Boreas Pass Road was once a high narrow-gauge railroad

The gravel road that climbs out of Breckenridge over Boreas Pass is not just a scenic drive. It is an old railroad grade.

In the early 1880s the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad pushed a narrow-gauge line over Boreas Pass, connecting the town of Como on the south side to Breckenridge and beyond. Narrow-gauge tracks sit closer together than standard rails, which let trains take tighter curves in steep country. A small settlement and a railroad section house sat near the windswept summit, where crews kept the line open. Trains ran here into the 1930s before the rails were pulled up and the route became a road.

Because the road follows a rail grade, it climbs at a steady, gentle slope rather than steep switchbacks. The Forest Service helps care for the historic section house near the top. The road is typically open in the warmer months and closed by snow in winter.

Why this is worth knowing: it is a calm way to see mining-era history on foot, by bike, or by car, and the steady grade tells you a train once ran here. For road status and the section house, check the White River and Pike-San Isabel national forests.