Guanella Pass Reviews

The ride from Georgetown to the pass was awesome. The aspens were at the peak of fall colors. On our trip, there were no construction delays up to the pass however I-70 had construction around Idaho Springs which delayed us by about an hour. All in all it was very worth it. Coming back down from the pass to Grant wasn't as spectacular so you may want to go up and back from Georgetown to catch the things you might have missed on the way up.

Excellent route. We drove up the mountain by car.. stopped here and there at the viewpoints. So beautiful and pleasant. Be sure to bring a bottle of water, there is nothing near shop.

Beautiful road. Now that it has been paved, you can take anyone on it to see the magnificent scenery. (before,I'm sure I would have been disowned!)
It doesn't matter what Season it is, it's always worth the trip. Just beautiful.

The drive up to this mountain pass is scenic with places to stop for a picnic. (Pick up a sandwich at the Subway in Georgetown.) The view from is pass is simply amazing. Many hiking trails to choose from at the top. The drive down the pass to Highway 285 is also pretty. A nice scenic drive.

There are two scenic byways in Clear Creek County- Guanella Pass and Mt. Evans- Guanella Pass has great views and gets you from I-70 to US 285 so many locals use it to get to communities along US 285, Lots of photo opportunities and a great place to experience high mountain air.

A twenty minutes weave uphill from Georgetown, the summit has two trails--one the very busy climb to a 14-er, the other a gentle (for a while at least) climb to two lakes.

The road in September is crowded with locals and tourists in search of yellow aspen. The mountain trail is crowded with those trying to peak-bag and at least half have their dogs in tow or (worse) off leash. We preferred the other trail that head to two mountain lakes amid stunning geology.

Regardless, we enjoyed ourselves; there was beauty enough to go around.

This would be a good road to ride a motorcycle on...some twisties and curves. It is easily driven by car on the way to or return from Mt Evans. Pick it up just outside Georgetown. There is a hydro dam along the route.

If you want a great workout with some of the most beautiful scenery along the front range, this is perfect. Step it up and add Hoosier and Loveland passes and you will be able to ride your own triple bypass excursion. Try and not due your ride Saturday morning due to the horrific traffic congestion. Ride during the week or Sunday if you must ride on the weekend.

This is an amazing bike ride. The first climb out of Georgetown is a bit steep, but it’s not very long. The climb is great. Very scenic.

Typically only open between Memorial Day to Labor Day because of snow accumulation. There are campgrounds on the 285 side of Guanella Pass, not sure about the Georgetown side. Parking lots for hiking Mt Bierstadt and the Guanella Pass Summit. If you aren't ready for a 14er the Square Top Lakes trail is good. It's 4.2 (round trip) miles, starting around 11,000 ft and clubbing 1,000 ft. Our 5 year old was able to make it on her own. Lots of little rivers, streams, and still snowy fields to pass through. Bring waterproof hiking shoes, plenty of water, sunscreen, and a picnic lunch for the top. There were also people fishing in the lower lake. Great way to spend an afternoon!

Slow down a bit and drive the switch back laden road taking you to the summit of Guanella Pass. Take the loop hiking trail at the top, or enjoy one of the many trails that start right from the road.

Guanella Pass is a great place to view Mt. Bierstadt, hike Bierstadt from the trailhead or hike one of the other trails in the area. The pass is accessed by a beautiful drive up from Georgetown and/or from the US 285/Grant side. Not far from Denver either way. They are currently improving the roadbed and adding new asphalt to the Grand side road, so there may be delays. Some good photo ops.

Even though not an official national scenic byway, Guanella Pass Byway is nevertheless spectacular. We drove it from its northern end in Georgetown, itself a remarkable historic town all the way south to Grant, roughly speaking 22 miles. The pass is closed in winter, but provided spectacular vistas when we visited in mid September. There are numerous recreational activities along the way. Mount Bierstadt is a relatively easy (and popular) fourteener, but we opted to hike to Silver Dollar Lake (see my other Trip Advisor entry on that). As mentioned, historic Georgetown is a great place as a starting hub. Guanella Pass itself has a large parking lot, with a number of hiking trails (shorter and longer) starting from there and with spectacular panoramic views of Mt Bierstadt and the accompanying range. After that, it's downhill again, through pine forests all the way to Grant.

This pass is incredibly beautiful and a very enjoyable trip! Awesome views all the way up and over the pass. It was a overcast day and a little cool but a light jacket was all that was needed. My pictures turned out great!

So many good things to say...definitely cold and windy up there (the pass was 30 degrees colder than the interstate below) but the views were amazing and it was a fun road up through Georgetown and down through the valleys on the other side of the pass. Lots of picture taking, wildlife and even the construction crew at the top of the pass were entertaining to talk to while waiting for some resurfacing!

We will definitely be back and maybe even climb Bierstadt next time!!!

We have been to Georgetown probably a dozen times and have driven part way up in the past, but never to the summit. We are kicking ourselves for missing this opportunity so many times. It was so amazing to be surrounded by the 360 degrees of beauty. We didn't have time (and I'm certainly not in shape enough) to walk the trail (which I believe is 11 plus miles one way, but don't quote me on that), but I would like to do that in the future. It was definitely worth the drive to the summit and beyond. My only complaint is that the "facilities" were in desperate need of attention.

We went up as a family to see the Aspens and they were beautiful. The road can be found off of I70 in the town of Georgetown, CO. Lots of picnic places and the Colors are terrific! A must see only an hour from Denver! Lots of trails and the summit is beautiful!

This route is designated a "Scenic Byway". Road construction almost complete. Road is now entirely paved. Excellent, natural landscaping on the Park County side. If you happen to time your drive right, you could be fortunate enough to see the large group of bighorn sheep that live in the area. On our last drive we saw a fox, some deer, and the sheep. Depending on the amount of traffic, drive could take over an hour. Minimum time to drive it is at least 45 minutes. Road will not always be maintained in winter, so check for road conditions before attempting. Lots of switchbacks and steep on the Georgetown side. Good place for viewing aspens when the leaves change.

This is the back road from Conifer through Georgetown, about an hour long, a paved high altitude pass with some very iconic stops. Lots to see, a few mountain lakes, a great summit with parking spots and plenty of spots to pull off the road for photo ops.

I took some visitors to Denver up there last week, we went up through Georgetown and then over the pass that way ending up on Highway 285. We were about 3 weeks late for ultimate Aspen fall foliage but there were still plenty of leaves left and some snow on the ground and trees too along the way.

Great photo ops every where along the way. Safe and an easy drive, the day we went it was not too crowded either.

Worth checking out and seeking out for sure.

Right outside of Georgetown and only 40 minutes outside of Denver on I-70 this is a beautiful 11 mile drive up and back that has the most beautiful fall colors. When you see pictures of red and gold aspens they are from here. Plenty of places to pull off and look or take pictures. There are several pick nick tables along the way to stop and have lunch. This is a must for our family every fall!!!

My husband & I rode our Harley’s from Grant to Georgetown. The ride was very pretty, we were way underdressed. It was a tad chilly & windy! That was totally our fault for not being prepared. It is a slow climb & slow speed wise too. There are numerous pull/parking area for pictures, hiking & camping.

Great road not used a lot by many tourists. Access to wonderful trails, from Easier ones like Silver Dollar Lake and Flat Top Lake to Mt. Bierstadt, and genuine 14 footer.

When we first drove the pass to Georgetown, the road was dirt. This time it has been mostly paved. Of course, they are still working on this and we experienced delays. We had been driving through the Collegiates and through Fairplay looking at the leaves. While there were some leaves, because parts of Guanella are above timberline, you aren't going to see as many leaves (although there were some patches.)

Instead, go for the views of the fourteeners and the descent into Georgetown. It is a nice little drive.

Any time of year is pretty, but I like fall best. Brilliant colors, a lake, a 14er. Plenty of easy hiking, too.

Took the beautiful drive to the summit and then on to the town of Grant. Road was in excellent shape and they were doing a little work during our visit. Think the chance of seeing wildlife would be best in early morning or late afternoon.

Hope this title doesn't offend, but this was one of the most spectacular places I have ever seen. Can't count the number of times we stopped, took pictures and took turns pointing out views that I already want to see again. Didn't know that the second half (started at Georgetown) wasn't paved (gravel) although construction was evident as we descended on down to US 285 highway. Driving a Prius so can verify you don't need a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Rushing streams, mountain peaks and lakes that begged for a fly rod doesn't seem to be enough description for the beauty of this area. Over 11K tall, but actually a easy drive if you don't want to count the times you wanted to be looking at the scenery instead of the road.

We took a quick scenic drive from Georgetown up the Guanella Pass. Beautiful scenery, very serene and peaceful! Felt like we were the only ones in the world - very little traffic. Road was closed so we couldn't go all the way through, but it was a great little side journey!

Wind your way through beautiful Georgetown and follow the signs to Guanella Pass. It is a mountain drive with wildlife and wildflowers and waterfalls. There are pull offs where you can get some pictures.

Right now they are working on the road on the other side of the pass, but it is passable!! We were in a VW Passat and had no problem.

Every bend in the road lead to another gorgeous view! Absolutely stunning & worth it! Not to be missed!

The drive from both directions -- from Grant in the south or Georgetown to the north -- is paved, pleasant, scenic, and easy. At the pass is parking, and if it's full, people usually park on both sides of the road. No dropoffs to be worried about, though. The views are beautiful -- mountains on all sides -- and there are trails in various directions with a variety of difficulties.

Not the best drive the weather was not the best but you could see the snow on the mountains. Cars were travelling way over the speed limit on the road and the speed limit is there for s reason especially on the switchbacks

My Evans was a better drive

Decided to take the scenic route back to Denver from Georgetown and it was well worth the trip. The views were outstanding and the road was well maintained. If you are not in a hurry to get back it is worth the time spent.

This place is amazing. The top is beyond beautiful and the trails seem endless. A bit windy and cold but that's to be expected 14,000 feet up. We go often and every time it takes my breath away. Downtown is pretty awesome too. Alot of history and culture. Cannot wait to go back!

Decided to take the motorcycle over Loveland Pass to Georgetown for breakfast and then over Guanella Pass to Fairplay. The colors are changing early and the ride was beautiful.

Started at Georgetown, CO and drove at leisurely pace to the summit. There was extensive road work with up to three hour closures according to signage so we stopped at he summit. There are four peaks over 14,000' accessible from the top. We hiked a short while on a trail but the storm with lightning was fast approaching. I definitely will return to this area earlier in the day to enjoy a lengthy hike.

there are two parking lots. one on each side of road. east side to Beirstadt. west side to Sqaure Top,
still snow on June 1.

Interesting drive, right outside of Georgetown Colorado. Trailheads to 14ers Mt. Bierstadt and Mt. Evans at the pass. Wildlife (deer, bighorn sheep). Scenic views. Evidence of the mining history of the area.

Took a late September trip to Colorado and included a drive through Guanella Pass. Breathtaking views!

I randomly chose to follow the signs to this pass and I was not at all disappointed. Amazing views, beautiful colors, and such an easy drive when compared to other Colorado roads. Take a nice day and go for it. You will not be disappointed.

Drove this route last fall and experienced the breathtaking scenery and beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Do not miss out on this overlooked drive! Take your time and enjoy. Several places to stop and get out in nature to fully enjoy!

This is a very beautiful drive, either in a 4 wheel drive vehicle or an all terrain vehicle. Several mines along the way to sight see at and most likely you will see deer, sheep and possibly elk or moose, depending on the time of the year.

beautiful scenic view; nicely paved mountain road; The view from the top of the pass is spectacular; It connects HWY285 at Grant and FWY 70 at George Town.

We were advised (by Jaime, our host at the superb Rose Street B&B in Georgetown, see separate review) to drive the Guanella Pass and we were not disappointed. About a 20 minute drive to the top where you can park and go on one of many hiking trails. The top attraction is Mount Evans but that takes about six hours and we didn’t have the time or the right footwear. We walked for a couple of hours on fairly easy trails. Great views over the Rockies, still with high snow despite it being mid-July. Birds, butterflies, small mammals, colourful summer flowers. We enjoyed it.

The hike was set up to be enjoyed by all levels of hikers. Places to stop and rest along the way. People of all ages were on the trail. Pets were also making the hike with their owners.

Drove over as the snow was beginning and the road shut as we made it out the other side. Some great viewpoints and a good road to drive on.

We literally found it by accident and am SO glad we did. Take the time, smell the flowers, listen to the leaves, and take the back way to Breckenridge. It’s totally worth it.

Guenella Pass was one of many passes we traveled for Fall foliage. Overall experience was okay, mainly because of construction activities that blocked two-way traffic. We had to wait for 20+ minutes at each construction junction. Lot of bikers on road, so need to drive carefully.
Fall colors were nice with many photo op stops. Guanella Pass probably wouldn't top the charts in presence of gorgeous other passes like like Independence/Kebler/Keshoa. If you are in vicinity, surely visit it.

This is a very scenic drive over an excellent road that used to be gravel and slow going. Now it is smooth and safe as most two lane mountain roads. This is a heavily used area on the weekends. So go during the week if possible. You will see views of Mount Bierstadt which is over 14,000 feet above sea level as well as other high peaks.

Driving from Georgetown to Bailey, the aspen were peaking on the first day of fall - yellows and gold sweeping through the mountainsides. Many turnouts ensure that you don't get caught behind a caravan that has you looking at the bumper in front of you rather than the views. Weekdays are definitely recommended at this time of year. The drive south starts in picturesque Georgetown and you are shortly treated to unbelievable colors of the high country foliage. Rising in elevation, you go above tree line where you have a commanding view of Mt. Bierstadt before starting your descent toward Grant. Shortly after this, the vistas broaden into wider valley views of the play between the gold of the aspen and green of the pines. This is just the right length of drive for a short day trip from Denver at the perfect time of year.

Drove over the pass and the aspens are GORGEOUS right now. It had been several years since I've been on this road and so glad to see it's paved all the way through now. Next time, we'll come prepared to hike, but honestly, just driving through was amazing.

This road has 10 mph hairpin turns climbing out of Georgetown. Normally I'm not a fan of roads like that but this one has such low traffic that I didn't feel pressured to go faster than comfortable and the road is reasonable wide with some guardrails that I actually enjoyed it. I recently went up the pass a couple miles to get to a forest trail where I did some cross country skiing on a multi-use path mainly used by snowmobiles. Great hiking options up this way in summer/fall.

If I am to go back again-I will definitely have my hiking gear on. There are wonderful trails at the end of the drive that still had snow in MAY!The smell of the woods and just being up in the mountains was quite a treat. Take your time on the drive and soak it in.

My husband and I drove thru the pass after a fresh snow. We were a little nervous but I'm so thankful we decided to go. Breathtaking mountains and lakes hidden along the way. We had to stop multiple times to take pictures. There are many parking places to stop and enjoy the silence and beauty around you. A must see!!!

Two trips up in three days, could not get enough! Beautiful fall colors, paved now all the way through!

Father's Day, we were in the area, ate at Mountain Prime in Idaho Springs (Go, it is great). My kids had never been up the pass before, they loved it, snow pics in shorts in June, right! Sometimes we see bighorn sheep, not this time. Bring a javket w you whenever you go, temp drops up there. Fun time. Be patient w slow drivers if you can.

Lucky us!!! We were enjoying Indian hot springs with our kids and wanting to camp nearby. A lucky search sent us to Guanella Pass Campground near Georgetown CO. Though I wanted something closer (it's only about 35 min out but kids were wrecked) we went for it anyway.

Our drive up was in the dark and after a series of hairpin turns and near miss on a Moose (yikes!) we made it. Wisely, we skipped the closer Clear Creek Campground (power station right next to it seemed disturbing) and landed in the most amazing spot!!!

If you are a "walk in" camper, meaning you have no reservation, choose site #5. Creeks on both sides and terraced sight allows for shade and fabulous views!

I highly recommend it!

This drive was a last minute decision as an alternate to getting on the interstate, and boy did we luck out. The road has been resurfaced, many updates along the way to the stops along the drive. Beautiful views. Can see/hike two of the 14'rs from the summit. I say that a car is not required because we did see bicyclists--I have a whole new appreciation for them!! Not an easy ride at all!

My husband and I just returned from a day trip to beautiful Guanella Pass. It was glorious. We have been on this drive countless times, and every time I am in awe of its' beauty. I clamored up the rocks along the waterfall taking pictures along the way. We had a picnic at Clear Lake. We passed on hiking on the many marked trails this time. The golden fall color was drenching many aspen, quacking in the gentle breeze. Almost heaven...in the words of one beloved song-writing, singer, poet.

After a train ride in Georgetown we traveled the entire length of the pass. Just beautiful with a few water falls close to the highway. You will reach an elevation of over 12,000 Ft. above sea level. Paved road all the way. Several camping spots but in high demand in summer.

Many popular places to see the fall colors in Colorado but Guanella Pass is a beauty. The winding road begins in Georgetown and the first bend high above it gives a great view of Georgetown and its lake. But continue on and stop to see and photograph many of the small lakes and golden aspen trees in the fall. The road is paved but closed in winter. Several camping areas along the road. There are restrooms (pit toilets) along the way, somewhat clean but unheated! Snow starts early at this altitude so some years the leaves are gone before the prime viewing time. At the peak in the road, 11,670 feet, you can see the several mountains around you over 14,000 feet. Parking and restroom at the summit. Continue on and you'll drive along a clear mountain stream, Geneva Creek, arriving in Grant where you connect with highway 285 for a return to Denver. If you're in the mood for a longer day trip, turn right at Grant and go toward Fairplay. You'll first climb over Kenosha Pass and then through the tiny town of Jefferson in South Park, a 1,000 square mile grassland basin between two mountain ranges.

A must to drive for fall color. Breath taking views . Take your camera and binoculars. Good chance you can see Moose. Mornings are best for crowds to be small.

We rolled through here on the way to Mt. Evans, good views, most people seemed to park here and head out for hike.

Guanella Pass is a very busy place particularly on summer weekends. It is the launch point for one of Colorado's 'friendliest' 14ers (Mt. Bierstadt) so it is heavily trafficked. The drive is nice but not spectacular. The top is gorgeous with several trails to choose from if Bierstadt is not on the agenda. The drive is also relatively easy; no scary tight corners and deadly drop offs that some other passes offer.

We took the Guanella Pass drive in Georgetown. We wanted to ride the train but did not have time. The trees were starting to change colors. It is definitely worth the drive.

The entire road is now paved. The views are great along the way. Hiking and off roading available along the way.

This is a 11 mile drive and has many switch backs with spectacular views this would be a interesting ride on a motorcycle

Love Guanella Pass and the waterfall on the way up from Georgetown. The river is so clear in this area is was breathtaking! Well worth the drive and especially in fall, so much color.

Drove up the highway from Georgetown to a recreation area on the L side of the highway to find a wonderful array of trails. We liked the one adjacent to the creek, as it had lots of waterfalls, wildlife, and a view of snow-capped peaks in the distance.

Been over it twice and bighorn sheep were on or by the road. A very beautiful drive thru a high mountain pass on a well maintained dirt road.

Followed the Guanella pass to the trail head to Mt. Bierstadt, and hiked the 7 miles round trip. One of the tamer 14ers ive hiked. If you have never hiked a 14er this a good entry level one.

I love coming here. it is such a breath of fresh air and there is so much more then a trial set hike and back. you have so many different places to wonder and explore. Colorado at its most beautiful for sure.

Fantastic hiking trails, several interconnecting loop trails through riparian alpine forest of mixed Aspen and connifers. Good shade. Early June is a good time for Front Range wildflowers and birds. Also note the abundant and still easy to see cultural landscape from this area's mining past.

Waiting 8 years to ride our motorcycles over the pass. Worth the wait. Great scenery, technical roads, well maintained. the views and forests are great. Will be back again.

Drove over the pass today from Georgetown 2 Grant. The colors were just starting to turn not in full bloom yet maybe another week. But it was very beautiful and quite Scenic as you might expect

The drive to the pass is quick and scenic...beautiful aspens...plenty of pullovers...during the week,no crowds....be prepared for a possible quick weather change....sunshiney at Georgetown...sleeting at the pass

Love this pass. You can pull off and get out and take little hikes without killing anyone in your family. We love going raspberry picking here but we're not going to tell you where our favorite spots are!

Guanella Pass Summit, at nearly 12,000 feet, is well worth a detour. The road is paved throughout, and the summit area is nicely laid out, with many helpful interpretive signs. The view of Mt. Bierstadt from the trailhead sign is so inspiring that it alone made the trip worthwhile. A fantastic array of recreational options beckon.

We took this drive from the Kenosha Pass on the US285 across the Guanella Pass to Georgetown. We were in search of the autumn colours of the aspen trees and were not disappointed.
The was a glorious drive. The road has plenty of stopping points to get out of the car and appreciate the views. The drive climbs through wooded landscapes with rushing streams and at the top of the pass is above the treeline. There are also hiking trails off from many of the parking places.
The road is easy to drive despite many sharp and hairpin bends.
This drive is well worth the journey from Denver. It can easily be completed within a day with plenty of viewing stops and a break at historic Georgetown.
Th

This is a beautiful mountain pass that provides access to many campsites and one 14er called Mt Bierstadt if you love to mountain hike. it is a good paved road with many pull offs to explore. Off course the best pull off is at the summit where you can see this great country for miles. As always, go out and explore this great country but respect nature, trails and the roads to protect it for hundreds of years to come.

The drive over Guanella is well worth the time it takes. The views are spectacular and you will want to stop frequently to take pictures. Take a sandwich - there are lots of great places to pull over for lunch. Take a fishing pole and catch your own dinner.

While meandering across CO I stumbled on the road up to Guanella Pass in Grant. The road from the south was freshly paved and painted and for my drive up, nearly deserted. Gorgeous scenery on the way up, and up, and up. Early on in the drive I stopped to sit by the river and get my feet wet. There are lots of places to do that and it sure helps tune you into the surroundings.
It is a slow drive 15-30 mph and its not a short trip. That said, it was just what I was looking for. When you get to the top there are several places to park and there are bathrooms (primitive). There were very few people there! A great contrast to the trip through Rocky Mountain National Park.
The summit area has a short trail to a viewing spot and there are more arduous looking trails available. There is one 14er and several 13 plus that form the summit area.
Driving down to the north you pop out in the back of Georgetown, a cute town that has not been overrun by development.
I understand that during the fall the road is packed by locals who know this is the place to see the aspen change.

It was a pleasant drive on a curvy, 20MPH road. We never saw any spectacular vistas. Of course that it was snowing near the summit may have contributed to that.

This is a wonderful drive in the mountains. We drove from Denver to Georgetown, took a Gold Mine tour, then returned via Guanella Pass and Hwy 285.

We hike, camp and snowshoe guanella several times a year. It's pretty in any season and much less crowded than the summit county areas.

There is great access here to some really nice hiking and 4wd trails. You can find it all:
Camping , picnic spots, long hikes, short hikes, pretty views, and. gorgeous fall color. Easy access now for all kinds of vehicles on the main road. Fun 4wd trails to old mines and a ghost town.

I road my motorcycle from Silverthorne, through Breckenridge, and Fairplay then over Guanella Pass.
Great loop with outstanding scenery.

Excellent road to drive from Georgetown to see fall colors. Be sure to drive the whole length of the road so that you can see all of the colors.

Spectacular photos abound. This time we almost made it to Lower Square Top lake, but there was snow and ice on the trail in summer. Wild flowers were sparse, but the yawning vistas made up for it. Stunning.

Combine this visit with a day in Georgetown or make it a campsite. If you go up to the summit and back to town it's maybe one hour. Lots of pretty scenery and pull offs on the road up. There's many campers and campsites you'll pass with bathrooms but you'll also see wildlife. We saw a moose. You'll be up almost 12,000 feet and if you drive up, do so slowly because you'll start to feel it above 8500 feet if you're not an experienced climber. Just take a slow ride and hydrate a lot.

We were through the pass on September 24th, and it was absolutely beautiful. An easy drive from Georgetown Colorado, the pass is likely only open during warm months. When we were there in April, the road was closed about half way up due to snow covered roads. It was still a pretty drive up to where the road was closed.

The construction is finally finished , and the road from Grant to Georgetown is open for the Summer of 2016. Take along a picnic and stop on the way up to listen to the rushing water. The scent of the pines and the babbling of the brook will start any trip off on the right foot!

The Guanella Pass Road is now fully paved, making it easy to drive up to its stunning views and great hiking. Saw bighorn sheep along the road on the way up.

The road is closed in winter and spring, and it is not open for any vehicle over 25' long due to very tight hairpin turns. Ample parking and rest rooms at the summit. Can be crowded on summer weekends - go on a weekday. Dress code is to dress warmly; it can be cold at 11,669' elevation even in summer. Beware of bighorn sheep, deer, and moose on the road.

The Guanella Pass road begins in the middle of the historic District of Georgetown, Colorado and and ends at Grants, Colorado on US 285, normally closed to motorized traffic during the winter months. The highway has been recently improved by the US Forest Service, so it's paved, with plenty of pullouts, access to hiking trails, and a Forest Service campground just below the summit. Once you're on the summit there's a couple of large parking areas, complete with toilet facilities, from there you can access Mt. Bierstadt, one of Colorado's "fourteeners." It's a great place to see alpine flowers in the summer and you may even catch a glimpse of a moose browsing in the beaver ponds in the valley.

We drove the pass in early October, and the foliage was simply stunning. Mountain streams and a family of big horn sheep which posed for 10 minutes added to our enjoyment of fall in colorful Colorado. Don’t hesitate to take this easy, paved mountain pass.

My husband and I always enjoy driving up and over Guanella Pass when we are in the Georgetown, CO area! There are many places to stop and take gorgeous pictures. The Fall season is our favorite because the aspen trees (and other trees and ground-cover) are absolutely stunning!

We thoroughly enjoyed our drive up to the summit. A fun, and safer drive than some other passes. Beautiful views and surprisingly not crowded. We went on Memorial Day and were expecting more traffic but it wasn't bad at all.

If you find yourself in Denver in the Fall while the Aspen leaves are changing colors, don’t miss talking a couple of hours to drive over Guanella Pass!!! This is one of our favorite afternoon drives. We head into the mountains on US285 and drive to the West of Bailey - and go up and over Guanella Pass and then drop back down into Georgetown, and then head back east on I-70 to Denver. Beautiful colors, amazing mountains, and perhaps some wildlife.

We only had time to drive from lovely Georgetown (North end) to the Guanella Pass Summit area just shy of half way. We were treated to some great views back towards Georgetown and splashes of yellow Aspens on all sides. From this northern end it can be difficult to take good fall foliage pictures due to the presence of power lines but it is still lovely. There are places to stop but I'm so glad we got at least as far as the “Summit” Parking lot as this is a beautiful area with stunning views over Square Top mountains and Mount Bierstadt. We had great weather and I would have loved to do some hiking up there.

Made the drive from Denver to Georgetown to visit this quaint little Gold mining town. Walked the stores and then after lunch at The Happy Cooker took the 4 mike or so drive up the switchback Pass. Road closed still at about 10,800 ft elevation. No worries. It was a beautiful drive with great vistas of the Rockies. There is a hydroelectric plant 1/2 way up with a lot of power lines but still beautiful scenery.
Would definitely recommend.

From the charming hamlet of Georgetown, CO., take the road that says "Guanella Pass." You won't forget it -- or regret it.

It's a beautiful snaking road through forests and streams leading to an altitude of 11,669 ft (for comparison, Mont Blanc, the highest peak of the Alps, is 15,781 ft). This is NOT the "top of the Rockies," but it is beautiful just the same.

Gorgeous views! We did the Georgetown Loop RR first and then traversed the pass to the summit at 11,670 ft. The drive took about 35 min (we stopped twice to take a few photos). The drive back was quicker, but we stopped once to view the sheep. At the summit, it was snowing but the roads were clear. Overall, the drive was scenic but not too intimidating.

Pretty neat to be able to drive up 11000 odd feet to reach the summit of Mt Bierstadt of 14,060ft. The road is paved w/ plenty of hair pin turns. There are trails that go off in some other directions besides Mt Bierstadt. Plenty of parking and a couple of pit toilets, there's also informative placards.

Scenic drive to catch the aspen in fall color. Great road since the upgrade. Plenty of turnouts for photo op and trails for hikes. Check out Georgetown on the way in or out. Great Main Street.

If you want to experience the true essence of the Colorado Rocky Mountain high, don't miss this drive. It's a must see!

Absolutely beautiful drive with fall colors. Aspen trees were beautiful. very nice drive into the mountains

Want to see what the Rocky Mountains are all about? Short drive from Denver and fall foliage that you just have to see to believe.

We are back in Colorado visiting family having lived in Colorado for 30 years, this road is our fall mountain fix! Beautiful and safe road and aspen viewing is deluxe....and this is a good back road way to breckenridge and then Boreas pass !,,,,,,nature Aries best in Thr rocky mountains

Nice pass to visit. The scenic byway is enjoyable. We didn't expect such a nice place in Georgetown and will come back to visit it's historical town area. There were many nice little shops. The road to the pass from Park County had been closed for road upgrading but is now open and quite nice.

A windy path up a mountain, with lovely views all around and down into the valley, and the town of Georgetown.

We heard this was a beautiful drive with some great places to pull off and get some great views! We were not disappointed in the least! We stopped at a few places and enjoyed some of Colorado's finest "GREEN" while looking at some of its finest views! We started in Grant and worked our way to Goregetown for lunch. It was a great day!

We camped here in July, the weather was perfect cool during the day and a little chilly at night, just right for sleeping. It is a beautiful spot and quiet, very relaxing.

Great snowshoe hike through the trees - powder still there 6 days after snowfall despite rising temperatures.

Been up there many times. It never gets old. Highly recommend it around the end of Sept for all the color of the Aspens. Great views and many different types of ecosystems, all viewable from a car for those who aren't interested in hiking.

I really liked this place. Great views and hiking trails. Would definitely recommend checking this place out. I was glad I did.

Beautiful views. Somewhat crowded on Labor Day, but not unreasonable. I drove up to the summit and the views were beautiful, but the drive up there was even more beautiful. Saw bighorn sheep. Georgetown at the base of this drive is also very cool to explore.

This was a great place to do a winter hike. The trails are well marked and not busy. Great place to find some peace and quiet with the mountains. Trails were a little snow packed so make sure you are prepared.

Many high passes are harrowing 4-wheel challenging drives. This pass gives a real mountain feel without the frightening sheer drops. It is magnificent in the fall when you drive through tunnels of golden aspen branches.

This is a wonderful area and very scenic. Easy to get to as the road is paved all the way up from Georgetown. There are several hikes that originate from the top including Mt Bierstadt which is just over 14, 000 feet. Be very prepared if you wish to attempt to climb it.

Guanella Pass is a wonderful drive throughout the summer (plus good camping places) but it is especially special in the fall!!! One of the best close in places to see aspen with access to hiking trails. Plus you can start in beautiful Georgetown and end up at U.S. 285 so you don't have to deal with I-70 traffic on the way home.

The pass is from Georgetown to Grant and you should make sure the road is open before you plan your trip. There are many areas to take in the scenery. We saw many big horn sheep in the Georgetown area. There is hiking - including the 14er Mt Bierstadt.

Worth your time while visiting Georgetown. This area offers many high country hiking trails as well as a good chance to see wild animals, beautiful fall colors and many other photo opportunities typical of the Colorado Rockies. A two lane mountain road with some switchbacks and sharp curves, so caution is advised.

We needed to get from Estes Park to Great Sand Dunes; but didn't want to take the Interstate. Browsing Google Maps, I found Guanella Pass. Street-viewed it back and forth as much as possible before committing my motorcycle camping group to including it on the day's ride.

Oh my gosh! Not 2 minutes out of Georgetown, we knew we were on something special! The first switchbacks were a hint of what was to come. This is a wonderful road for motorcycle touring. We stopped at the top of the pass to get off and walk around above the treeline. If alone, I'm sure I'd have taken a 5 mile hike, but we had quite a ways to go before getting to Great Sand Dunes National Park. The trip down the southern end of the pass is quite mild with sweeping curves, big meadows, etc.

We didn't see any wildlife, but then again, we weren't looking. I understand that wildlife is teaming in those mountains; especially bighorn sheep. I'll have to go back!

A beautiful mountain drive west out of Georgetown, Colorado. Well maintained road that has recently been upgraded with plenty of views of the surrounding valleys and mountains.

The nice day trip extends over the Guanella mountain pass toward South Park valley, intersects highway 285 into FairPlay then highway 9 across Hoosier Pass into Breckenridge, Frisco, and Dillon at I-70.

A great way to explore the central Rocky Mountains.

Beautiful drive up to the pass with awesome views of Mt. Bierstadt. Lots of wildflowers to behold on the drive up from Idaho Springs.

A great drive through the mountains. It’ll be a wonderful way to see the aspens for the next few weeks. As a bonus, the roads appears to be recently paved, so it was a smooth drive, too.

Before the road over Guanella Pass was paved, I didn't go up there much in winter, but when I did, I had a 4x4. I like the pass best in the autumn, when the aspen leaves are bright yellow and shimmering in the breezy sunlight. There are lots of pull-offs to stop and take pictures. If you really want to get adventurous, detour onto a rocky dirt road off the main road just above Georgetown. It takes you to Waldorf, a mining ghost town. The views from the site are fantastic.

Guanella Pass campground used to be great, and had nice hosts, but I haven't camped there in several years. However, above the campground is a wooded area that leads you along a creek and past a small waterfall. At the end of this short hike is an old rock fall area that you can see Mt. Bierstadt from.

We didn't get to go all the way through because the road was closed part way up but what we did see was beautiful.

My wife and I were in Georgetown and decided to take the pass instead of the interstate. It was an extremely nice drive and well worth the extra time. It starts will a lovely view of Georgetown from above. Definitely recommend it.

This was a scenic little drive with a couple good picture spots. We drove through here on our way to Independence pass from Denver. We especially loved the lake

Great drive plenty of spots to pull off and see some majestic views. Coming fro Goergetown road is paved to the top of the Pass. About 50% is paved going to Grant and most of it is under construction to be paved and completed by October 2015. Huge parking area at top with several hiking paths. Can't beat the view. Road is good for about any type of vehicle.

We have been over Guanella Pass a number of times in the Summer, but this was our first Fall excursion. There are no words to describe the beauty of the foliage over the pass. It was amazing to see the colors running up the mountains, lime green, to yellow, gold, orange, pinkish, rusty red, and bright ruby red colors just splashed between the dark green spruce trees. Whole mountainsides so vivid that it was nearly blinding. Looked like the trees were lit up. You just don't notice all those aspens in the summer when they tend to blend in with the evergreens. We had no idea there were so many!

This drive is especially nice now that it is paved all the way from Georgetown to Grant. Very spacious parking area at the summit and toilets along the route. Good picnic areas at the lake above Georgetown and at the Duck Creek picnic ground closer to Grant. We always enjoy this drive. Be sure to take a few moments to look down into Georgetown as you make the initial ascent to the pass. Imagine what it might have looked like back when it was the center of so much mining activity.

Not to be missed this time of year, despite the crowds of cars crammed along the roadside. It is a sight to behold, and enough for everyone to see! Be patient, drive slowly and take in the beauty and magnificence of it all. You can't be in a hurry on this one.

Another fabulous journey. Had breakfast at the Happy Cooker and made our way up Guanella Pass. Fabulous views, nice people, bathrooms available. Will return.

This road, now paved, makes it easy to summit Guanella Pass as compared to years ago. Beautiful views & landscape abound; many side trails for hiking, etc., with parking nearby. We decided to return to Denver by going over the pass & continuing to Grant & then Denver. I would not do that again, as it took a REALLY long time to go back that way, and there are not many amenities along the way...once was enough!

While staying in the Denver area, we were looking for a scenic drive to a place we hadn't seen before, and learned of the Guanella Pass. We started in Georgetown (a fun visit in itself). The drive was easy, and we were astounded by the vistas along the way...a couple of gorgeous lakes...some color changing of the aspens.
Arriving at the summit provided amazing 360 degree views. We parked and got out to walk a trail, but with wind whipping, we didn't last too long! I think this road closes in the winter, so I'm glad we had a chance to experience it when we did.

We took a long drive but were thrilled with wonderful views of the mountains and happening upon seven moose along the road! Very cool! A great way to spend several hours seeing the beauty of Colorado.

Great place to spend the day, shopping, eating and great photo opportunities. They know how to treat their visitors! Unbelievable trip over Guanella Pass, good roads but construction deep on the back side going into hwy 285. Great hiking and trail areas over the pass, camping allowed too.

I'm a Colorado native and I just finally tool the Scenic Bypass drive up Guanella Pass, on the way to hike my first 14er, Mount Bierstadt.
Our drive was around 6am, sun just came up and was quite chilly for July! There were waterfalls on the side of the road, Clear Creek canyon along the other side, which was moving very fast & full. Beautiful stonework on the pass, along the switchback road up and tons of Aspens (we hope to come back in the fall to see the colors!!)
The drive ends at two upper parking lots, where we parked to hike up to Bierstadt (which is also an amaaazing hike). Enjoy!

Peaceful and serene. My family used to go camping frequently in this area when I was a little girl. It's off the beaten path and we strolled across mountain sheep on the way up. Very beautiful and one of my favorites.

We had time to kill on our way home from vacationing in the Vail Valley, so decided to take Guanella Pass at Georgetown to enjoy a little more of Colorado's beautiful scenery. We stopped at the Visitor's Center in Georgetown and inquired about the pass. We were very disappointed that they didn't inform us that it's under major construction! We had to follow a pilot car for several miles (5-6miles) up the pass. We weren't able to stop and look around at the beautiful turn-outs. We continued up the pass and stopped at the summit. It was very beautiful & we enjoyed walking around and exploring a bit. There were a TON of cars parked at the summit with lots of hikers! We opted to continue back down the pass and catch HWY 285 to Denver. Once we got to the unpaved portion, we were again stopped for almost 20 minutes to wait for a pilot car. This section is under heavy construction and all turn-outs, picnic areas, etc were blocked off. We were so disappointed as we wanted to wander around and explore. I so wish the Visitor Center staff would have given us that information as our trip took 3 hours! I do want to return when the construction is done as it was a beautiful area!

We drove Guanella Pass Road to reach Mt. Bierstadt. The drive is tortuous and scenic. We test drove to the mountain in daylight, and drove in pre-dawn darkness the day of the climb.
Campers were being set up, and our lasting memory will be of a large herd of mountain sheep by the side of the road.

My wife and I took a ride to the top of the Guanella Pass and were delighted to enjoy the Bighorn Sheep pecking at bits of salt in the roadway…beautiful, majestic creatures!

This scenic ride is well worth your time for the scenery! The road is paved, but the drive is challenging due to the long climb and sharp turns. You will see evidence of abandoned mines all along this road. Look for the gold colored sand piles that dot the hills. These are left over from mining activity in the area.

Paved road all the way! I drove this 10-15 years ago and it was not. Big difference! The top has beautiful broad expanses of high alpine, above-the-treeline brush. Leaf trees (and fall colors in season) are near the bottom of the pass on each side, the Georgetown side perhaps being the best.

We took an afternoon drive while we were staying in a local dude ranch. It was a beautiful drive up the mountains. The scenery was beautiful because the Aspen trees were at their peak fall colors. Worth the drive! There are lots of places to hike and camp.

This is a gorgeous drive with lots of places to pull over and look. Great views of Georgetown in the valley! The roads are very curvy but well worth the drive.

We visited the pass in June 2014, and this time we went May 2016. There was still snow on the ground as we drove up the pass. We saw a big horn sheep on the side of the road, and the view was breathtaking. I loved going in May and seeing the snow on the mountains. It snowed on the way down and you could see the storm rolling in. What a view! The roads are paved and felt very safe. It doesn't take as long as some drives, but I would recommend it.

The Guanella Pass up from Georgetown is a splendidly beautiful excursion to the summit at 10,600 feet. Be prepared for a bit of a temperature change from, say, 75 degrees in downtown Georgetown, to 35 degrees (and possible snow/hail) up at the summit! The views are spectacular, and well worth the drive up through scenic mountains, aspen, pine, and ocassional wildlife. Highly recommended!

We did self driving tour. Fall leaves out and still turning. Areas to pull over and park for pictures. Bring cameras for photo ops. Some areas crowded due to popular time to visit. Beautiful stunning mountain views. Glad I could see.

One pf the best drives we took in Colorado. We took it when the mountain trees are green yellow and orange which makes the drive even nicer. Don’t miss this pass.

What a beautiful drive and hike surrounded by 14ers, colors and beautiful lakes. Many places to pull of the road to hike and take photos. perfect time of year. Go quick before the colors change. About 1 1/2 hours to Denver.

Awesome views on the way up to the pass and awesome photo ops of snowcapped mountain tops that look like you can reach out and touch them.

We drove 8 miles along the rode to the Guanella Pass. The Pass itself is still closed, but the road to it was full of scenic vistas. The saw 3 moose in the fields along the road. There was almost no traffic on the road, so we really had a gorgeous nature trail almost to ourselves. We drove along at about 30 miles an hour on a beautiful sunny spring day.

This is a 'must see' for the few months of the year it is accessible. The views are breathtakingly beautiful and unspoilt. The drive up was much easier than I was expecting and parking at the top is relatively easy. There are toilets but I would only use them if you really have to! There are also hiking trails you can follow if you are sufficiently acclimatised to the altitude - I just wish I could have stayed longer so I could walk them.

Drove through Guanella pass mainly to see the fall colors. We entered at Grant on US-285 (south side) and exited through Georgetown at I-70(north side). There were numerous view points and photo opportunity on our way. It began with stream as we entered, then a waterfall (small but gushing), landscapes, trees lining the road (fall colors), valley, mountains, lake, tundra region at summit, view of Georgetown and not to mention numerous opportunities to hike and climb. It's a great place for a beginner who wants to do a 14ner (Mt Bierstadt). You start at 11,000+ so not a lot left, the only biggest obstacle being thin air. The pass is easy to drive through as compared to Mt Evans summit drive and has fewer hairpin turns. You can stop anywhere to click pictures and move on. Fellow drivers are very considerate! Did not spot any animals during our visit but I am sure there is some wildlife out there. The pass may be closed during winters or heavy snow, check before you go. One day outing with kids would be a great idea as well. The summit is at ~3500m or ~11,600ft. It does have a public restroom but no food. Food for purchase is only available when you reach Georgetown. Grant does not have many options as compared to Georgetown, which might be one of the thing to ponder about where you want your journey to start from.

I was hoping to climb Mt. Bierstadt, but it had snowed significantly and that was no longer possible. Beautiful drive and with guard rails all the way up unlike some other high altitude drives I've done which were a bit scary. Don't just drive up and turn around. Take a hike. It's good for you and you'll see a different side of nature.

We went on Guanella Pass on our way back to Denver. It was beautiful. Our kids 6 and 9 loved it. You drive for a bit, but there is plenty of places to pull off and take pictures. Once we reached the top there was a small parking are on either side with restrooms. Nothing fancy, but if you gotta go you gotta go. There were a few trails to hike from there. My only suggestion is to pay attention to the weather and pack rain coats. We didn't mind getting rained on while we hiked though. We loved this adventure.

Guenella Pass is a beautifully scenic short drive that begins just outside historic Georgetown. It’s about a 10 mile, easy drive with a couple of hairpin turns and takes about 25 minutes one way. Definitely recommend for scenic photo ops of Georgetown and Clear Lake. The last 1.5 miles are closed until late May. Our family really enjoyed this short drive.

Guanella Pass provides some absolutely fantastic views of the mountains and the town and the colors of the trees were gorgeous ! Every time we drove up the pass ,we had new and better photo opportunities.

You can't beat a drive through this pass for scenery. We went in September for awesome fall colors. However, be aware that traffic can be heavy during certain times of the year and you can experience delays. There is a lot of construction on the road that can also cause delays.

Definitely worth the drive! So glad I took my elderly mother up the pass. Probably the only way she could experience being above tree line! After driving this steep curvy road, really makes you appreciate what the early travelers experienced.

I drove it both directions from Georgetown to Grant and back. Drove very slowly. Stopped many times. Took some walks. Stared carefully at the mountains for long periods of time and with my zoom lens. No moose, no sheep. The views are breathtaking. But other reviewers make it sound like the moose and sheep are a given. They are not.

Well worth spending the day. Give yourself a full day. We were on our way to Breckenridge and stopped in GEORGETOWN (love that town) someone told us to drive up the pass. We stopped about 5-7 times to eat lunch and take picture. A MUST.

Beautiful drive! Has some very tight horseshoe curve, beautiful waterfalls, streams and mountain views. Camping sites and hiking, horseback trails everywhere. Also looked like excellent fishing spots too! A must for nature lovers.

Just a great ride in the car with the windows down, or on a motorcycle! Try some of the hiking trails or make your way to Grant. I have seen foxes, big horned sheep and deer on my many drives up!

The many million renovation of this road between Georgetown and Grant is amazing.
The views were great and there are many places to pull off to take it all in or to camp for several days.
Spotted moose, fox, deer, and a lot of little critters along the way.
Restrooms are available at the top of the pass where there are also some well marked short hiking trails with historical signs.
Love the road, and the experience.

For anyone shying away from this drive because less than half of the total mileage is paved need not worry. We did the drive twice today (both directions) in a Hyundai Elantra with no issues at all!

The drive is really spectacular with each curve revealing a new vista. The actual pass is at about 11,600 feet of elevation and yet you'll still be dwarfed by the surrounding peaks. It's really a humbling experience! There are countless turn-off opportunities, camp sites, trails, etc.

While we weren't lucky enough to see the Long Horn Sheep, we had a very special treat. We watched a family of foxes play in the road and on the shoulder. There was a male, female and juvenile. It was adorable and a really special treat. So, please drive with care! We're just borrowing the roads from the real owners in nature!

The views along this pass are incredible. Lots of pull offs to take amazing pictures! If you are in the area you must take this scenic drive it's breathtaking!

We made this drive several months ago during the fall. The colors were amazing! It was a nice drive and close to Denver. We started off I-70 at Georgetown & ended on the back side at Hwy 285.

This post is about the Square Tops Lakes hike, and I hiked mid-August. When you drive through Guanella Pass, you will see many horned sheep on the side of the road, and the road is a bit curvy, but not as bad as other roads. It’s about a 25 minute drive from Georgetown. There are a couple of lookouts along the way. When you get to the end, you will see many cars parked but that’s for Bierstadt and not the lakes hike. For the top lakes hike, make a right after all of the cars. Then drive to a location w a coldasack and a wooden outhouse. The distance to the first lake in total is about 1.9 miles. I really liked this trail as a solo hiked because the trail is open without tree cover, and you can see the trail in front of you and behind you. When you start out, you walk along the path and will come to a sign that says “Square Top Lakes” and make a right there (heading west) The first 30 min or so are through hilly lands and lovely wildflowers. As you walk along You will go down wooden planks to cross your first creek, but many of the future creeks will require your feet to get a bit wet. There will be a rocky path and some of the path lined w bushes. After a while you will cross a small pond on the right, more than halfway to the first lake. Then you will have a bit of an incline and at this time there were snow caps to the right. You will hear rushing water and there is a river you have to cross just before the first lake. The first lake is feet away to the right after the river. I walked up that hill and had lunch on it, then returned back. 1.9 miles each way and about a 1.5 hour hike for me. I hope this helps!

This is a gorgeous drive, that is been made better by all the incredible improvements they made over the last few years. 20 years ago this was dirt and somewhat rough though most passenger cars could make it if they went slow. Now it’s mostly paved (it may be all the way in the last year since I have taken it) and is an incredible introduction to the various ecosystems that you get if you go from 6000 feet to 11,000 feet. The pull offs and an accompanying hikes are very brief and enjoyable. You won’t understand what I mean until you get there as I cannot put it into words. If you want to get the Colorado Alpine experience in an hour or two this is your drive. On weekends it is also a shortcut if the interstate is backed up as you can use it to get to middle park and on to Evergreen and other mountain communities that lead to the south of Denver to the interstate or to the Springs to the south. An absolute can’t miss from a twice yearly visitor for the last 35 years.

We happened to arrive at peak viewing for the aspen trees in this area. Beautiful drives with plenty of easy hiking trails. Make sure and get there early in the day as the roads were getting busy by mid-day when we were leaving.

It is a good place for a picnic lunch at the lake. We went to view the fall colors.A nice day trip from the Denver area..

We got on at Grant, Co and drove it to Georgetown, CO. Absolutely astonishing views of the golden Aspens on October 1st at the lower levels on the way up to the summit. Many stops and pull offs along the 23 mile trip, and it wasn't too crowded with traffic. At the summit there are look outs and it started to snow in the distance. The peaks were snow covered and the daughters got to throw some snowballs! Bring your coats, weather changes frequently when sun goes under.

My husband and I were in Georgetown and Silver Plume for a couple days. One morning we drove up Guanella Pass and enjoyed the wonderful views. The Aspen trees were a brilliant yellow this year. A gorgeous drive. Well worth the time.

Only open from late May to late November, the drive over Guanella Pass is a wonderful way to experience Colorado. You'll traverse over winding roads, stop at flowing mountain streams and take in a marvelous view at the summit. There are numerous trailheads and picnic areas. Take your camera!

If you want to get a hike and beautiful views in but don't want to have a hard drive from Denver, this is what you want! It is only 1.5 hours from Denver and takes you through cute Georgetown (fun place to stop and explore).

Drive up the Guenella pass and you will come to the trailhead for Mt. Bierstadt which is the easier of the 14,000 ft. mountains in CO to hike. Still it is a tough hike as you go up 2900 feet in 3.5 miles. You don't need to summit to get gorgeous views of more mountains and passes and the valley below. Divine!

I went in July and wore a t-shirt and used the additonal 3 layers I brought (long sleeved tee, windbreaker and fleece) either together or separately at one time or another.

There are a couple of good spots to stop along the Guanella Pass road with waterfalls.

Finally, drink lots of water. I live in Denver and as I got closer to the top, I was struggling with altitude.

Tucked in between several mountains, this pass has spectacular views of mountains, snow, water features, massive boulders, etc. There is a large lake at the top of the pass that sits directly on the Continental Divide and drains to the East and to the West. If you're going to hike on the trails, bring plenty of snacks and water!

We just drive through after Kenosha Pass hiking and comes to a beautiful Geneva Creek and had our picnic there for an hour at least. Then we continue driving up for a beautiful scenery looking at Fall foliage in the 3rd weekend of September. It was busy as everyone had the same idea. Coming down to Georgetown.

Today we did Guanella Pass, Sept 12, 2015. We drove it from Grant on Hwy 285 to Georgetown on I-70, so from South to North. We got a late start out of Centennial so we got to the summit of the pass about 3 pm. It was fantastic. For photographers the light gets really good around 3:30 pm, just FYI. We'd never done this pass before and because it's so popular AND accessible we weren't sure what we would get. We were completely AMAZED!! This drive is everything its cracked up to be. The views are incredible from the pass summit. Looking east is Mt Bierstadt, a nice fourteener. There are great views to the north and, to the west from the pass summit is a really good view of a vast expanse of alpine tundra populated by huge willow stands. Okay. The ASPEN REPORT: They are starting to turn and if you go now or in a week you will not be disappointed. Some stands are full gold, some are motled green and gold and some as of today are JUST starting to turn. The traffic was light and no hassle. On the SOUTH side of the pass a little below the summit into the trees they are repaving the road. So you might run into delays of 15 mins or so because at the point of actual paving it's ONE LANE and they let alternate directions go alternately. So that's something to be aware of. At the top of the pass there is a parking lot and a men's and women's rest room and trails to hike or just hang and eat lunch with million dollar views right outside your windshield. In summary: Yeah, we were BLOWN AWAY by how great this drive was. Aspens are starting so for the next week and a half you'll hit the sweet spot. If you're from the Front Range and have NOT done this drive...DO IT!! We can't recommend it enough. If you're NOT from the Front Range...DO IT!! You'll impress your friends with your local Colorado knowledge.

Yes beautiful and historic place. We are there yesterday at Guanella path camping ground for 3days. Weather wasn't perfect but still beautiful. Yesterday storm came and we got rail all night more than 6hours. Surprise in Colorado we got so long time heavy rail. Need to check weather all the time for visit. Recommend climb up Mt Bierstadt early in the morning, together with this trip!

Feel like you have traveled into Ireland when you get to the top. Lush green meadows! Be sure to hike the trail up to the waterfall, don't just stop at the top. The waterfall gets prettier the higher you go!

This is one of those perfect spots. Beautiful. Easy access. Wonderful hiking or just a good drive to end and then coming back

We are visiting Guanella Pass in the summer to see the alpine flowers and in the fall to see the Gold Colors of aspen trees and alpine meadows changing colors from lush green to yellowish brown.. It is a very popular place particulary over the weekend so come early. We just came back today -it was one of the spectacular Indian Fall day in Colorado Rockies with 72 degree F up on the top ( elevation 11, 668 ft.), blue sky, aspen tree on fire with fall colors and light breeze wiht visibility over 100 miles.

There are numerous hikes for every level including medium difficult hike to Bierstadt Mountain ( 14, 058 ft.), and other surrounding peaks - all above the tree line, several camground in the forest near the creeks, couple of lakes to relax a make BBQ etc. The access road is nice, paved all of way on the Pass with several incredible view points to the valley and the high country. This is one of the gems of Colorado Rockies. Georgetown, a small formally mining town at the foothills near Interstate I -70 offers numerous bass and restaurants and couple for hotels.

This was a beautiful ride and we saw some of the most gorgeous Aspen trees in their golden glow that we've seen since we've been in Colorado. The rode is paved and by October of this year it will be paved all the way to Grant, so can go all the way across the mountain on paved. We don't do gravel roads as we have a sports car. Don't miss this ride which runs out of Georgetown Colorado.

The changing colors are spectacular to view. We loved strolling through downtown Georgetown. Although the traffic is going to get worse, I am glad to see them improving streets and widening roads.

Started in Evergreen and took a beautiful drive in September to Guanella Pass and the aspens were brilliant!

The drive up to the pass is spectacular, especially in late September, when the aspens have turned to gold. There are plenty of pulloffs to allow you to take pictures and great views of Mount Bierstad when you get to the summit parking area. Luckily, there are also rest rooms in this parking lot.

There are several hikes at the top of the pass, including Mt. Bierstadt which can be crowded even mid-week. But many other beautiful hikes are accessed from the west side of the road and below the top of the pass on the way to Georgetown. My favorites are Square Top Lakes and Silver Dollar Lake. The South side of the pass is undergoing improvements and was closed this fall during mid-day. Check on-line to see if the road is open before heading out to Grant. The work done on the Georgetown side is amazing - and well worth the drive. Summer and Fall are the best times to see wildflowers and yellow aspen. If you are lucky you may see the bighorn sheep that reside there.

This scenic drive has everything you could ask for! Breathtaking views, wildlife, hikes, wildflowers, and camping are all yours! We drove one way from Georgetown to the summit. It is an easy drive on a mostly smooth road. We did it in a Kia Forte.

This pass is ablaze with colorful aspens and maples this time of year. Pass waterfall and lakes between Georgetown and the summit. Wished we had more time because we found that this pass goes clear through to Breckenridge.

We drove on this pass twice during our stay. It's a beautiful drive with numerous places to get out and go explore and hike!

Just the view at the top was worth the drive up. But the drive was also beautiful. We did not get to hike as much as we wanted to because it started raining and we were told we should not hike in a storm. We actually enjoyed the Guanella Pass twice within a week.

The route from Georgetown to the top of Guanella pass is a long uphill route with great views above the tree line and loads of great corners and bends to test your driving skills. Lots of stopping places for a longer view or a walk or refreshments.
Watchout for the Elk , 3 of them were on the edge of the road on my decent (you wouldnt want to hit one in your car). Ive done this drive one each of the last 2 visits to Colorado and loved it

My friends told my wife and I that we had to go see Georgetown while in Colorado. Since the Pass was a top attraction there, we made sure to travel the pass. The views were incredible and the short hikes off the pass were well worth it. Need to give yourself plenty of time. This is not just a drive.

Great trip and want to do it again soon! Beautiful. A fun one-day trip for me. Nice quaint shops and friendly people. Nice town!

A Must do while in Georgetown in the Fall! You can drive thru the pass and take some Marvelous pictures of the Beautiful Fall Colors! Just a short drive but, well worth it!

Start your ascent of Bierstadt early! We pulled into the parking lot at 4:45 am and there were three parking spots left. On our descent between 9 and 10 there were hundreds of hikers on the way up, many of whom looked unprepared to make the summit. Cars were parked along the road for hundreds of feet.

We drove from Georgetown to the summit. It was the perfect duration & the views at the top were well worth it. The temp dropped about 20 degrees at that altitude as well. We saw mountain goats, three in the road & one looking down on us. Take it slow.

Great drive, fun to pass through to see the leaves in the fall. An easy drive and all Blacktop now. The summit is awesome!

First let me say this pass is about 40 minutes long. There are places you can stop for photo ops and a few restrooms. Second it’s not for the faint of heart to drive and if you’re a rider you may have a few moments. I was the rider and there were a few times I had to look away to keep my heart from dropping. Nevertheless it was a good drive. We spent the day in Georgetown and decided to go this way back to Denver. My daughter who’s into photography had the opportunity to take photos of a family of mountain goats! At the end of the drive she captured some horses with the backdrop of the mountain and so did I. There were places you could pull over to view the river as well. All in all it’s worth driving through, just be careful going around the curves.

Winding and beautiful drive up to Guanella Pass from the neat little mountain town of Georgetown. Take your time to enjoy this pass.

Beautiful fall drive from either Denver (via 285) or Georgetown.The road is extremely well maintained with good guardrails and lots of tourist turnouts with plenty of parking at the summit. Incredible photo ops. Be warned - can get very busy on seasonal weekends - have patience. Excellent fall aspen viewing. Small national forest campgrounds along the route also. Georgetown has an excellent tourist info station right off I70. Highly recommended (although weekdays will be far less busy).

The views are amazing. Hiking, camping, fishing... Quintessential outdoors trip!

Endless options to hike and feel real and connected.

A very beautiful drive, and with gaurd rails! Not as scary as Mt. Evans. We drove up the pass from Georgetown and went all of the way through. The roads were great and the views beautiful until the halfway mark (around mm 11), then we went down the other side of the mountain and found that the road was gravel in may places and under construction. We were wishing we had tuned around at the summit and went back to Denver the way we came. It was also very windy, so we did not see any wildlife. A local told us that when it is cold and windy, the wildlife hides where it is warm, makes sense. We had a picnic dinner (in the cab of the truck, brrr) at the summit parking area and enjoyed the beautiful view.

We came up from the south from Grant, CO. The first 10 miles climbing up the pass was a graded dirt road that obviously was being prepared for paving. Wide enough for two cars. Arrived at the pass around noon. Parking lot was full but there was ample parking along the side of the right for all. Mountain Bikers and hikers were coming off the trails in a prudent move to avoid the incoming usual afternoon thunderstorms. Great views and vistas on the way up and at the top, especially Mt. Bergstad. Going down into Georgetown was pleasant. Lots of road bikers on this section. Well worth going the pass route vice staying on Hwy 285 into Denver. Plan for traffic delays once you hit I-70 into Denver, avoid the traffic by stopping in Georgetown to sightsee.

We had a wonderful drive over Guanella Pass. We stopped numerous times to take pictures of the wildflowers. Would recommend the trip.

We had a slack day and were looking for something to do. I noticed it was the number one thing to do. We drove from Georgetown down to Fairplay. A beautiful drive with several places to take beautiful landscapes. We were here in July and I can well imagine fall and spring are also great times to go.

From start to finish, this was an excellent route to take. We stopped countless times to take in the view, breathe the fresh air and snap tons of photos. Just after reaching the top of the first set of switchbacks south of Georgetown, we had an encounter with a Bighorn ram. He came out of the woods while we were taking pics and posed for us alongside the road. Very glad we took this drive and may go back to see it in spring or summer.

Although a little crowded. The drive is great, the aspen were stunning and the views tremendous . Highly recommend.

Day trip up the highway into the high mountains. Had a quick hamburger at Coopers on the Creek. Then up Guanella Pass to the summit for a walk about. On the way up, came across a herd of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. They seemed happy to see us, too; posing right next to our car for 30 seconds or more. I've come across Bighorn Sheep on both of my visits in the past couple of weeks.

It has been years since I crossed Guanella Pass and the improvements are extraordinary. Paved all the way. Mostly wood guard rails make it seem more rustic and very little traffic.

This is a very easy drive with only a few switchback areas as you leave Georgetown ... Fall foliage appears to be best the last week in September. Arrived for the drive on October 1 and it was still good, but the cloudy rainy weather put a damper on the colors.

Major change in trees to tundra when you reach the pass. Recommend this drive if you are in or near Georgetown.

🔆When you think of fall drives and Guanella Pass you may think you'll run into intense boatloads of rental cars that never use their blinker 🙄...but really, it's beauty is an understatement and is full of little trails tucked away to escape the crowds 💛✨.
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🔆Being a short drive from Denver, be sure to check out Boreas Pass in Breckenridge after with a quick stop at the Dam Brewery for some Fantasticcc chilli and a craft brewskiiii . Either place you go to check out the warm yellow hues of autumn, your sure to reset your Sunday stress and start the week off right .

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I recommend this place to drive around and take some pictures the scenery very beautiful specially when starts to snow and there is not many cars around enjoy the place highly recommended

Beautiful drive with many hikes, camping spots and gorgeous lakes. Breathtaking views, some of the best I've seen in Colorado!

Great drive. Very picturesque. Bring warm clothes, weather can change quickly. Stop and take a hike and take pictures.

My best advice is to dress accordingly. The weather changes quickly here in Colorado. The most recent trail we hiked was the Guanella #600. Most sites have it as a moderate hike but I have to tell you it was very steep in some areas. I highly recommend hiking poles. Have fun and once you get to the top, the views are amazing!!

The scenery was indeed beautiful, but we had to wait 45 minutes for a pace car. The climb going out of Georgetown was some of the best views we've seen on our visit, but after reaching the summit, the road turned to gravel, with much equipment to maneuver around, and then came the pilot car. If we had been warned at the visitor center we would have turned around and went back the same way, or chosen an alternate scenic drive.

I did a hike the day before, but what I hope to achieve out of "hiking in CO" I got out of the Guanella Pass. Awesome pictures and views without too much stress and time. DO IT!!

The views are spectacular. Be sure to bring your camera.
We went on a Saturday and there was quite a bit of traffic.
An overall great Colorado experience!

This is a beautiful drive, especially in the Fall for the changing leaves, though weekends are extremely busy. The road is paved all the way from the exit off US 285 at Grant to Georgetown off I-70. The summit area has a short walk to an overlook or a longer hike to Square Top Mountain and its lakes. It's often windy at the top, so even the casual visitor should be prepared, as high altitude weather can quickly change.

Outstanding drive through the mountains! The views are just simply awesome.
Beautiful mountain lakes!
The overview of the town of Georgetown is just inspiring!

Took a family hike. Easy to find. Beautiful scenery. Easy enough for the kids but still a bit of a challenge for beginners.

Scenery was fantastic. Aspens were in full autumn color and the drive up and over the pass was very pretty.

It was late in September and we were afraid we'd missed good color, but Guanella Pass did not disappoint. We saw green turning yellow, yellow turning gold, and trees that had dropped their leaves. Beautiful vistas and interesting education on hydro-electric generating.

While exploring Colorado, we decided to drive over the Guanell Pass as we headed from the Georgetown area to Morrison for a concert at Red Rocks. The drive is spectacular and well worth the time.

Beautiful mountain views, lakes and streams as you wind your way up and over the pass. There are plenty of pull-outs along the road to stop and take in the scenery. Plus, there is a parking lot at the top of the pass. While we didn't explore them, there are also hiking trails that start at the parking lot on the top of the pass. My only regret is that it was cloudy the day we drove the pass which didn't lend itself to great photos.

Absolutely loved it.

I love seeing Mother Nature's creations from high on a mountain! Just drive out of downtown Georgetown and take in the scenery. The views really are incredible!

Take it easy and really enjoy the drive up. Stop to take some photos of Georgetown. The pass was only open 9 miles up due to winter conditions. Check with CDOT to see how far it's open.

We drove from Georgetown on Sept 14. At lower levels the trees had turned gold and swaths of gold stands on the mountainside were spectacular. The views and panoramas from higher levels were also breath taking.
The road is well maintained and totally sealed. We has a 20 minute construction delay, most of the maintenance looked finished.

Guanella is a paved road that goes above timberline over the pass. There are some alpine hiking trails, and its proximity to I70 makes it very popular. North side is gorgeous when the aspens are yellow. Unfortunately, this means it is often over-crowded, with parking difficult or impossible. Despite its proximity to Mt. Evans and Mt. Bierstadt and its elevation, I would rate the views as not particularly spectacular.

The new, paved portion of the road on the south side is great. Good signage and parking at trail heads. Views are outstanding no matter which direction you are traveling but my favorite is going north from Grant to Georgetown. Good wildlife viewing - big horn sheep, mountain goats, marmots and loads of birds. Although I've never seen them, a friend has reported several moose sightings.

After exploring the road up to the pass I found some good campsites above the pay-camping area...it was very peaceful and we'll worth the time to drive on up to the summit...
Also visited the historic downtown area of Georgetown, very interesting! !!

Only if there could be less road work... You don't need a 4W, a sedan would do just fine, even on the unpaved portion, but we had to stop four times for flagmen. At every stop we had to wait for a long time, 30-40 minutes. It was strange, because there was not much traffic (half a dozen cars every time) and yet such a long wait. One of the Flagmen explained that they had to wait 10 minutes AFTER the Pilot car comes back, to make sure all cars from the opposite direction have arrived. Like, they cannot count the cars? Anyway, we were Southbound and once you are down, you run into a huge ranch with lots of horses, this being in addition to the gorgeous views from the top! Highly recommended.

We left Georgetown via Guanella Pass which used to be a gravel road which has been slowly being paved for the past 7 years & is not complete yet. It took us about 2 hours with 3 stops for construction & parts are very dusty. But the view is beautiful and the lakes are spectacular. It is worth the trip and to top it off you end up at Grant, which has one motel/liquor store combined, and nothing else. Plan ahead if you need accommodations.

We were staying at a new by hotel and decided to do some driving and we stumbled upon the road going to the pass and it didnt disappoint! The drive was amazing with great views and then you get to the end and just more amazing views and hitting trails you can tackle. We always talk about this drive!!! Our advice DO IT!!!

Pleasant drive up Guanella Pass leads to stunning views at the top. Lots of hiking from the top and some trails along the way. Extra special when aspens are turning or light snow at the pass.

We went to hike Mt Bierstadt. Have to come thru Georgetown, CO and Guenella Pass takes you to the parking for Bierstadt. Amazing ride up the mountain. Cool scenery. Couple of tight switchbacks. Worth the trip up.

Our vol group built a boardwalk through the soggy areas, this is a great place to hike (Rutherford Trail)

We were driving from Silverthorne to Denver and needed to kill some time, so we ventured into Georgetown and up Guanella Pass. It took 25 minutes to drive to the top of the pass, and it was well worth it. Terrific 360 degree views on mountains, lakes and streams. The drive has guardrails the entire way, making it a little less white-knuckle than some drives in the area.

For a fall drive, this is one of those "timing is everything" drives. Had the pleasure of enjoying the views during the height of fall color (into the 3rd week of September this year). Holy buckets! You could literally FEEL the color as it poured through the yellow and orange aspen leaves. This was a beautiful drive for "leaf peeping" and was well worth our time.

If going in the afternoon, suggest you drive this before 3 pm as at that point the shadow of the mountain starts to shade the trees.

Beautiful views. Plus there were some fun places to pull over and hike, too, if you are so inclined.

This was a great drive! The kids were able to play in the snow and we had amazing views of Mount Bierstadt. We also saw mule deer and mountain sheep. Truly amazing drive!

The Guanella Pass Rd starts right from the downtown area of Georgetown's old historic district. The road is a 2-lane road that rises from Georgetown to carry you into alpine forests, and several alpine lakes. It's an easy and gorgeous drive. There are several places to pull out and take in the views.

After many years in Colorado, finally made the trip up Guanella Pass during fall to see the golden aspen trees.The scenery was awesome. I plan to do it again during the early summer season to see the wild flowers.

We went to Guanella pass after dinner and arrived at 7:55. We were disappointed to learn that they close at 9pm every night of the week, even on weekends. We had time for just one beer and chose the IPA. It was very good it was pricey. The atmosphere is quite modern which seemed out of place for an old mining town. They have a couple of TVs with sports (both TVs had the same game) and outdoor seating if you like.

Beautiful place to go! The drive through Georgetown is very cute -- quaint little downtown with cool shops. Then as we continued our drive on up, there were lots of people who just set up tents near the road which was also right by a nice stream, surrounded by trees (backcountry camping; no RSVPs required). Then we passed some official campsites at Arapahoe National Forest (which looks pretty nice also) and there were some restrooms at the start of the trailhead to go up to Mt. Bierstadt.

The first mile is a nice, scenic hike on mostly level ground. Then you start heading up & wow, for a first timer it's a beast! I met many other people along the way who also said it was their 1st 14er, so we all just took it slow -- lots of stops & rests! Once I hit 13,500 ft. I thought about calling it a day. Many people just hiked 1/2way or however far they wanted, then turned around no problem. But if you keep going, and just suffer through it little by little, you'll be SO GLAD you did! It was unbelievable! MUCH more difficult than I thought it would be, but absolutely worth it. I started at the trailhead @ 8am & was back at my car by 3pm (7 hrs. total). There were many people who started before that (which is probably a better idea!) and others who were in my group did it in 6hr.15 min. - 6 1/2 hours (all 1st timers also), but I was reallyyy slow & had to stop often :)

In the middle of June it was warm at the bottom and then there was snow at 13,500 feet and above, so most people that had done this before had brought layers with them -- waterproof jackets, hats/bandanas/ear muffs, long sleeves, short sleeves (a few people had on shorts but most people, myself included, had on hiking pants..and I'm really glad I did). Also, I was really happy I had waterproof hiking shoes because there was lots of mud at the start of the trail, a stream you had to hop through, and then at the top lots of snow, as I mentioned.

At 13,800 ft. it's pretty much bouldering & you're climbing your way up through all large rocks which is pretty fun :) Not what I was expecting at all!

Gorgeous views in every single direction! Bring lots of water, a sandwich (or two!) and lots of snacks. The elevation really does hit you, but man... it's so cool!!! So go for it! If I can do it, then so can you!! Enjoy!

First time over since the rebuild. Great road on the 1200 GS. Some airy sections of Flatlanders. Ride your ride and you'll be OK. And, stay in your lane.

This is an easy drive to the top of the mountain near Georgetown, CO. It used to be all dirt roads but has be "civilized" so that all tourists can drive it now. Paved, railings, pull outs. The top of the pass is above timberline but not hard to breathe at all. Hiking and photo ops are plentiful and lovely, even for older folks.

After visiting Georgetown Co we decided to take the long way back to Denver by going over guanella pass. It is definitely a beautiful scenic drive.The drive itself doesn't take very long a couple hours at most. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreational activities here as well, such as camping, hiking, picnicing, photo oops and more. Starting from the Georgetown side the road lets you out on US HWY 285 and from there it's about 45 minutes to an hours drive back to Denver. Well worth the time.

now that the road is paved all the way it is easier to travel and the views are breathtaking. Plenty of parking at the summit and additional pull outs to hike even more trails.

Scenic and well worth the drive, about 12 miles. Although we stopped at the trailhead parking lot, we didn't hike here. We did talk to a hiker and he said it isn't a difficult hike. Had a nice view of Mt Bierstadt.

Our destination was Georgetown and we usually drove on I-70. This time we came from a different location so were able to drive the pass from Grant to Georgetown. This is a scenic byway for sure. In October the fall leaves were the star as you drive through Arapaho and Pike National Forests. The road is paved so there is no excuse.

Besides the changing scenery, if you are lucky you just might see the mountain rams known to live in the area. Look to the east and you can see the highest mountains in the regions. Head south to Grant and you get back into the aspen forest and a cool mountain river. HINT-from Grant go west over the Hoosier Pass and head on to Breckinridge and back to I-70.

This is a gorgeous drive and you will be rewarded at the top! I am recovering from surgery so I couldn't hike but the drive is so worth it! You might even see some bighorn sheep.

It would have five stars, if there would not be a private lake with some nasty people living by. View fantastic, air clear, not much life other than tundra I would prefer to see some mountain goats as you see on Mt. Evans and other mountain animals that you see on other mountains here it looks as no animal likes it. maybe do to the private property :-(

A wonderful drive on a beautiful day. Haven't been on the pass for a couple of years and is now paved. The drive provides wonderful views of Sawtooth and Mount Bierstadt. Pleasant hiking paths to try out. Perfect for your out of state family and friends to get a taste of Colorado's beauty. I recommend taking I-70 to Georgetown, over the pass to Grant, East on 285 (consider a stop at the Crossroads Pub and Grill in Pine), North on 73 at Conifer to Evergreen, and then either North (I-70) or East (Morrison) on 74. A great driving loop.

Wow! Found this on accident. We started in Grant and went to Georgetown. Beautiful small hikes along the way. Several small waterfalls. Awesome views all the way. We stopped at the Georgetown reservoir had a small lunch, and to take in such beautiful views. When descending into Georgetown have passengers get cameras ready for a picturesque view of Georgetown. Also use low gear, very steep.

Better luck next year for us.
We approached this late afternoon 9/20/14. We were hoping for a glorious sunset to accentuate the golden aspen. We found dull colors due to the heavy overcast from the recent rain and hailstorm. Also, a good number of trees were bare already. We did find small fog pockets and clouds along Sawtooth Ridge, creating interesting swirls.

This is a good paved road from Georgetown to Grant, Colorado. The beginning part leaving Georgetown is a bit winding, but it doesn’t last long. The summit is worth the drive! Great views of the open area and mountain sides surrounding you. This is the easiest mountain pass road to drive in the area and I believe it peaks at about 11,000 feet. Before you get to Grant is a scenic valley ranch area. We enjoyed our drive. As far as animals we saw a Mom and youngster antelope or deer. The youngster was bouncing along on all fours; so fun to watch! Go in the early part of the day as afternoon storms can pop up.

Beautiful ride...gives you a great sense of what Colorado is all about. Visitor center on highway has a wonderful gift shop and was filled with interesting Colorado historical items.

You are driving up the mountain to this pass. It takes about 20 minutes and has some hairpin turns in it. It can be somewhat unnerving. When you get to the top there are some Vistas and some waterfalls along the way, but I'm not sure that it is my first choice since you are driving through the Rockies anyhow and have many Vistas just on your normal Passage.

We stopped here to boulder. The rocks had good access and were fun. The only down side was some of the dirty camp sites, lots of trash and sketchy people. The hiking in the area was beautiful.

Sadly, we could only go 8 miles in because of the snow. The rest was worth the drive. The overlook of Georgetown was amazing.

Visiting this place was magic. Along the way up, we saw big horn sheep on the road! If you are an avid hiker, there are tons of trails in the area. Watch out for those summer afternoon storms!

We came up from Georgetown and I could barely keep my eyes on the road(which is highly recommended). The high alpine meadows at the pass were bright green, in contrast with the blue skies, and grey mountain peeks. It was raining lightly and we caught a full rainbow running across the pass, so we could have asked for a better trip! I will be back soon and also taking my clients here. Definitely hit up Al's BBQ on the other end in Grant Yummmm!

Beautiful scenery and absolutely worth the trip to the summit. I traveled with my four children (2, 5, 8, & 10). We stopped at Clear Lake along the way and enjoyed the water and the open space to stretch their legs.

The summit was breathtaking. Even the kids were impressed! We parked at the summit parking lot and did a small hike along the top. There is a longer trail, but that was beyond what we were looking for.

We went at the end of October and there was some snow at the top. It was windy and cold, so definitely dress warm and in snow gear.

We didn’t see any bighorn sheep, but the idea kept the kids busy scanning the hillsides for them.

There are rustic restrooms at the lake and at the summit. Small children should be accompanied as it is basically a toilet over a very deep hole.

We were advised to travel the area to enjoy the fall foliage. And yes it is definitely a very good way to enjoy this changing of the seasons. However since we passed, at a somewhat later stage, the area of Vail, our sincere advice for autumn viewers is to pass the Pass and travel on to the Vail area. Yes it is a longer ride but the abundance of the fall colors in the Vail area is so much more impressive that is is worth the extra ride.

Wanted to avoid crazy traffic on I-70 on our way back home (Denver) from the Georgetown Loop Railroad so we hopped on the Guanella Pass after shopping and lunch in Georgetown. Wow, what a beautiful drive. We stopped at the top for the view and at a lake on the way - so peaceful. No phone reception! It took us a minute to figure out how close to Mount Evans we were. But at the other end of the pass highway it dumps onto I-285 with more great scenery. Highly recommend this day trip - it was a "date day" for us. Also, cold and breezy on a day that was 83* in Georgetown, so at least a light jacket is adviseable.

Drove on this picturesque road on the way to our hike up Mt Bierstadt.
Gorgeous! Lots of people camping in the area, the road is great, was paved recently, wide enough and the views are spectacular!

Fun in winter to drive up to road closure and go snowshoeing. It is a nice relief from the crowded ski resorting.

The pass is closed after December 1 but you can drive to Naylor Lake (0.8 miles from the top) and walk the remainder of the road on hard packed snow. The view is marvelous.

Great views, great place to stop at top of pass and breathe in the fresh air. Great views of Aspen. Stop in Georgetown for lunch and visit the unique shops before heading up the Pass

If you like hikes on clearly marked trails above tree line, go here! The views are spectacular and you can't get lost.

Drove the pass in mid October. Most of the Aspens were done blooming but the scenery was amazing. Once you get to the top turn around and come back the way you came. Many good photo opportunities and a great view of Georgetown.

Since the entire American West has made a collective decision not to spend any money on guardrails, we thought it would be best to practice pass-driving at Guanella (which has a few scarey drops) rather than Loveland or Independence (which both have steep enough drops to make me want to sell the car and buy a mule). We weren't disappointed. Drive it from the north side (Georgetown) and disregard the gigantic transformer grid halfway up, and you'll be rewarded with terrific views back down the valley to the north.

Guanella Pass is a must see for any CO native or tourist. Obviously Fall is the best time because of all the beautiful colors but you can find things to do in the summer as well, such as, camping, fishing, hiking etc. This is one amazing place!

at almost 12,000 ft, and above the tree line, this drive among the aspens was fabulous, and reaching the summit to have a 360 view that seemed on top of the world, was a delight we almost missed!

We took this pass to explore more of Colorado after visiting Georgetown. What a treat. Bring a camera.

I took to road from Georgetown to Grant, about 22 miles. It took about an hour of driving, though at the summit (11,670'), there is plenty of parking so you can get out and hike on both sides of the road above the treeline. It was still very muddy/wet when I was there a few days ago, so wear pants and waterproof shoes, or bring a change with you.

There are toilets at the top, and a short but scenic walk with informative text panels along the way. On the other side of the road, the longer trail goes all the way up Mt. Bierstadt if you're interesting in summiting a 14er. The immediate trails from the parking lot are well-worn and generally flat, so the whole family can enjoy them.

The road from Georgetown to the summit is well maintained and smooth with lots of slow (10mph) switchbacks. The road going down the other side to Grant is smooth part of the way, but then you run into plenty of potholes and eventually it becomes a rather bumpy unpaved road until you get to the highway in Grant. It's a nice, slow and scenic alternative if you're going east on I-70 to Denver.

Several lookouts spots made great photo opportunities, We didn't get to complete the drive because of an appointment with the Georgetown Loop train. We would love to return to see the fall colors.

Learned about pass from locals, otherwise we would have missed. Beautiful drive. A must to work into your iteniary

I hadn't been up here for many years and was pleasantly surprised to see the upgrades to the roads with so many campgrounds I didn't know were along the pass. Other than the construction equipment making improvements? It was an awesome experience. even on a Sunday afternoon it wasn't very crowded. Just a great drive.

What a beautiful scenic drive. Plenty of stopping points along the way for photo ops. Some of the aspens had already turned yellow.

What a beautiful drive! This is such a beautiful part of CO. 14ers, lakes, and excellent hikes. Must see.

The Guanella Pass was closed at a little over 8 miles out of Georgetown. In the early morning, the scenery was beautiful and there was very little traffic. We were able to spot some elk, and a good sized male moose! :) Check out the left side of the road where the branches come out of the ground--he seemed to like eating those! Be aware-- Stay in your vehicle. DO NOT GET TOO CLOSE-they are wild and will charge you. We enjoyed watching it from the road, and got some great pictures.

I met a young lady who had not done a 14er
And only once had I had the pleasure of meeting her
Up Guanella pass we did travel looking for adventure
And after having climbed Bierstadt I fell in love with her

I got to the pass in the late afternoon so although I was able to enjoy a lovely sunset from the summit there was no opportunity to experience any hiking or picnicking. I only went as far as the summit but the drive was superb. Stops to observe birds and the scenery were quite worthwhile and the summit had excellent 360° views.  My only disappointment:  no sign at the summit showing the altitude so I could brag on my friends back at sea level.

We went on Father's Day so the road was pretty busy, aside from that it is stunning. There were several tent campers near the top. We did not see moose but we're told a lot of people see moose. Hiking trails were at the top. You go above the tree line so be kind to the tundra.

An incredibly beautiful and scenic ride. There are many overlooks each with a different perspective. We were there at the peak of the aspens, and the hillsides were balnketed in gold!!! Pay attention and you will see all kinds of wildlife on the sides of the road!!!

This was the first time on the pass and I enjoyed it and I have to go again next year during the summer and then in the fall. The road is nicely paved but when you are heading to Grant there is still some construction, it's going be nice when they get the whole road done. There are also the switchbacks some of them are quite sharp but if you take them slow then you will be fine.

When you get to the top the view is beautiful.

and Guanella is one of 'em. Currently doing a lot of road work on pass, but this is another spectacular pass with chances to see moose, mountain goat, and big horn sheep on every triip. The "bird-ers" seem to like this spot a lot. LOTS of wonderful tundra hiking.
Other wonderous mountain passes include Independence, and Gore.

great and challenging climb on Mt. Bierstadt. Beautiful at the summit, but cold and windy. Pack a warm jacket, gloves, and a hat. Trail is well maintained.

Don't miss this scenic and fun drive from Georgetown to Hway 285. There are several side roads to enjoy, some best done in a 4wd. The aspens are beautiful in the fall.

Just as beautiful in the winter as in the summer! Great place to take a 4x4 to play in the snow in the winter!

AUTUMN BEAUTY!!! Go during the week if you can, but just do it!!! Now!!! Totally beautiful!! It's almost over! Check it out!

Breathtaking scenery and an occasionally breathless hike to Lower Square Top Lake.
At 12046 ft, the lake is stunning, and wildflowers abound. Distance is less than 4 miles return trip, it certainly seems like more.

From Fairplay we traveled Hoosier Pass, shopped Breckenridge, had lunch at Georgetown and drove Guanella Pass by mid afternoon. We had beautiful weather with clear skies for viewing God's creation! The scenery is always unbelievable in the Rockies and Guanella Pass is no exception! We have traveled many mountain passes a few times each but for some reason we missed this one. The pass is all nicely paved and pullouts are provided along the way. We stopped several times for photo-ops. I'm guessing it is not always the case but we traveled from Georgetown to Grant and seemingly the traffic was much less going our direction. In the 24 mile stretch only a couple times did I pull over to allow someone that was 'rearing to go' pass me...traffic was pretty quiet! Don't wait as long as we did to discover what we had been missing.

This pass is a beautiful drive. There are also lots of hiking trails to stop and enjoy. You can't go wrong on this drive.

Fall colors, snow on mountain tops, little traffic, beautiful scenic drive. Wish there were more places to pull over and take photos.

Had been hiking all week. Stayed in Geprgetown a few days and we were happy to access without walking/driving long distances to the trails. Guanella pass in one of the few passes in CO with many pullovers and beautiful short and long walks and hikes from many parking lots.