Of the myriad ways to explore Colorado’s high country and wilderness, one that’s becoming increasingly popular is overlanding.
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Overlanding is broadly defined as a form of self-reliant travel that allows people to experience scenic remote areas. Many times that means driving unpaved roads and camping for several days to make the most out of the adventure.
Though having an adequate vehicle to navigate backcountry roads is important, overlanding is distinct from off-roading, which focuses explicitly on technical driving over challenging terrain. Overlanding, meanwhile, “blends travel, exploration, navigation, camping, and self-sufficiency into one experience,” according to the Overland Expo Foundation.
The foundation hosts gear shows across the country — including the local Overland Expo Mountain West (Aug. 21-23) at The Ranch Events Complex in Loveland — and produces an industry report seeking to understand the overlanding community.
Both off-roading and overlanding exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as people turned to the outdoors as an alternative to other types of recreation. The latter has continued to draw recreationists with 8 million people taking an overlanding trip in the U.S. in 2024, according to the latest industry report released last year.
With that many people on backcountry roads, you might be wondering how to find a bit of solitude. After all, if you wanted to sit in traffic, you could just take I-70.
We spoke with Tracy Barker, president of Colorado 4WD Association, who had insight about where to find the 4×4 roads less traveled. Most of the suggested routes below involve a low-level of difficulty — 3 out of 10, according to TrailsOffRoad’s technical rating scale — so they are generally more accessible than notorious ones like Black Bear Pass or Imogene Pass, near Telluride. Exceptions include Lake Creek (rated 4), Mosquito Pass (rated 4), and Schofield Pass (rated 5), Barker said.
Just because they are relatively easier doesn’t mean there won’t be big payoffs. Barker chose these overlanding routes because they offer access to high alpine and rugged mountain vistas, camping options, and trailheads. Some can even be driven as “loops,” offering opportunities for multi-day excursions, he said. Though some are in well-known overlanding areas, Barker promised you’ll find serenity.
“It’s just a fact of life that many places become congested on summer weekends,” he said by email. “But fortunately, even for the more popular areas (Silverton, Ouray, Crested Butte, Buena Vista, Salida, etc.) there remain side roads/spur roads sufficient to ‘get away.’”
Here are five overlanding destinations to seek out. Please remember to recreate responsibly — or don’t be an “ass clown” in the words of one Western Slope sheriff — by choosing a path that suits your driving abilities, adequately preparing, and following Leave No Trace principles.
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Near Westcliffe
Suggested routes: Lake Creek a.k.a. Cloverdale Mine; Hermit Pass; and Medano Pass to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
Attractions include high elevation, mining relics, dense forests, mountain lakes, access to plentiful dispersed/primitive camping and the USFS Lake Creek Campground.
Near Alma
Suggested routes: Mount Bross; Buckskin Joe; and Mosquito Pass
Attractions include high elevation, mining relics, forest and tundra, creeks and lakes, access to dispersed/primitive camping and the USFS Kite Lake Campground (near Alma).
Near Red Cliff
Suggested route: McAllister Gulch-Resolution Road-Wearyman Road loop
Attractions include high elevation, opportunity for a history lesson at Camp Hale, forest and tundra, creeks, access to dispersed/primitive camping and USFS Camp Hale Campground.
Near Dotsero and Glenwood Springs
Suggested routes: Transfer Trail, Coffee Pot Road; and Blair Mtn Road
Attractions include mid-elevation (10, 000 feet), forest and multiple lakes, access to dispersed/primitive camping and multiple USFS campgrounds, such as Deep Lake and White Owl campgrounds.
Near Crested Butte
Suggested routes: Gothic Road-Paradise Divide-Slate River loop; Lead King Basin; Schofield Pass (more advanced/difficult)
Attractions include high elevation, forest, rivers, mining towns (Gothic and Crystal), access to dispersed/primitive camping and USFS’ Lost Lake, Lake Irwin, Williams Creek campgrounds.
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