Mt. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Views are incredible. Reservations are no longer available at Mirror Lake Campground. United States government. Stay to the right side and hug the bank! With a dump station, private showers, and plenty of sites to choose from, you're bound to enjoy your camping experience. Great improvements to the trail on the Taylor Park side as you near the top. Came up from the Tincup side. Its been several years since Ive been on this trail and seem to remember it being more difficult back then. Our two stock Tacomas made it up to the snow with little effort except for a considerable obstacle immediately before the last switchbacks before the pass. Most of the bypasses around obstacles are just as bad as the main route. We have a 3.5 lift on 35s with 1200 lbs of extra gear on our rack since we are an overlanding rig. Cascade campground is located on the left side of the road just after the Cascade falls. Tin Cup 4.5 79 reviews #7 of 28 things to do in Gunnison Ghost Towns Write a review About Former ghost town now a Summer resort. Thanks for all the reviews previously, it was great to know I could make it with the rental before heading up the trail. A great little Colorado ghost town that is out of the way and not packed all the time. Almost ready to summit. Iron City campground has 15 sites and is locatedwithin walking distance ofthe historic townsite of St. Elmo. How long is the road to Tincup Pass in Colorado? ( Its rocky and bumpy and a bit steep at times. Wrangler 4L ALL the way, but slow and steady did it. I only passed a pair of dirt bikers until I hit the top of the divide. Some of the sites have tent pads and all sites have a picnic table and fire ring. After the divide mark its not as rocky but the bumpiness continues. Enjoy! Interagency Senior/Access passes valid for 50% discount to the camping fee for one site. Nice mountain road with views. ). Thanks to Colorado Off Road Enterprise and Mile-Hi Jeep Club working with the Salida Ranger district to clear the avalanche debris that closed the trail on the St Elmo side. 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. Great fun! Neat trail with lots of history - starting in St.Elmo the road goes through many different levels of terrain. In 1881, St. Elmo became an important railway stop. The pass is open to the large cornice just before the summit on the St. Elmo side. ATV's and unlicensed off-road vehicles are not permitted on County Road 162 so riders must trailer their vehicles to designated OHV trailheads. It's only open to the top and not down to the lake. Tincup Pass road offers visitors to explore historic Colorado mountain towns. 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. Traveled the Tincup Pass route from Tincup to St. Elmo on Tuesday August 20. Potable water is available from a handpump. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. no lift The road is in generally good shape. State park campgrounds - 44 sites, basic, 9 cabins, 3 yurts, year-round Dispersed camping is available south of the lake on Brush Creek Rd. A maintained road continues downhill to town of Tincup. Did in a passenger car. (Of course I didn't go that way) I was a little concerned if my stock Tundra 4x4 would make it but didn't have any problems, slight under-carriage scrape 1 time (my fault). We made it to waypoint 6 and had to turn around due to time constraints although we heard it was blocked by snow shortly after that. Has anyone recommend some rentals and tours and experiences? TTY: (719) 553-1404 Very rocky, but fun. For more information, check out. I have done this trail in a stock CJ-5 a few times. From this point on, snow fields are almost constant with a few patches of dirt. You can see in one of my photos my buddy is standing on the dirt while I take a photo at the snow level. Trail was good today. Vault toilet is available only during peak season. The best part of this was the stop at the top of the pass where the Continental Divide marker was. Parking is limited to the parking spurs provided at each site. 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 (719) 553-1400 No reservations are accepted. Don't miss the Tincup General Store. Hi, I'm Ryan! After the last switchback, the road was covered with snow for roughly 150ft. After pass the path ceases to be a road but a rocky area with no defined borders. Tacoma TRD OR. Forest Supervisor Office. Last remaining drift was shoveled open by local user. Another few weeks will be necessary until the snow melts away. Sharp rocks near the top may cut tires. There are some great lakes/reservoirs for fishing along the way, and Crested Butte is a doable drive. LOTS of side by side traffic on Monday but trail etiquette was pretty decent. $45 at BioLite. 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. Numerous camping sites, many of which were occupied by people with large 4x4s and camping trailers. Up on top the wind had picked up (of course). We really enjoyed the lake at the end of the trail. With all you could need nearby and on site, this is the perfect spot to rest on your trip to our through Illinois. we went from home in BV over Cottonwood Pass and then back over Tincup to St.Elmo. Tincup RV Park 4.5 based on 2 reviews 1715 East Tin Cup Road Mahomet, IL 61853 Get Directions (217) 586-3011 tincuprvpark.com/ Add Photo Write a Review Add a Photo Bookmark Email to Friend All RV Parks Illinois RV Parks Mahomet RV Parks Tincup RV Park Park Features & Amenities Camp Basics Park Type: Private Sites: 75 Pull Through Sites: 18 The Cascade Loop Trail is located across the street from the campground. The snow field is still about 200 yards long. Cave Creek, AZ 85331. This is a trial that I have always wanted to do. Always a rocky start, but the payoff is spectacular with its killer views. There are some rough, rocky spots throughout which will require good tire placement to avoid any undercarriage/rocker panel damage. Authentic Mining Town form the 1890's - Kind of a Ghost town. Anything 4x4 with a semi decent driver should make it just fine. 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. This giant loop makes for a long day, but it certainly is a fun one rich in history. The begining of the trail is snow free. One short section of narrow shelf road often remains snow covered into early July. Fees are payable by cash, check or money order. Looks bad, but fine if you hug the edge. At a Glance General Information Directions: From Buena Vista, Colorado, take Highway 285 south for 7 miles to County Road 162. Contrary to popular belief, Tincup is not a ghost town. Pike-San Isabel National Forests & FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: 1-877-444-6777 Rental Options Even with periodic stops to address carb/fuel delivery issues, we completed the trek from St. Elmo to Tincup in approximately 3 hours. Travel west on CR 162 for 16 miles to the junction with CR 292, just east of the historic townsite of St. Elmo. This trail has changed very little from year-to-year. Blew out a sidewall about 1/2 a mile from St Elmo. We were able to walk across the snow field to the summit sign (Waypoint 7). Jeeps, ATV's and Side-by-sides were all abundant on the trail. Nearby ATV/UTV and 4X4 rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes. Princeton is a small campground with 17 campsites. rating. Remember, always Stay the Trail. https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/trails/us/colorado/tincup-pass-st-elmo. It took us 5 hours to go from St. Elmo to Tincup, way longer than in previous years. 07 ranger manual Tincup Pass itself had a fair amount of traffic but all the drivers I encountered were very courteous and the views were great. Good run. 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. Mirror lake also makes for a nice spot to stop and have lunch or to stretch you legs out. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Very very scenic drive. Turn around if snow blocks the road and come back another day. One section near the summit is narrow because snow is still present. Visitors can access the area by traveling on Highway 285 from either Buena Vista or Salida. It puts out 330 lumens, boasts 40 hours of battery life, and fits like . I love this place. 2840 Kachina Drive This is one of my favorites! Maybe frame deep on our lowest clearance vehicle. As you approach the final climb up the pass, this would be a good location for a potty break as the trees thin out. If there was a sign, we didn't see it. There wasnt too much traffic and the snow up near the top had a well established track through it. It will likely be completely melted off in a couple days. Very noisy and dusty. 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. Difficulty Accuracy: Total Miles 13.0 Elevation 3706.11 ft Duration 2 Hours Technical Rating 5 Difficult Best Time Summer/Fall Show in App 8 Trail Overview Tour historic mountain towns on this beautiful high-mountain pass. It was a great time and Im still excited about the trip. 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. 4 - Give it a 3 of 6 difficulty rating - down from a 4 or 5 before. website belongs to an official government organization in the Smooth sailing to mirror lake. 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. Add a review. St Elmo Store is open from 9 am to 5 pm and will remain open until the end of September depending on the weather. Could've been nice if I wasn't inexperienced. Immediately after parking area, bear right following sign to St. Elmo. guide. Cute town with a store, a cafe and a church. Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes and Williams Pass (open during the month of August). But we had a blast. Tin Cup Pass from the east is a mildly rated jeep trail that starts in the old ghost town of St. Elmo. From Johnson Village, head south on Highway 285 about 6 miles. We did this in 2wd the entire way. Just past Nathrop, head west on C.R. But definitely a blast! It was more popular during the 50's and 60's for those wanting to have a mountain retreat. Mirror lake had 3 sections that were still covered in water but none of them were more than 2 feet deep. MODERATE, 6 - Made it through all sections at Mirror Lake with a Jeep Sport with high clearance and 35" tires although stock can probably make it fine. Ran this from St Elmo to Tincup in a Badlands Bronco with 35s. Just went slow and took our time. We go every year! We were able to get the rough the water crossings at Mirror Lake just fine. One tree was down across the trail. You can't get from Tin Cup to St. Elmo. Dates of operation below are weather dependent. It's accessible by a high-elevation OHV pass from Chalk Creek Canyon by Nathrop, or you can wind your way there from the west side of the Divide in Gunnison County. By 1918, the town had so few people . Airing down the tires helped a bit, but I certainly recommend a high clearance rig. They were nearly out of merchandise. Many historic buildings still stand in the town of Tincup, including the one and only business, the seasonally operated General Store. But it had melted enough that I was able to break a path through it with both of my lockers on. Perhaps because shortly after pulling out of the driveway toward the pass several years ago I had a major vehicle malfunction on the highway. Some years, the entire road along the east side of the lake can totally be submerged due to spring runoff. Shoveled out the drift at the top. Cimarronand Comanche National Grasslands Drove Tincup on Wednesday afternoon, September 11th. Overview A beautiful high-elevation route starting and ending at historic, quaint mountain towns. Beautiful trail from St Elmo up to pass. Very picturesque scenery throughout with lots of great dispersed camping along the way. The pass is basically boulders and rocks. The road down to the lake was rough but scenic and the town of Tin Cup was cool. Drove up from St. Elmo and reached snowpack at 2.8 miles. Nearby Chalk Lake is heralded as a great family fishing lake with rainbow, brook and brown trout. There a snow bank covered 1/2 of the width of the already narrow road. If you're looking to spend some time near the Salt River for paddling or tubing, Coon Bluff Campground would be a good spot to stay overnight. From there, you can return the way you came. The Iron City cemetery is located on the east end of the campground. With the exception of Cumberland Pass from Pitkin, the rest of the passes are high-clearance 44 roads. Still two large drifts across the road 500 yards east of the summit coming from the St. Elmo side. Basically, the trail is beautiful and is suitable for most vehicles with 4low with some ground clearance. Airing down is your best for this of course :). It has a few active businesses, including a general store and ATV rental. Tincup Pass provides quite a few hiking opportunities, such as the trail to Fitzpatrick Peak. Improve this listing All photos (35) Top ways to experience nearby attractions Milk Run Family Rafting Trip 59 Recommended from $85.72 per adult There is a TON of snow up on the pass still. Nothing about it gets too hard until after treeline. Just run Tin Cup. The Fitzpatrick Peak with an elevation of 13,112 feet (3,997 m) sits on the Continental Divide. We tried getting through in the Power Wagon, but no luck. Rocky at the top with one short section of narrow shelf road at 12,000 feet that often remains snow covered into early July. Trail is open and was busy today. I was in a 2014 tundra and made ever obstacle without trouble. 2/14/2019 Submitted by FunTreks Tincup Pass has gotten rockier on the west side of the Continental Divide. #8,809 in the world. My vehicle is an '02 Dodge Dakota 4x4. The hike is a lot harder than it seems, and I have not done it. Water crossings were minor (~6 inch depth). Ran the trail from Tincup to St. Elmo. Large parking area at north end of Mirror Lake. There is abundant OHV riding nearMt. 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? Saw moose in meadows along the road. ) or https:// means you've safely Very rocky trail ,almost no reprieve from them . 13psi No problems with the trail. We made it the whole over the pass a few days ago. Ran this as our final trip of the day after running Hancock and Cumberland first. There are three main sections of varying difficulty, all below the dam. Seemed more like bouldering at times. Mount Princeton Campground is located in the Chalk Creek Canyon, which is one of the valley's most popular areas. A great day. In the center of town, turn north and follow the sign for Tincup Pass. 4 wheel Low entire trail. Maps are available at the SalidaRanger District office, 325 W. Rainbow Blvd., Salida, CO, 81201, Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Many SXS's, lost count, but less than 10 other rigs. Sites must be occupied the first night of payment. Taylor Park to Tincup Pass Side by Side, ATV, Motorcycles & Jeeps Trails Colorado If you are in the Taylor Park area, Tincup Pass is a must. Cimarronand Comanche National Grasslands It was fun, but choosing a good line is important. BioLite is behind some great camping great, like this versatile headlamp. Drove the route from St. Elmo to Tincup on 15 August 2022. Deep snow in places. Tincup is a small residential community with many century-old buildings. One of the highest and most beautiful mountain roads in Colorado. 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