Black Bear, Imogene, and Last Dollar are seasonal 4WD roads, not shortcuts

Around Telluride, some of the most talked-about roads are not paved highways but rough four-wheel routes over the mountains: Black Bear Pass, Imogene Pass, and Last Dollar Road. They look like shortcuts on a map. They are not.

These are high backcountry roads built on old mining and supply routes. The highest of them climb above 12,000 or 13,000 feet onto narrow shelves with steep drop-offs and no guardrails. Black Bear Pass includes a one-way, downhill-only section that is for experienced drivers in capable vehicles only. Imogene Pass crosses an exposed alpine saddle over 13,000 feet toward Ouray. Last Dollar Road is gentler but still a long, rough drive better suited to high-clearance vehicles.

They are also seasonal. Snow can bury these roads for much of the year, and the highest passes often stay closed well into summer until crews and melt clear them. An “open” date one year is not a promise for the next.

If you want to try one, match the road to your vehicle and your nerve, go with a full tank and daylight to spare, and never drive past your comfort on a one-way shelf. Check current openings and conditions with San Miguel County or the managing land agency before you start up.