toward Telluride. Steep downhill line, reasonably narrow shelf with 2-3'000 foot fall off, 6-12" rocks for part of the westbound downhill section. Motorcycles abundant. Everyone is polite about directional travel and the stop and wait at certain areas for those vehicles. Slow through the town of Ophir. Lots of kids and dogs. Water crossings are a nice place to get out and get wet with parking for several rigs on both western side crossings.
One thing not mentioned here is the an amazing place called opushut.com. A hike in only old school sustainable building about 1/2 mile from the summit of Ophir Pass. All inclusive includes afternoon soup, dinner and breakfast as well as an al a carte kitchen. Open year round it sits at 11,600' and has some of the most spectacular hiking in the area.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/04/2020
I personally really like this trail - it's not super hard, and pretty bumpy the whole way, but the view is awesome and the way the geography and rock formations change is something cool to see.
I think you could do this trail in a stock subaru outback - it's not hard. Again, just bumpy. The long rocky stretch on the Ophir side has basically no passing spots - keep and eye out for oncoming traffic and wait your turn so that nobody has to back up - could be dangerous to try it.
Open
Visited: 06/30/2020
Great trail! Spectacular views! Ran in in my stock f150 with ko2s. No issues except for a few of the drainage burms on the west side. Had to go at an angle to get the long wheelbase over without scraping.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/22/2020
Well maintained. Trailsoffroad rating and reviews spot on. Great views, fun trip.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/12/2020
Quick fun trip to get from Last Dollar to Corkscrew.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/08/2020
According to San Miguel County, Ophir Pass is open
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/07/2020
Difficulty Accuracy:
Spot On
We left the 100 degree temperatures of Moab for Telluride. Ophir was the only trail that was open, so we gave it a shot. We ended up running it in reverse, which worked out fine. It was amazing to be at nearly 12,000 feet and 50 degrees, having come from Moab just a few hours prior.
Ophir is very easy, but the steep drop off and narrow trails between Waypoints 7 and 10 can be a bit nerve wracking. Still, we can’t wait to go back to Colorado, and try the other mountain passes in the area.
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Seasonal Closure
Visited: 10/28/2019
The county has announced that the high passes are closed for the season.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 10/03/2019
We ran this pass from 550 to CR 145. This pass was ran from silver ton to telluride, wasn't too bad and not too diffuclte
Open
Rated
4/5
Visited: 09/14/2019
Ophir Pass at sunset, late in the season--fantastic!
Found the road in good condition, remarkably still pretty wet at the lower elevation near Ophir. Red Mountain/Silverton side was dry and good condition, nearly as if it has been graded recently on the lower elevation segment.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/20/2019
Started this on the 550 side and easily cruised up the east half. Starting down from the summit, the downhill on the west side is much different than the easy dirt you just drove up. As others have said, the rocks are 4-7 inches and loose in areas. Passing areas are limited in the shelf area, so I highly recommend waiting to start your descent until you've made sure nobody else is coming up the road for as far as you can see. I'm not sure I agree with the recommendation to take a stock vehicle on this though. I know it must be doable, but I wouldn't take my stock 4WD daily driver on this due to this section I described, and the potential that you may have to back up hill in a rocky shelf section to allow an uphill person to pass. Dont let the fact that this trail is rated a 2 make you think it's a walk in the park for your stock 4WD car.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/16/2019
First trail we hit in the area, was a great way to break into the mountains. Once we came to the pass there were a few motorcycles trying to make in up the rough part of trail, there's some rough rocks leading up to the pass from the West side, a bit much for the motorcycles coming up. We had to get out with some other Jeeps and help a couple motorcycles up the trail so we could make it down. Overall a great trail with some beautiful views.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/03/2019
Great views, in good weather its doable in any SUV/crossover with an experienced driver (must not be afraid of heights/shelves). Highly recommend making a loop with Imogene Pass, stop midday in Telluride. Summit is a little anti-climatic. One interesting section on the downhill to Ophir you are driving entirely on 4-6 inch rocks, sounds like you are driving over broken glass. If you're looking for a great mountain pass experience, without the pucker/damage factor of a Black Bear or Poughkeepsie - this is the trail for you!
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Open
Visited: 07/25/2019
We explore Ophir Pass between Silverton and Telluride, CO in the San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests
Open
Visited: 07/22/2019
Easy trail, the pass has a nice view, the ride down to Ophir has a few pucker spots but all in all fun.
Open
Visited: 07/18/2019
Update from a High Country Status update: 071219 Completely open with lots of snow slide debris and some muddy spots
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/02/2019
Ran the trail from east to west. Cool going through the snow walls up top. The switchback going down the west side was pretty scary. Freaked the family out a little bit. We haven’t done many switchbacks that tight, that high, looking down.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 06/27/2019
Ran the pass from East to West on opening day. The crews did a good job clearing the road and left it in great condition. First switchback west of the summit along shelf road caught me off guard, a lot tighter due to snow bank but a cautious 3 point turn was all it took. This is a good beginner pass.
Temporary Closure
Visited: 06/26/2019
Trail will open tomorrow, June 27th.
Open
Visited: 06/16/2019
Ophir is open to the summit on the Silverton side (waypoints 1-8). San Miguel County is still clearing their side from the top down to the town of Ophir.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/21/2018
Great day to be on the trail! The fall colors are amazing right now in the area. Saw quite a bit of traffic, but probably not as busy as peak summer season. I would say the only thing this guide is missing is the historic post office on the west end between the highway and ophir. It's a really cool building to stop and visit.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/10/2018
Beautiful trail and relatively easy. The rock shelf road sections are a bit narrow and there are few places to pass, but you should have good visibility to identify oncoming traffic.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 09/04/2018
Wonderful 4x4 road, and exceptionally well written and photographed guide on this site. I drove the Ophir Pass road from Highway 550 to Telluride on a weekday after Labor Day. Traffic was light (saw fewer than 20 other rigs from start to finish).
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Open
Visited: 08/26/2018
This trail is awesome. Nothing challenging as long as you're comfortable on a shelf road on the west side It's one car wide but you can see almost the whole road before going up or down so just make sure no one is on the road. Absolutely stunning views and a great way to pass over to Telluride from the east without going all the way around. Ran it in a stock Grand Cherokee.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 08/13/2018
Fantastic. The view when you cross the pass is breathtaking. Not very difficult. Was a perfect trail for my first Colorado off road pass.
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Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/19/2018
Fun, easy trail. Scenery is top notch. Approached from the Ophir side. Exposure isn't bad. Good beginner trail.
Open
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/01/2018
Ophir Pass is a fairly straight forward pass, but is absolutely picturesque from top to bottom. We headed up Eastbound from Ophir towards 550. The going is a bit rough down low between Ophir and the talus field. Once up to the edge of the talus, the trail is completely comprised of large talus rocks that you can feel move under the weight of your 4x4. It's a little unsettling, given the steep slope of the field, but it's very stable as long as you stay away from the edge.
We had the added excitement of a radiator cap failing on us as we reached the talus. - A small, but easily overlooked part when you're restoring a 20 year old vehicle, but a solid lesson to remember the finest details for safety sake.
Instagram: @overland_pajero
Open
Visited: 06/19/2018
CDOT has announced that there is a semi rollover on 145 that is going to be cleared on 6/20. There will intermittant closures while they recover the truck and they note that this is near the entrance to Ophir. Be aware of potential backups on 145 for the day.
Open
Visited: 06/12/2018
San Miguel County has taken steps to Ophir Pass open during this closure. Stay the trail and make sure to follow ALL fire restrictions and notices. The area is open but is still a tinderbox.
We are in communication with the County and will update if road conditions change.
Permanently Closed
Visited: 06/11/2018
Per the Forest Service office in Durango, Ophir Pass is CLOSED under fire restrictions.
Open
Visited: 06/04/2018
Per local resources, Ophir is 100% open and dry.
Not Reported
Visited: 11/03/2017
As of this morning, San Miguel County has CLOSED Ophir Pass for the season officially. No part of the trail remains 'partially open'.
trailsoffroad.com will update this page again in the spring the day that the trails open.
Seasonal Closure
Visited: 10/25/2017
The FS has announced that as of today this trail is closed at the top by snow and that they will not recover vehicles on these trails until spring. The trail is impassable at this time but trailsoffroad will update the status as soon as the trail opens back up in the spring.
Partially Open
Visited: 10/10/2017
Please note that the time of year where daily closures are upon us in the San Juans. While they have not closed the trail yet, Ophir Pass is on a daily watch for weather. It's been closed on past days but is open as of this report. There is snow and ice reported by the county. While trailsoffroad will try to keep the trail as up to date as possible, please check this link to the county for the latest.
We will update this page when the trail is officially closed for the season.
Open
Visited: 09/24/2017
Beautiful drive over Ophir Pass. The visual combination of snow above 10k' with fall colors below was stunning.
We were a little worried the day after a snowstorm but most of the snow had been driven over enough to be packed down or melted. A little icy above ~11k. Passed a handful of other drivers on our way up (we were eastbound) that provided reassurance on the trail conditions. Smooth enough that my son slept through the whole thing. Also, a convenient route from Telluride back to Silverton if you don't want to drive all the way up to Ridgway.
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Open
Visited: 07/19/2017
This was our group's first of four trails in two days and was a great intro into the San Juans. The shelf areas were rough on those with heights issues but the beauty more than made up for the pucker factor. Everyone made it through this trail safe and the trail appeared to be in good shape all the way through.
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Not Reported
Rated
5/5
Visited: 07/03/2017
I think this trail should be rated 3 because of the rocky narrow shelf section on the west side. Paradise divide is rated 3 and this trail is definitely more challenging than that. It is still a relatively easy trail and can be done in stock vehicles with good clearance, I just think it is better to be more consistent on the ratings.
From the Community
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JD Marshall
Mapping Crew - Colorado
Jen & JD moved to Colorado from Chicago in May of 2015 for work and brought with them a 2001 stock Jeep Wrangler that had been garage bound for two years. Within a month of arrival, all rusty 170,000 miles of it was shaking on Colorado trails and they've never stopped. As time as gone on, their 2001 TJ had to be traded and a 2015 Jeep JK has been added to the family.
JD works as a Systems Engineer for a cable company and Jen runs a business from their home during the week to pay the bills. When the weekend hits, they're almost always hitting the trail. When Sunday night rolls around, the question turns to, 'so what's next week?!'.
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