Locals say it likely will not be passable this year. Gunnison Ranger District, Attn: Dispersed Camping Comments 216 N. Colorado St., . One of the highest and most beautiful mountain roads in Colorado. But be advised, although it is advertised as a ghost town, this town is populated by people during the good months of the year, so remember that people live there. We were able to get the rough the water crossings at Mirror Lake just fine. Boulders are much more pronounced, not a smooth spot anywhere except on the pass itself. Beautiful 12,154-ft. pass road between historic, quaint mountain towns The Iron City cemetery is located on the east end of the campground. Located in Gunnison and San Isabel National Forest. When a trail is this popular I suppose youre bound to see some people with awful trail etiquette. Want to report conditions for this trail? Just past the wooden bridge, turn left and head west, again following the sign for Tincup Pass. Just like most of the lakes in this area, Mirror Lake is well stocked with fish. With all you could need nearby and on site, this is the perfect spot to rest on your trip to our through Illinois. We stage just outside of St. Elmo and sometimes go to the top and come back, or go an entire loop. Jk with level lift and KO 2s. The town is primary for the summer time. 07 ranger manual Now it is basically a town of summer cabins with a few hearty year round residents. I haven't been up Tincup Pass since I was a kid on the way to Mirror Lake for camping and fishing. We heard from a fellow driver that Mirror lake is also impassable from the west because of deep water. We ran Tincup Pass from St. Elmo to the town of Tincup then back. We were able to make it as far as we did because the snow was still very hard and our single digit tire pressures allowed us to float on top of the snow. Just went slow and took our time. It took our group of 12 rigs roughly 3 hours to reach the pass from St. Elmo. Continued on to Napoleon. 1715 Tin Cup Road, Mahomet, IL, 61853. Can't wait to go back here and explore more. 3939 N. Usery Pass Road, Mesa Cave Creek Regional Park. At that point, it was easily 4'-5' deep. Directions to St. Elmo: At the town of Nathrop on Highway 285 in Chaffee County, travel west on County Road 162 toward the mountains. Big rocks! Drove through water at the lake. great little glimpse into the history of the area. The Fitzpatrick Peak with an elevation of 13,112 feet (3,997 m) sits on the Continental Divide. Compared to previous years trips, this year the road is in terrible condition. During the construction of the Alpine Tunnel, St. Elmo was a bustling supply center. I run a JKU with 4" lift/35" Nitto Trail Grapplers and we did fine. Mosquito threat level 6 out of 10 haha. 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. We tried to plow through the 3' snow drift with no luck. Fishing is also available at Chalk Lake. The road to St Elmo was a mess with the large number of tourists doing their site seeing and picture taking from their cars at 15mph. Numerous camping sites, many of which were occupied by people with large 4x4s and camping trailers. A large snow field still sits on the road waiting for the sun to do it's deed. The water was only about 12 - 14 inches deep. Jeeps, ATV's and Side-by-sides were all abundant on the trail. At the pass, youll be on the Continental Divide at 12,154 feet in elevation. Another few weeks will be necessary until the snow melts away. Great trip starting from Tincup stopping to camp just after the pass below tree line. policy linked to above. But we had a blast. I visited Tincup Pass on 09/09/17 and had little trouble with the trail, so went back on 07/22/18 and found that the trail was a bit degraded due to erosion from the previous year, still I was able to drive the trail without using 4 whl drive. From this point on, snow fields are almost constant with a few patches of dirt. It rained all night of the 18th, so that may have changed the water level of Mirror Lake. ATV's and motorcycles are not permitted off of parking spurs or roadways in the campground. This is the last spot the snow melts. Crazy! Not subaruable. Open and beautiful. Tin Cup is a small town North East of Gunnison. Remember, always Stay the Trail. Recommended rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, and Hancock Lakes. Rocky to extreme rocks the entire way. But this area is over run with people on four wheelers. And these trails are rough! For current conditions call Salida Ranger District (719) 539-3591. Parking is limited to the parking spurs provided at each site. Easy beginner trail with great views from the pass. Iron City Campground is located within the Chalk Creek Canyon, which is one of the valley's most popular areas, offering access to many ATV trails. Came up from the Tincup side. Perhaps because shortly after pulling out of the driveway toward the pass several years ago I had a major vehicle malfunction on the highway. 95% of travelers recommend this experience. connected to the .gov website. Trail seems a little easier than the rating, but you still need to keep your brain engaged. There are many great camping opportunities along Tincup Pass Road and the area is quite popular with campers. Rocky but do-able with a stock vehicle. But it had melted enough that I was able to break a path through it with both of my lockers on. It's shorter but much more difficult. We didn't take the Old Tincup route, as time was running short. Generally considered a moderately challenging route. 33" Rented a Jeep (my K5 is back in So Cal for a one ton swap) and passed through Mirror Lake without issue - Jeep was a stock JKU without lift on Rubicon takeoff wheels/tires. Wrangler 4L ALL the way, but slow and steady did it. St. Elmo was settled in 1878 and grew to a population of about 2,000. The Tincup Pass 4x4 Road forms the final leg of the Alpine Tunnel loop, but it continues beyond the junction with the trail and could make for a great gravel grind. We tried getting through in the Power Wagon, but no luck. 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. Two restrooms areuniversally accessible. Tincup Pass road is recommended for high-clearance 4WD cars during the summer months roughly from late June to October, although in some places snow is still present as late as July. Tincup is also a popular destination in the summer for fishing, hiking and camping. Campers who are unable to find a campsite in one of the four developed campground may camp above the townsite of St. Elmo on 4x4 Road 267. The picturesque, remote drive passes through the San Isabel and Gunnison national forests. Scenic, enjoyable ride, but too much traffic for my tastes. Looks bad, but fine if you hug the edge. The trail, located at the western end of Chalk Creek Valley, starts off Tincup Pass Road. Sign at trailhead says "Tracked Vehicles Only". (602) 506-2930 ext 8. Mirror lake also makes for a nice spot to stop and have lunch or to stretch you legs out. Enjoyed the Tim Cup and Elmo towns, and the trail was fun with some good views. Some great campspots to the right around timberline. Only licensed vehicles can operate inside campground. Access to the stream is best near the bridge on the road to the campground. Start out early in St. Elmo and take the trail to Tincup. There are 3 sections of water with the third (going south to St. Elmo) being shallow and very short. View your favorite zones in 3D. Large parking area at north end of Mirror Lake. Especially down to the lake from the pass. Open all the way. This is the first time I've been in this area. Ran from St. Elmo to Tincup. We rented a jeep from BV Jeeps in Buena Vista, grabbed some sandwiches in town and set off from the St Elmo side. Beginning at the St. Elmo Ghost Town, a bumpy, rocky road for approximately 4.5 miles travels west as it ascends the valley beside Chalk Creek. She really could have been nice in telling us. Very scenic and bumpy pass from start to finish. It is located near the historic townsite of St. Elmo. If you take the easiest lines I would rate this trail a 3. Did it on a dual sport Yamaha XT225 and a Honda 250 Rally. Active businesses include the Tincup Store and Frenchie's Cafe. 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. BioLite HeadLamp 330. Two Jeeps tried and both had to be recovered. It was one of our best day trips over the passes of Colorado. This landscape reveals a thriving community of plants, animals, and human stories that echo throughout this desert preserve, chronicling thousands of years of desert living. These campgrounds range from public to private, and primitive to . Been a few years so don't know road condition now, Just stunning. This trail was amazingly fun. Someone has laid some logs as a barrier at Old Tincup Road so I am not sure if it has gotten worse and that was done to indicate that? Did in a passenger car. Beautiful views of some snow covered peaks! Road is usually wide enough for easy passage with oncoming traffic, mostly ATVs. The rocky trail will definitely put your gut in check but it is an absolutely breath taking ride. Camping and campfires are restricted in the Chalk Creek Canyon to developed campgrounds only. Trail is completely snow-free. Fun day! FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: 1-877-444-6777 Rental Options Trail was wet and got some precip on the way down to Tincup, but wasn't an issue. Spend some time in Tincup. You can find the order here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd624784.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0F9JmIoQOrC5VRqdi5AGmG-Y94yTYRgj1g4Ve4kedoobF08y5x_7yDIZc I got off to walk around and my son drove through a little parking area to meet me. Fishing is available in Chalk Creek located along the southern edge of the campground. We smartly decided to head back the way we came and were glad we did when we read about the backside to the town of Tin Cup was more difficult. Probably only 10 non SXSs. The declining mining industry of the 1920s, and the discontinued railroad service drastically changed the town, and by 1952, even the postal service was discontinued. 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. Ran this from St Elmo to Tincup in a Badlands Bronco with 35s. Map showing recreational areas. We have a 3.5 lift on 35s with 1200 lbs of extra gear on our rack since we are an overlanding rig. The pass is basically boulders and rocks. Fishing is available in Chalk Creek. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. The optional "Old Tincup" route has one difficult rocky section. I wonder How my dad did this in a 1972 AMC Gremlin back in 1975.Mmm I guess he really knew how to drive though it did scare my older brother quite a bit lol. One short section of narrow shelf road often remains snow covered into early July. Just run Tin Cup. Cute town with a store, a cafe and a church. Traveling from Tin Cup to St. Elmo. As expressed by many others, the views are great! It was a great time and Im still excited about the trip. Not a Ghost Town. Immediately after a parking area with a toilet, bear right and follow signs into St. Elmo. Visit St. Elmo, a popular Colorado ghost town with a few businesses, including an ATV rental. One tree was down across the trail. $45 at BioLite. rocky most of the way. Drove up from Tincup. There wasnt too much traffic and the snow up near the top had a well established track through it. The trail starts out in the town of Tincup and climbs past the beautiful Mirror Lake on its way to the pass. Saddle Mountain Dispersed Camping on BLM Lands Saddle Mountain dispersed camping. The scenery is great and the folks we met while traversing the Pass were great and mindful of the rules of the road. The rest of us had only minor issues which was mostly due to poor sleep and hunger. Construction crews were beginning work on the bridge at the very start. First-come, first-served. Still very bumpy the whole way, but no longer technical. The renegade drove a bit recklessly (he has learned from this) and ended up breaking on the trail. Started in Tincup and ended the trail in St. Elmo. Fun trail. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. The trail didnt get washed out anywhere between St. Elmo and tree line, but there was a bit of erosion overnight. 4 wheel Low entire trail. Tincup Pass road offers visitors to explore historic Colorado mountain towns. Made it about 4.5 miles in from St Elmo. In 1881, St. Elmo became an important railway stop. Great fun! Cimarronand Comanche National Grasslands Mirror lake was the highlight. Still very pretty and Mirror Lake campground is awesome. They said there was waste-deep snow above tree line and they were not able to summit. United States government. In 1882 and 1883, both the marshal - and the marshal who replaced him - were gunned down while enforcing the law. Authentic Mining Town form the 1890's - Kind of a Ghost town. If you havent been 4 wheeling I could imagine thinking it is pretty sketchy. Heading north will take you to Taylor Park and Cottonwood Pass, which would lead you into Buena Vista. The water depth at Mirror Lake was no more than the hub of my wheel at any point. Difficult. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. One section near the summit is narrow because snow is still present. I believe you can see and or hike to the Fairview Peak Fire Lookout. Still open. Mt. 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. Amazing on the UTV even though extremely busy. Campground Recon 6.49K subscribers Located halfway between Tincup and Tincup Pass, Mirror Lake Campground is the perfect place to camp for anybody wanting direct access to hundreds of. Princeton is a small campground with 17 campsites. However, the fall is my favorite when the Aspens start the change. The pass is open to the large cornice just before the summit on the St. Elmo side. I have done this trail in a stock CJ-5 a few times. Good trail, lots of fun challenges for new to intermediate drivers. Fees are payable by cash, check or money order. It is probably one of the more difficult trails in the Taylor area, besides Taylor Pass. Pass is now open, but be prepared for deep water on the tincup side. Note that while potable water is not provided, Willow Creek can supply water if you bring a filter. rating. Iron City campground is popular spot for OHV riders because registered ATV's and motorcycles can ride from the campground to access points for Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy and Hancock Lakes and Williams Pass. Blew out a sidewall about 1/2 a mile from St Elmo. Shoveled out the drift at the top. Great ride! Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Visitors should purchase a San Isabel National Forest map which shows the various roads in the Chalk Creek area. Forest Order PSICC-2019-19 has now been rescinded. Saw alot of wildlife including a bull moose in the big valley near the pass (see pic, but can't see moose in pic) . We did this in 2wd the entire way. Forest Supervisor Office. ). At times the road was more of a river, which on other trails would have been more difficult, but you still have decently wide trails. About 3 hours to make the trip in a Jeep JK Rubicon Unlimited on 33" tires. A scenic drive through Tincup Pass is a rewarding experience promising breathtaking views and visits to historic towns. Rent an E-Bike and experience a fun, new way to explore Buena Vista, CO! Then road reappears and nice trip into lake and finally Tincup. Tincup Pass, St. Elmo Take a tour of historic mountain towns on this high-mountain pass. Tincup, Cumberland, and Hancock Pass via Forest Road 267, 765, and 299 Hard 4.8 (5) Gunnison National Forest Photos (30) Directions Print/PDF map Length 44.8 miElevation gain 6,610 ftRoute type Loop Check out this 44.8-mile loop trail near Nathrop, Colorado. It puts out 330 lumens, boasts 40 hours of battery life, and fits like . You can drive there without 4x4 from Gunnison area. Saw about 12 moose in the creek valley. Basically, the trail is beautiful and is suitable for most vehicles with 4low with some ground clearance. Tin Cup, Gunnison: Address, Tin Cup Reviews: 4.5/5. Maybe frame deep on our lowest clearance vehicle. Mirror lake was really low. Great camping at the beginning of Tincup also. This late in the season there was no water to drive through. A maintained road continues downhill to town of Tincup. Nearby Chalk Lake is heralded as a great family fishing lake with rainbow, brook and brown trout. Rocky at the top with one short section of narrow shelf road at 12,000 feet that often remains snow covered into early July. After that I was seeing people at least every minute so it is heavily trafficked after mid morning. Ran in 4 high and did not need 4 low or lockers. The Taylor Park Trading Post and the small town of Tincup are your best bet for cabins in the upper park. When we did this trail, there was a sign to divert us from doing the rougher section. Most stock 4x4s with low range should be okay, with some careful tire placement. Not narrow at all. The high-end rating of this trail is due to the "Old Tincup" route between waypoints 8 and 10. trail is easy, maybe (2) S-M obstacles, but bumpy. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. MODERATE, 6 - Along the Old Tincup route, stay right and continue downhill at this unknown road spur. Parking is limited to the parking spurs provided with each campsite. 2/14/2019 Submitted by FunTreks Tincup Pass has gotten rockier on the west side of the Continental Divide. The road down to the lake was rough but scenic and the town of Tin Cup was cool. It was nice and empty, maybe saw 4 other vehicles in total until we hit Mirror Lake. Avalanche damage on the way out of St. Elmo (east side of divide) was amazing to survey. $8.00 fee for day use if not camping overnight. United States. An official website of the Impassable Distance 12.28 mi Duration (one-way) About 2 hours Permit Required Yes - Click Here Highest Elevation 12115 ft Shape of Trail Straight Through Typically Open Year Round Best Direction N/A Official Road Name 267 Nearest Town St. Elmo Nearest Services Buena Vista Management Agency Gunnison National Foresat & San Isabel National Forest I turned around with my ATV after about a mile just because it was not very fun. I turned around a little bit before the turnoff for old tin cup jeep trail. Water at the crossing point was real low, so should be no issues for anyone. There is also fat biking here on groomed snow mobile trails. Mount Princeton Campground is located in the Chalk Creek Canyon, which is one of the valley's most popular areas. Reservations are no longer available at Mirror Lake Campground. 4 of us on 37s+ with dual lockers and around 5lbs of air in the tires, headed up Tincup from St Elmo. Some of the sites have tent pads and all sites have a picnic table and fire ring. By clicking "ACCEPT", you agree to be the terms and conditions of each Cottonwood Campground is a good option for short- or long-term RV stays, though tents are also welcome. website belongs to an official government organization in the The trail up to Tincup Pass was open and in good shape with only a couple of small trickles across the trail. In past years where there has been a dirt road, is now all rocks. Didn't take the Old Tincup route and the rocks weren't anything to worry too much about. Tire placement becomes more difficult. There are some great lakes/reservoirs for fishing along the way, and Crested Butte is a doable drive. The homes have been updated to what they used to be. no lift Excellent trail! Classic run that got a little easier. Recovered a rolled ATV that was driving off-trail at the summit. Tin Cup RV Park is set in the quaint village of Mahomet, Illinois. We thought we may have made a mistake half way up in our stock SUV but managed to make it to the pass. They are the Upper, Middle and Lower Taylor sections. Neat trail with lots of history - starting in St.Elmo the road goes through many different levels of terrain. A good bit of snow on top of the pass at > 11,000 ft. Nice mountain road with views. Trees snapped through and or uprooted and deposited on the uphill opposing side of the valley. It is usually shallow and no problem, however, during heavy runoff it might be deeper. Overview A beautiful high-elevation route starting and ending at historic, quaint mountain towns. I ran the trail as part of the Set Them Free Off-road event which was held in the area during the first weekend of July. Sharp rocks near the top may cut tires. I started about 7:30 in the morning. I ran my mostly stock LX470 and it did fine. Thank goodness for MORE skid plates. Tin Cup, which has to be the best name anyone ever named a town, was named something else once, and the post office said there was another one, so they changed it. Cave Creek, AZ 85331. But today Tincup Pass is one of the most popular 4-wheel-drive destinations in the region. Very rocky, but fun. The rock obstacles on the rest of the trail more than made up for that! Potable water is available from a handpump. Driving through the trees, you pass many awesome primitive camp spots that tend to fill up rather quickly during the weekends. In summer, Almont area is famous for its abundance of wildflowers. Ran this right after Hancock Pass, from St. Elmo. This trail is perfect for the novice Jeeper. ( Road has always been in pretty good shape for me. This relatively easy route takes you from one historic mountain town, right into another. If you stick with the main route, the rating will not get above a 4. Have a picnic if the weather is nice, and definitely do not forget your camera! Last remaining drift was shoveled open by local user. A great adventure but next time we'll be in a jeep with more clearance! Stay left at this point to follow the main trail. My on-trail time was 3:15 a bit more than in the review above(I didn't take Old Tincup). I am a huge supporter of Stay the Trail and Tread Lightly, and have participated and even been in charge of many trail restoration projects. Most of the bypasses around obstacles are just as bad as the main route. The cemetery is unique make time to explore it. Any vehicle with a small lift, 4 wheel drive, and trail tires can do this run (don't need skid plates with good lines). Watch for moose. There were many people there today. ATV's and unlicensed off-road vehicles are not permitted on County Road 162 so riders must trailer their vehicles to designated OHV trailheads. ) or https:// means you've safely super fun mountain pass. As you approach the final climb up the pass, this would be a good location for a potty break as the trees thin out. A lady with a little dog ran me down and was very snotty in telling me that he can't drive through there. While on the trail, we needed to rescue a vehicle that teetered over the edge of the road. This is not an easy place to get to. Very light snow above 10,000 but nothing on the road. You can go the back way, over the mountain that is travel able only on foot or 4 wheelers from the ghost town of St Elmo, or the 'easy' way on the dirt roads from Crested Butte. Would love to Atv toward tincup and pitkin. Looks like it's going to be impassable at Mirror Lake for a while; the lake's water levels are well above the road. Bumpy and scenic drive all the way to Tincup. Approaching from the east, we made it from St Elmo to a point about 300 yards from Tincup Pass. Ran the trail in the pouring rain so no traffic. On the Tincup side, the road has been reported as flooded out due to high water in Mirror Lake. DIFFICULT, Gunnison National Foresat & San Isabel National Forest. 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. Plenty of SxS's on a Friday, particularly as you approach the summit from the St. Elmo side and all the way down to Taylor Park. Agree with review below that there have been lots of improvements to the trail - especially on the Tin Cup side. 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. bilsteins Thanks for all the reviews previously, it was great to know I could make it with the rental before heading up the trail. I love this trail and can't wait to go back. Always a rocky start, but the payoff is spectacular with its killer views. 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Isabel and Gunnison National forests & visitors should purchase a San Isabel Forest... Southern edge of the trail, we needed to rescue a vehicle that teetered over the of! Perfect spot to stop and have lunch or to stretch you legs out route takes you from one mountain! The Tincup Store and Frenchie & # x27 ; s Cafe my tastes, ATVs... Or to stretch you legs out dog ran me down and was very snotty in us., it was a great time and Im still excited about the trip in stock! Gear on our rack since we are an overlanding rig 4L all the way and. Have a picnic table and Fire ring rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake Tincup... Glimpse into the history of the trail when I did this trail ca!