Rollins Pass: All Aboard

I took the dirt bike out to Rollins Pass this afternoon hoping to get a taste of Colorado railroad history.  Located just west of the Rollins Pass trail, the Moffat Tunnel is perhaps the most famous railroad tunnel in America spanning just over 6 miles through the Continental Divide.  To get to the trail head you drive through Rollinsville and Tolland, now a ghost town, and once an old stage stop and mining town serviced by the railroad there.  I've read that tourists used to ride the Moffat Line to Tolland by the thousands just to enjoy an afternoon in the mountains.  Stop along the way and take a few minutes to imagine life up in the mountains by the railroad back in the early 1900's.  Both in Rollinsville and Tolland you'll see reminders of their early railroad and mining days.  

The Ski Train from Union Station in Lower Downtown Denver will pass 28 tunnels before reaching the Moffat Tunnel on your way to Winter Park Ski Resort.  I have yet to make the 56 mile train ride but after my visit this weekend there is no doubt my wife and I will be making a fall visit to Winter Park by train soon.

Rollins Pass trail is a 4-wheel drive road although I think just about any car can make it on a dry day.  There are also plenty of camping areas just off the road and all with picturesque campgrounds.  The road is rough at times but passable on any vehicle but be prepared for a bumpy ride.  I arrived before it got busy and since I was on a dirt bike I could move along much quicker and for most of the trip I would be all by myself.

The views are beautiful and the early fall colors made the ride a moving picture.  The air was cool at over 9000 feet in elevation finally maxing out at over 11,000 feet.  The air was as fresh as you would expect and when the pine was thick the air carried that wonderful fragrance.  I was riding mostly in 2nd and 3rd gear but I kept my speed down because the road is very loose in areas and with a lot of shade it’s hard to see obstacles if you’re going too fast.

Towards the top you pass a small lake, which catches the winter’s snow melt, nestled perfectly against rock walls on one side and pine tree forest on the other.   The trail ends for motor vehicles about half a mile from Needle’s Eye tunnel, closed due to fallen rock at the cutting.  I understand you can traverse over the tunnel to find some old railroad beds and spectacular views of Jenny Lake below.  I would have liked to make the trek but I had no place to securely park the motorcycle.  At this elevation you can still see glacial ice and snow that despite the intense sun is unable to melt.

I took a few minutes to take in the views before heading back down.  The ride was casual, no obstacles or tricky turns and the wide trail would make a great mountain bike trip if you don't mind a long climb.  There are also hiking trails near the Moffat Tunnel and while you're there take some time to visit the old houses once used by miners and railroad workers.  It was a great afternoon absorbing all this natural beauty and all the railroad history in this area triggered thoughts of what life must have been like up here during the industrial revolution.

Click on connect.garmin.com/activity/226250963  to view my route and click on the green arrow to watch as I make my way up and down the Rollins Pass trail.

Find some time to enjoy the outdoors, it's a marvelous escape from the daily grind-Happy Trails.

AR