Last Update: 10/24/1997 - Jens Moller

On the Main Road

The road up from Buena Vista to the summit of Cottonwood Pass is fully paved. The road down to Taylor Park Reservoir is a graded dirt road. There will be some instances of washboard (riffles across the dirt road that make you vehicle shake a little bit, but nothing serious) on this 14 mile stretch. It should present little problem for any vehicle. This route was heavily used during the late 1800's and on because it was a much easier pass to deal with than Tin Cup Pass when trying to get supplies in and out of Tin Cup.

The winds constantly blow west to east at the summit of Cottonwood Pass

There are many switch-backs on this route and if you are towing a trailer or boat, take your time.

Looking down towards Taylor Park Reservoir From the Summit of Cottonwood Pass

Cottonwood Pass crosses the Continental Divide at 12,126 feet. You can see a bit of the dirt winding road over to the left in the picture. This pass is normally open in the spring, and if there is snow on it, it gets plowed. What else can I say - its a scenic trip and not very difficult. It would be a good first time dirt road trip for someone who has wanted to try something moderately adventurous, but wanted a low risk outing.

Comments? Questions? contact Jens Moller

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