Owl Creek Pass is a seasonal back road into Montrose's mountains

Not every “pass” near Montrose is a paved state highway with snowplows. Owl Creek Pass is the other kind. You reach it by the Cimarron Road, which leaves US 50 east of Montrose and climbs into the national forest, and the route over the pass is an unpaved forest road, not a maintained highway.

That difference matters for how you treat it. A forest road can be smooth gravel in places and rough, narrow, or muddy in others. It is not cleared in winter, and it opens and closes with the seasons. Snow lingers high into early summer and returns in fall, so the window for an easy drive is shorter than the calendar suggests. After rain, even a dry-weather road can turn slick.

The payoff is quiet high country, aspen, and views toward the Cimarron peaks, with trailheads and dispersed camping along the way. But there are no services up there, cell coverage is spotty, and a low car can get into trouble fast. A higher-clearance vehicle and a full tank are smart.

Before heading up, check the road and conditions with the Ouray Ranger District, which manages this part of the forest, and carry a current motor vehicle use map so you know which routes are open.