Yankee Boy Basin Reviews

As one of the most dramatic drives in Colorado it can get busy in July.
There have been a few tragic accidents with four wheelers and dirt bikes.

Recently new laws have been passed. Untagged vehicles must carry proof of liability insurance and an state use sticker.

New for this year, drivers must have a valid drivers license. Many of the fatalities have been children driving.

Roads at top beyond bathrooms were rough but fun. The razors are a pain. Been driving this for many years but hate the razors. Inexperienced drivers. Were too early for flowers but streams & waterfalls were great.

Now granted Yankee Boy Basin is beautiful and stunning and the flowers are terrific......but......... it has become a bit of a freeway.... too many.... people flying up and down the roads in rentals they probably shouldn't be driving and blowing past people who are actually behaving as they should on the mountain roads. There is very easy access to Yankee Boy Basin from Ouray but it is not as pleasant to ride up there as it used to be due to bad driving and people who do get the jeeping rules of the road.

Absolutely magnificent alpine landscape! The road up to the basin starts as easy gravel road, but later turns rough and requires, in my mind, a high riding 4wheel drive. But it’s absolutely worth the time and effort.

Leaves were changing Oct. 5, 2019. It was breath taking. Take the Alpine Jeep Tour to get the best view!!

We took a half-day trip via Colorado Western Jeeps. The views, waterfalls, and overall experience were great, as was our guide, Hal.

I am a world traveler and this was one of the best places I have ever seen. Took Crazy Carl (our tour guide) Jeep via Alpine Tours and it was the best decision we made. Worth every penny!

Yankee Boy Basin comes alive with a dazzling carpet if alpine wildflowers every July. You need 4-wheel drive and high clearance to get there but it is a showcase for Colorado wild flowers and is well worth the effort.

can go pretty far without it but will need 4wd to get up high. take a left at the fork which bypasses a steep bad section of road. it should be obvious when u get there. i wasn't paying attention and came down the right fork on the way back. very rocky. glad i didn't have to go up it.

We didn't have many 4 wheet drive trails to choose from, but it didn't matter one bit. I can't imagine a more scenic one than Yankee Boy. We couldn't go the entire way due to snow, but we made it up to the restrooms about 3/4 of the way in. There were waterfalls, beautiful scenes, and hiking trails. If you have a four-wheel drive with a little bit of clearance, be sure to check this out! (We did see some cars with low-clearance, but I personally would be afraid I would mess up something!)

The scenery was awesome, but the drive is a little difficult. We drove up in a 4x4 Jeep and it was still a little scary in some areas, but the view at the top were worth it.

Such a beautiful spot. Did this through tour company. What a GREAT family activity for all ages!! Wildflowers just starting to pop up....a couple more weeks would be even more amazing. Bring a camera!

A nice day this is a great spot to visit. Doesn't take too long but there are areas for hiking. Just make sure to take some water.

We rented a jeep which was a great experience from Switzerland U.S. A. Took lots of pictures. Hiked and brought a lunch. Fantastic views. Did Box Canyon Falls on the way. Met Fantastic people while we were driving through.

It's an easy drive but a 4x4 is always a best bet for off-roading in Ouray since, you never know when you'll want to just hit a trail or if you'll find a pass you've never experienced. Yankee Boy is just one of the many passes that make visiting Ouray one of the best I've ever had.

Wild flowers in bloom! A little bit of heaven! Went there on a jeep tour with Michael from Alpine a Scenic tours. The highlight of my Southwest CO trip!

This is a fairly easy trail in a 4wd vehicle. I would recommend stopping just above the twin falls. The trail get rougher quickly, and the view is similar to that from the lower area.
We used Riverside Inn / jeepouray.com to rent our jeep. They have great ground clearance, and are new models. Excellent service !

Even though it rained during our visit, it was truly worth it. Flowers of most colors were in full bloom this last weekend in July 2015 (later than usual). We took a Jeep tour (while I have 4 wheel drive, I left the driving to someone else) from Switzerland of America - the red ones. This 3 hour tour was wonderful as the flowers were perfect.

Very fun trip up using a 4x4. The very final portion is crazy difficult but you don't need to do the last part to get some views and a great ride up there.

We enjoyed our drive and the beautiful wildflowers. We had a lot more company than we did years ago when we jeeped this area, but that's the nature of things. Everyone was friendly and enjoying their own thing. If you decide to drive this trail, be sure to have the appropriate vehicle. Don't be the family in the van that got stuck and held everyone up for a couple of hours:(

We took a Jeep tour to Yankee Boy Basin..The views of the mountains were spectacular and the wild flowers and waterfalls were in abundance.

If you love wild roads, wild flowers, and waterfalls this is the destination for you to get away for a few hours. If you are up for a fourteener then plan on 6-9 hours depending on skill level. The views are some of the best in Colorado whether you are at the top of Sneffels or at the falls off the jeep road. Get out there early if possible as by noon it gets very busy with two way traffic.

Truly beautiful! Went up there with Colorado West Jeep tours in October (7-9th) as the Aspens were changing........stunning to say the least. Well worth it if you are near Ouray. Bring your camera and just take it all in.

Probably one of the most beautiful spots in the world. The wildflowers were blooming which was an added bonus.

This was a very interesting and pleasant drive not really for a car but we made it. A 4 wheel drive would have been my choice. There were abandoned mining shacks along the sometimes very narrow gravel road with blind corners, but what an adventure back into time and the views were great. If you are skidish this may not be the place since there are significant drop offs on one side of the road, but if you take your time and go slow you will be fine. Worth the drive!

Yankee Boy Basin is breathtaking! The mountains are amazing. The flowers are so beautiful! Every color and type of flower imaginable. The waterfall is outstanding also. My favorite spot! Drive up is generally good. Sometimes the road gets a but rough. We drove it in our Subaru Outback.

The Yankee Boy Basin is one of the prettiest spots on Earth! Always great with wildflowers in July. The traffic is so much worse that 40 years ago, but that's to be expected.

Wow! As part of our Alpine Scenic Tour package, we went up to twin falls in Yankee Boy Basin. On previous trips into Yankee Boy, we have seen the floor of this beautiful valley literally covered with wild flowers (this was about mid July)

This was a gorgeous place to see. We went with the Switzerland Jeep Trip, and they were wonderful, cannot wait to go back!!!!

Enjoyed great hiking and scenery, wildlife viewing and picture taking. Able to drive my vehicle a large portion of the way on the main road.

It was a wonderful tour! The scenery was beautiful! We would go back and do this again! My Family loved it!

This location is absolutely amazing. If it's not on your bucket list, it should be. We decided to visit it on the recommendation of a friend who lives in Ouray. It was amazing. The road is very precarious and often difficult to traverse at times. It is often 1-lane with steep drop-offs on one side. Once you get into the actual basin 4x4 is a must. I couldn't imagine making the drive to the falls without a high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle. If you don't have one, there are 1 or 2 places in town that will drive you up there.

We stopped at both of the falls to take photographs. The scenic views are almost unbelievable. This should definitely be a destination for anyone traveling in the area.

Worth the visit. This was so beautiful. Make sure you stop and walk around the abandoned mine and look down the shaft. We stayed for about 30 minutes and the rushing water, fantastic views and sunshine made this place a core memory. Definitely worth taking a Jeep up there.

Get of the main highways and do a little gravel road exploring. It's well worth your time, the views are outstanding.

If you can time your trip to YBB when the flowers are in bloom - DO IT!! Amazing colors and variety of flowers. I've been here in the sun and the rain - doesn't matter. It is beautiful no matter what the weather. It can get busy at the height of tourist season, but "busy" is a relative term :) All ages can enjoy this as you really don't have to leave the car to see the sights.

We took our grandkids to Ouray and had lots of fun. This venture was too scary for my grandson and some of the adults. Great views, but be aware it appears you may die any second.

Our drive up Yankee Boy was stunning! The drive is not difficult, we drove it and was back at our hotel within 3 hours easily. Lots of gorgeous views and waterfalls, definitely worth it to stop and explore some. This drive is less difficult than some of the others like Imogene, we highly recommend it!

Rented a jeep in town. Have been here a few times and it’s always awesome! The drive in is amazing and the scenery is breathtaking. A must see if in the area. Twin falls is gorgeous and worth walking over to.

This is the best way to see all the beauty of Colorado up close! Wonderful views in every direction as you climb altitude. This was our first trip in a back country setting and we will definitely go again. Though we live in Colorado, we did notice the elevation and slight breathing issues at the end of the trail - about 12,000 ft. The end is definitely at timber line. Go early in the day to avoid any weather issues. Rain and sometimes lightening comes over the mountain tops in the afternoon and should that happen, timberline isn't where you want to be! If you want to reach the top of Mt. Sneffles, you need to hike the remaining 2,000 feet. With all this said, it is a wonderful trip and highly recommended whether you use your own high clearance vehicle, a rental jeep or RZR or take a guided tour. Just go!

We took a jeep tour from "San Juan Scenic Jeep Tours" to Yankee Boy. It is a grand trip. If you go, go with San Juan jeeps and maybe you will be lucky enough to get Greg as your guide. He is very knowledgeable of every historic detail with any tour, and Yankee Boy is one of the best!

A fun drive from Ouray, only to be done with a 4x4 vehicle. Pretty, but not a major destination. The drive is more fun than the Basin itself.

We were there in June 2018
With our Jeep and It was perfect! The trails did not disappoint and the scenery is picture perfect! Wish we had planned more time!

My boyfriend refered to the mountains here as the Jurassic Park fields, because it was so calm and beautiful. We rented a razor for the day and played on the Yankee Boy Basin trail and Imogene. We were able to drive through some of the parts of the river with this and walked right up to the base of one of the waterfalls. DEFINITELY hike around the main waterfalls if you get a chance. To say the scenery here was spectacular would be an understatement. I look forward to more trips, and would highly recommend Yankee Boy for even beginning 4 wheeler enthusiasts.

This was our second time on this pass. Easy pass for 4x4 with some great views. This combined with Imogene pass make for a tremendous day.

Almost into the ridgeline. We felt like we were on top of the world, because of the exceptional rainfall and snow this year, everything was really green and beautiful. Worth the time and the drive, Rent and utv or atv to get here.

We dispersed camped up near the Mount Sneffels lower trailhead prior to our early morning summit. The road is good for any vehicle until you get to the turn to head up to the Mount Sneffels trailhead. From there high clearance 4wd is required as there are some washed out sections. We camped out in the back of our truck watching lighting strike the nearby mountains and listening to the thunder echo through the valley. No one else was nearby. We woke up the next morning and summited Mt. Sneffels. The way down was a bit sketchy as many people were heading up at that time of the day and the road is only one car wide in many places. One of the paid tours may be worth it if you have 2wd or don't feel like dealing with the traffic. They also stop to point out the historic mines and other sites.

This is a gorgeous drive to waterfall and beyond! Photo ops galore! Plentiful wildflowers! Due to the tougher terrain, a higher clearance vehicle is advised.

This place has a bit of history with me and my wife. It was 1979 when we first visited Yankee Boy Basin in a Jeep on our honeymoon. We were amazed by the wildflowers carpeting the high mountain valley and hypnotically drawn to the beauty of Twin Falls. The falls are so iconic they are featured on every can of Coors beer in the middle of the oval logo! The cold, clear mountain water represents the pristine purity of the Colorado Rockies perfectly. So impressed by the area, we have made an annual pilgrimage back to Twin Falls every year for the last 40 years of marriage. We even renewed our vows there on our 30th Anniversary. It is more than a special place to us. If you want to see why, you will need to see for yourself. Four wheel drive is required. The road ends about a mile before the falls, and it is a rocky jeep trail afterwards. Best time to visit is August/September when everything is in full bloom.

After taking a jeep excursion up to imegine pass on the previous day, we decided to drive my SUV up to Yankee boy basin. We are so glad we made the trip. Hello my Highlander did not make it all of the way, we made it far enough to walk up to the multiple waterfalls in the basement. It was a gorgeous day to be up high viewing the changing aspen leaves and the various waterfalls within easy walking distance.

Good time we saw Marmots, Chipmunks, deer,elk and snow. Water falls and old mines. Running water from snow melt is awesome.

Since I found the Ice Lake Basin just south of Ouray to be closed, I ventured to Yankee boy Basin and was able to ATV to within 1.5 miles to the full basin view at the trailhead. Gorgeous,,,but only 1/2 loaf as the best scenery was inaccessible ! I wish the ATV rental place had honestly described that what I was going to see was the the full beauty of Yankee Boy, I will be back...but in July or August in the future.

You need a jeep or a high clearance vehicle to get up to the falls and the magnificent scenery. There are mines along the way and the scenery is awesome. If you hit it at the right time in the summer you will see fields of columbines, Indian paintbrush and more. There is also lots of hiking and it is a photographer's paradise.

We took the Alpine Jeep Tour to the Yankee Boy Basin - it was so beautiful and still covered with snow in the beginning of June.

Unbelievably, the wild flowers were still somewhat prolific in September. Did some fun 4 wheeling. Fun and knowledgeable tour guide (Tony). I was on an exploratory mission to see if I want to return. The answer is yes!

Bring a lunch and eat at the waterfall at the top and enjoy the view. If you are a plant enthusiast, bring a reference to identify plants in an alpine environment.

Somewhat challenging road in spots. We road ATV's and had a great time. Beautiful scenery. There is one toilet after the split between Governor's basin and Yankee Boy

Best views, learned so much about the history from Greg with San Juan. BEST JEEP company and oldest in Ouray.

This is one of the premier wildflower spots of the area! Tremendous flowers, and relatively easy to reach. We had a 4 wheel drive vehicle, which made it easy to get to. Some people were able to use just their regular cars, but if you do that I would recommend that you stop just as you get to the basin, before the stream, as that was really rough. Even some SUV's were bottoming out there. We visited in the last week of July and the flowers were at their peak.

Yankee Boy Basin trail is easy at the beginning and then becomes moderate. The views are great and the wildflowers are beautiful.

The scenery is awesome! Lots to see and do. Take your time there is something new around every corner. There is an extensive availability of bathroom facilities which made my wife very happy! Make sure you fill up your tank before going and take lots of water. Watch out for the quads and dirt bikes.... they tend to go too fast.

You must go here. You can do it most times in a pickup truck. Jeep would be best but a pickup with decent clearance can make it. Just be careful when you meet another vehicle. Can be a little tight in places but there are many pullouts. Once you get there you will be glad you came. Go!!!

Not our first trip to the basin and hopefully not our last. We missed the extreme wildflower viewing but it was still a great visit. The road up is about nine miles from Ouray and most of it is OK for a passenger car. The last mile or so is rough and rocky.
The local company that does jeep should learn to pull to the side of this narrow road when they let their passengers out to do photographs.

We went during a heavy traffic week, so there was some necessary waiting or maneuvering on OHV trails but still had a great time. The parking lot right above town is great, we were able to do this trail, not much of Governor Basin due to snow and not quite up to Imogene summit for the same reason. But really was a nice experience and beautiful, well maintained area. Without snow you might still be able to do all three in a day, but would be tight.

Amazing Drive~ Safe and easy with some of the most epic views, steep drops, and heart pounding moments!

We toured Yankee Boy via rented ATV'S and it was Breathtaking! You MUST have a Super High Clearance Vehicle...some SUV'S just couldn't handle it, and probably will need repairs after leaving this climb! There are areas to pull off, park and take on the last stretch on foot..better for your vehicle and you!

This is the way to see this beautiful area.
I would not want to try to drive it my self in any kind of 4 wheeler.
The bucket seats were a real bonus. Great time.

Just get a Jeep, UTV, ATV, or dirt bike and GO! Don't waste time planning, just go explore! You'll be met with beauty that's indescribable! On your way down, you'll have a variety of other trails to take (my advice, take Imogene to Telluride for lunch)!

We have been to Yankee Boy Basin a couple of times and always enjoy the trip. The San Juan Mountains have some of the best scenery that Colorado has to offer and Yankee Boy Basin is no exception.

The road is rough, especially as you get close (and past) the twin falls. So you definitely need a high clearance vehicle and four wheel drive. I don't recommend going past the waterfall unless you have off-road driving experience.

I'd heard of Yankee Boy Basin all my life, and now I know why it is so highly rated for beauty and photo-ops. We were between bloomings of the wildflowers, but some were still in bloom. Waterfalls and rocks just go together!!!

This was a great way to go for a exciting jeep trip. We rented jeeps from Switzerland of America in Ouray, Colorado. It was a hair raising experience for our group. We crossed two swift moving streams and a wicked mountain road to get to the camp bird mine. It was scenic coming and going. Not a dull moment.

This is a beautiful drive with more than enough visual "eye candy" if you are a nature nut like me! I took so many photos that my card was filled and had to down load for the second half of the trip! The water falls could be seen from the areas we traveled. The scenery was green and lush! The ride was good, not too bad in July. We had a quick bite and back in the car for the rest of the trip. We did not do much of the 4x4 trails, hope to soon though!

Take your time and drive it slow! Remember, some passes are not open until mid/late June. So many trails and backroads to choose from. Yankee Boy was not only beautiful, but historic old building to see on way up.

Our jeep tour guide choose the Yankee Bay Basin tour after I mentioned that I liked waterfalls. Amazing to have waterfalls in October. That and fall color made for a lovely morning.

Great view from our jeep tour. It took us a while to get there, but it was worth it. We had a wonderful tour.

We drove this dirt road until it got a bit rough without a proper Jeep. Deep canyons along a river drainage. Fall colors everywhere. We hear it is fantastic with wildflowers in the summer time.

We went there with Alpine Scenic Jeep Tours. It is truly spectacular with the fall colors in Oct. Got some amazing pictures.

Ouray is a quaint little mountain town that is worth a visit. While there, we took the "Switzerland of America" 4X4 ride to Yankee Boy Basin- what a great experience. The route follows the old mining roads up the mountains, so be prepared for a beautiful and bumpy ride. The scenery is spectacular, and Greg, our driver, did a great job of explaining what we were seeing.

We've sojourned into Yankee Boy Basin at least 50 times over the years. The drive from the south end of Ouray all the way through Camp Bird Mine can be made with most trucks and/or 4WD vehicles. The last stretch into Yankee Boy proper can be too rough for any car, depending on the seasonal washouts.

Folks of all ages can stretch their legs and stroll, awestruck, surrounded by some of the most incredible scenery on Earth. It almost defies description. We have jeeped all over the San Juans since 1965, and standing in Yankee Boy Basin is one of our favorites. Take a day pack and/or a picnic and let your soul find peace. If you stay in the Basin long enough, you will probably find yourself overwhelmed by God's handiwork - and marvel that you are still important to Him.

One of the best short 4x4 trips in the area,you can get a good way back in a Subaru, but a High clearance 4x4 is best. It's absolutely gorgeous mountain scenery makes this a must do for any visit to Ouray, tours are available as well.

The road up to the mine is open to cars and SUV's. Beyond the mine, it's hard core SUV's only. In the fall the aspen viewing is phenomenal.

Went to Yankee Boy Basin with a tour. Passage to the basin and the basin itself was beautiful, informative and awe inspiring. Only attempt DIY tour if you are very confident of your driving and have a high clearance 4X4. Wonderful afternoon!

Pretty drive by old mines and along some steep drop offs. Can be intimidating at times but people of all ages and skill were driving it. We rented an ATV but could have rented a Jeep. Most rental cars can only go so far and then you need to hike the rest of the way - maybe a mile or 2? Beautiful views. Can be done in a couple hours. Most companies suggest also driving Governor's, Silver Basin, and Imogene. Governors has some very scary steep dropoffs that aren't for the faint of heart but Imogene will literally freak you out. There should definitely be more warnings about that drive.

The rating we saw was a 5, that is difficult, and I could see where if you hadn't been out a lot on an ATV that it might be. It sure isn't the worst we have been on. There was a Jeep Cherokee that almost plunged off the rock face. There were people and vehicles up there that probably shouldn't have been. One person road their brakes most of the way out until they overheated. Signs say 4-wheel drive vehicle, what they should say is only vehicles that are 4-wheel drive and can go into 4 low.

This was not on our list of things to do because we didn't want to rent an off-road vehicle, but after seeing other vehicles come down the trail we decided to try it. If you're comfortable Off-Roading and have 4-wheel drive then you do not need to rent anything to get up to Yankee Boy. We made it up with no issue. It really is pretty spectacular and worth the trip.

Lots of traffic but still a great trail
Atv is way more fun than all the jeeps and trucks we passed
Still an awesome view and we lucked out on the weather
It rained all around us all day but we had sunshine and awesome tail riding

This magical place is well worth visiting, preferably on a week day. It is being loved to death. Enjoy the extraordinary wildflowers and mountain peaks. While you are there, get out of your car and climb a peak!

Gorgeous views, and not too challenging. Obstacles get progressively harder, so you can decide as you go if you need to turn back. The final mile or two will require good clearance, but there aren’t any massive obstacles. Did the trail in a 2011 Grand Cherokee Overland (higher clearance than a normal Cherokee) and it did great. Even saw a Subaru Outback that had somehow made it all the way to the top. I’m sure by the skin of their teeth, but they made it!

Just don’t make the mistake I did and combine this with Imogene pass! That trail was much more advanced, much longer, and rattled my soul right out of my body to remind me my vehicle was inadequate. Something to keep in mind if you’re looking at the two trails!

Been up this trails many times and it never gets old! Maybe camping up there is in order next time! Cheers!

Rented a jeep from Colorado West and did this route first. It was absolutely beautiful! We did it early evening and pretty much had the road to ourselves (a great way to get acclimated for a beginner!).

I drove my modified Jeep JK Wrangler up to Yankee Boy Basin yesterday ( 7-12-16) morning. I started the drive up Camp Bird road at about 8:30 AM, and the traffic wasn't too bad. There were already a lot of vehicles however (4x4's, ATV's, dirt bikes, etc) and people, by the time I arrived at the basin, which for me; takes away from the overall experience. By the time I started back down the road to Ouray; the road was packed with traffic! Because uphill traffic has the right of way off-road; I had to pull over and stop to let the uphill traffic go by. Not usually a problem; but at one point, I had to turn my engine off while I waited for about twenty plus vehicles to pass through! The scenery of this area is beautiful, but all the noise, caused by the very large amount of vehicular traffic, really takes away from what should be a wonderful and relaxing experience.

Took a Jeep tour to Yankee Boy Basin. The trip up to the basin offered breathtaking views. A definite must see when in Ouray.

We drove a 2 wheel drive SUV to where the road to Governor's Basin breaks off and then parked and walked to where the trail to Wright Lake breaks off. The area is spectacularly beautiful and it's kind of fun to watch the inexperienced 4-wheelers get stuck and have to get themselves out.

We rented a UTV and drove up to Yankee Boy Basin. I was very nervous at first but it really wasn't bad at all. We got up very high. The wildflowers were in full bloom and the views were breathtaking. If you're not comfortable driving a UTV or Jeep, you can do a tour. On our way back we decided to try to go up Imogene. That was a little more difficult drive. We ended up at a very steep, narrow part and had trouble maneuvering so we turned back.

If you don't own a Jeep, do yourself a favor and rent one in Ouray and go up Yankee Boy! Outstanding scenery and a pretty easy drive with a 4WD. Be careful just past the public bathroom area and stay to the left, rather than the uphill right fork. There is a spot that a vehicle that doesn't have a lift kit may very well hit high center.

Have been up in the basin multiple times and still get awestruck every visit. Stunning scenery and if you catch the wildflowers blooming (late July, early August) it's just that much better. Need to have adequate vehicle though. Consider renting a Jeep if need be. Worth the expense and time.

Despite being a chilly, misty morning we braved the elements and took a jeep ride to this locale. What a beauty! The meadow was awash in wildflowers thigh high. The waterfalls were gushing due to high snowmelt added with record spring rains. Great place to take photos

This was a challenging drive over a tricky, narrow and rough road. The views of Yankee Basin are awesome.

This day trip has everything for the Colorado Rocky mountain jeep experience. There are waterfalls, rivers, active mines, abandoned mines, high mountain peaks and finally the basin itself. The last few miles are a little rugged and not advised for other than 4WD vehicles with high clearance. There is ample parking a few miles before the basin and it can be easily done on foot. We went on a weekday in August and it was fairly crowded, so weekends may be a problem,especially in the last 2 miles where passing can a problem , especially going downhill.
Probably one of the easiest overall jeep trail outside of Ouray. Well worth the effort.

We rented an ATV, drove above the tree line and explored the area ourselves. Stunning views, deep gorges, beautiful nature. Great experience, very impressive!

Most beautiful place I've been. Worth the jeep trip there. Gorgeous wildflowers and mountain views..

Four of us traveled via Razor to Yankee Boy Basin, up to Imogene Summit and down to the Tom Boy ghost town. The view was stunning on a sunny 4th of July!

We booked an excursion with San Juan scenic jeep tours and it was amazing!! Keith was our guide and he made the trip so fun - The one lane mountain roads were a bit scary at times ... but I trusted his ability to get us to the top- and the views did not disappoint!

Love love love this little side trip. Don’t try to come in your minivan. You get the thrill of all that is wild and rugged without having to white knuckle it.

Went off road in our pickup truck absolutely beautiful . Dirt road is narrow but fun to drive on. The views are fantastic. Did not go all the way up, sign said you needed high clearance ahead. Will definitely come back and rent a razor or jeep.

This is not the he easiest way or most accessible way to see the blue lakes, but is a pretty hike. My Sneffles trailhead is from this basin. Plan on extra hiking if you don't have a high clearance 4 wheel drive vehicle.

First of all, if you are approaching Yankee Boy directly from Ouray you should have a 4WD and no fear of heights. The drive up there is beautiful, but the road is curvy with sheer drop-offs and no guard rails. Mostly a lane and a half, passing oncoming traffic can take some maneuvering. There are some true 4WD moves just after the first real pull off area so if you are unfamiliar with how to drive off road I would try to park first. I would also consider renting a Jeep or one of the Polaris off-road vehicles from town. You will be rewarded with amazing views and a true adventure.

Gorgeous area! Enjoyed every minute of it. The flowers were spectacular. Highly recommend viewing this area. Get out walk around and just enjoy the view!

We rented a razor at our hotel for a trip up to Yankee Boy and Imogene Pass to view nature at it's finest. You have to keep your eyes open to catch the views obscured by the forest and trees, remember than the journey here is often what you are looking for rather than the final destination. We came across Big Horns, waterfalls, early June wildflowers with deer at 11,800'. There is plenty to experience on this trip, I have been coming here for over 30years and experienced things on this early season trip I hadn't seen before. Sure, the wildflowers are later in the season but the runoff was incredible with not often seen waterfalls appearing before your eyes. The mountains are a living thing and as such offer different experiences changing on the season you visit. Just keep your eyes peeled and you will find what you are looking for.

Fairly easy drive with spectacular views along the million dollar highway, some hiking in this area.

We took a Jeep tour here with Alpine Scenic Tours and are so glad we did. The views are stunning! We came in June and it was chilly in the basin so we were glad we brought our jackets. There a ton of beautiful views so bring your camera. Water and snacks are also a must. Our kids loved exploring here!

Trail requires solid experience to negotiate, but we saw a doe near the top, and she wasn't even frightened by the ATV noise.

Trail to Imogene Pass is nearby - but that require EXPERT level riding experience.

lovely alpine meadows surrounded by snow capped mtns. Wild flowers impressive. Some of the largest Colorado Columbines I've every seen (the light blue color).

We have been here on two seperate occasions , 2010 and 2014 ... We brought our ATV's in 2010 and rented a jeep in 2014 ... The jeep was nice but we got around and had much more fun with the atv's because their all sorts of nuts who will bring their 4 wheel drive suburban's on them trails and with an atv its a nuisance but with a jeep its a headache ... Get on the trails as soon as the sun comes up because you can get a good days excitement done before all the crazies get out there ... Yankee boy is great like all the trails in that area

Had a blast riding through Yankee Boy Basin. We rented a RZR and rode all up in the mountains. Lots of beautiful scenery, even though it was raining. Will definitely be coming back here again!

We stopped at the base of the road that goes up to Yankee Boy Basin because we didn't have a high clearance vehicle. The hike up to Yankee Boy was beautiful and about .5 miles each way. You walk on the Jeep road so there is no bushwacking to get to the falls. The wildflowers were gorgeous. This is a must do!

We rode this trail last Monday 7/25/16 it took us 4hrs round trip with a few picture breaks. Great views of Mountains, lake and flowing creeks. Carry a light jacket you may need to use is as you get to the top of the trail. There was one pothole toilet midway which is rare on most of these trails.

Took a morning drive to Yankee Boy Basin while visiting Ouray. It was incredibly beautiful but not for the faint of heart. The road is easy early on but the last piece requires 4 wheel drive, at least when we did it in early June. We drove a Subaru Forester.
So, we saw deer, rushing rivers, canyons, water falls and remarkable vistas all the way to the restroom near the top. From there you have a wonderful view of Mt Sneffels and the mountains on all sides! More adventurous folks were snow shoeing or X country skiing further on. It was fantastic!

Plan on taking a jeep or a Heep tour to this area. Various waterfalls, stunning vistas of the mountains, amazing wildlife, trails, hiking and adventure jeeping.

I grew up in the area and - as many amazing spots as there are in southwest Colorado - this still is my favorite place to spend a day. While it can get crowded in the summer, there just isn't anything like it. Beautiful waterfalls in June, wildflowers in summer, colors in fall, and skiing in winter.

I live in San Francisco now but try to make it back to this spot whenever I can!

We drove up and our land rovers enjoyed the trip. Lots of pretty flowers and raging waterfalls to beautify the world.

This was the first trail we rode Rangers on. It was beautiful! We left mid-morning and it wasn't to busy but got busier close to noon.

This was an incredible trail. We did it via our personal Jeep. Not scary and the wild flowers were breathtaking. Wear hiking shoes and always bring water.

Bumpy roads, but well worth it. Beautiful views. We took a lot of pictures on our way. Miss those views already.

Go do this. You will fall in love with nature. This is such a beautiful place. July has the wildflowers everywhere. Great pictures. You have to do this trail with with guide and with some sort of atv. We are coming back with a bigger group next year!!!

If you're looking for a destination to add to your bucket list this should be on it. End of September the colors are truly gorgeous. The first 4.6 miles of the dirt road are OK for a normal car and this is the area where you will experience the best colors in the fall. After the fork in the road that leads to Yankee Boy basin the road becomes not really a road but an unmaintained track with deep ditches, ruts, loose rocks so don't even attempt this with a regular car. You will need at least a AWD SUV but if I did it over again I would rent a jeep in the town and beat up somebody else's vehicle. The ecology above here turns more to glacial terrain with sparse trees so if you're looking for colors stick to the lower portion. There are some interesting trails both in the lower portion and also at the higher elevation. There seems to be several mining claims still being worked which to me is a travesty, despoiling a world class scenic area with mining waste and slag piles not to mention a possible spill of toxic metals into the pristine streams. If you're lookin for stunning alpine scenery, precipices, sheer mountain cliffs that you would find in the European alps then this is your place. I just wish it could be protected as a national monument designation rather than just a national forest.

This trail was just snow plowed when we went. There were parts where i git a little nervous, it's a two way trail with enough room for one car at a time. If you don't have a jeep or a 4x4 I don't reccomend this trail for you. This was a great beginner trail for us. The sights were amazing.

BEAUTIFUL as always! One of my favorite drives. Every time we drive up there we see something new. Would recommend visiting when in the area.

This road right out of Ouray is a wonderful drive. We attempted this road with some snow on the ground. It is best driven with a 4x4 and with caution. Similar to some of the other trails, there are cliffs and narrows passes along the road but nothing too challenging or technical. The views are amazing and worth the drive.

We rented a 4x4 to hike beautiful mountain. Roads easy to navigate, there were still snow when we were there so the trail wasn't really fully open. There's a nice waterfalls along the way. A little bit scary when you are on the narrow cliff but the view was amazing. Highly recommended.

Fabulous off-road jeep experience. The leaves had turned gold, the peaks were snow capped, and our jeep ride was fun. We used the San Juan Jeep Company and their driver/guide was excellent. Do it!!!

If you don't mind the thin air (we came from the sea level), the views are well worth the effort. Magnificent! One of the best hiking we've done in Colorado.

Beautiful place! We rode in the dodge ram trucks with seating in the beds, our tour guides were hilarious and great drivers!

Been to YB basin 5-6 times, at different times of the summer season. Late July-early August is the best for wildflowers. Best enjoyed from a high-clearance 4-WD. For a real treat and adventure, after observing the twin falls, take Imogene Pass to Telluride and return via Ophir Pass. Its a full day of fun and excitement and not for the faint of heart. Having a well equipped and short wheel based jeep is recommended to enjoy the difficult 4-WD trails. The mountain peaks that surround you are surreal. The basin is also the launch point for climbing Mt Sneffles, so parking areas can be crowded in "peak season".

Driving up the Camp Bird road is NOT for the faint of heart. You need to pay attention, and knows the right-of-way rules. No speeding, either! But the hairy drive is unique in the United States, and the reward is to get yourself high up into the heart of the western San Juan mountains: the views are fantastic. Hiking is magnificent. And the last stretch of the road to Yankee Boy Basin...sucks. Be careful! If you don't have four wheel drive and high clearance, park near the gate and walk up. It's worth it.

Yankee Boy or at least to the Twin Falls Area is one of the most accessible and scenic destinations that can be found in Colorado. In June/July wildflowers are stunning there. The Twin Falls of Sneffles Crek is beautiful;. Camp Bird Road up is somewhat thrilling. I particularly like the Overhang stretcch.

This is a truly spectactular drive. The first part will lull you into thinking this is an easy drive. At about 6 miles, this is impassable for anything other than high clearance 4wd vehicles. Most people in your standard car will freak out at about mile 5 when you have to go around a one lane blind curve with a cliff overhang. There are some great hikes here and the blue lakes trail is amazing, but strenuous.

The views in late July early August with the wildflowers and Mountains is amazing! Want to come back in September to see the Aspen turn golden.

We had heard about the flowers and we weren't disappointed. Governors Basin also was excellent. Great scenery, but high clearance 4x4 recommended!

We drove our Stock Ford Explorer up the trails and did just fine. There were a couple of very narrow passages with NO shoulder (straight drop) but that just made it more fun and gave us more memories!
We did have to turn around at one point at the sign that stated "high clearance 4x4 only".
But we stopped and had a picnic on a beautiful mountain meadow near a waterfall.
One of the best days ever!

So.many.wildflowers! We have 2wd so we parked where a sign says recommended for 4wd and walked the rest. The wildflowers are truly mind boggling. Colors everywhere. Then we walked up to the top of blue lakes pass- you will feel like you are on top of the world. Totally worth it! Round trip from where we parked about 7 miles and about 2200 feet elevation gain. Highly recommended, you don't see scenery like this everyday ( unless maybe you are lucky enough to live here).

We took a jeep tour from Colorado West Jeep. Highly recommend taking a guided tour 1st. We had so much riding open air in the back of truck (seat belts included). Next day we rented out own jeep and the adventure started!!

Beautiful, breathtaking scenery! We did a tour with Alpine Mountain tours in Ouray and it was awesome!

Great area to hike, lots of trails. Perfect spot for photography. The hike to summit Mt. Sneffels is challenging.

Nice trip! Took us 2 hours round trip on our ATV. Mostly wide roads but need a high clearance vehicle for sure also some tight areas where one side is rock and the other sheer drop. Beautiful scenery!

One beauty of an outdoor area. The ATV traffic coupled with the Jeep traffic is a growing painn for hikers.

If you get a chance, do it! It's a beautiful drive and the scenery is awesome! Lots and lots of things to look at!

Rented a Jeep and drove Yankee Boy. About a 4 hour trip with stunning scenery and a challenging jeep ride. This is considered one of the easier long trails, but don't let that fool you. There is plenty of thrill factor involved the deeper you go on this trail. Wildlife, old gold mines, narrow trails, and plenty of off road fun.

The steep mountainsides and the waterfall at Yankee Boy Basin were beautiful to see in person. Was great getting there with San Juan Jeep Tours - leave the driving to their able drivers!

Return trip. Heavy snows have trail blocked beyond falls but we know it is even better higher up.. Be prepared for rough, narrow roads if in your own vehicle...4wd/high clearance required higher up. If you are not comfortable take one of the tours and save your vehicle. Must do. Learn some history of the mines and appreciate how on earth they were built

Breathtaking scenery. My first off-roading and it wasn't too bad. We did Ophir and Imogene Pass later in the week, and that was some white knuckle driving. Yankee Boy Basin was fun, lots of places to hike and amazing wildflowers. Highly recommend. I would suggest hiking clothes, as there are many opportunities to get out and explore.

Having hiked through Yankee Boy Basin in 2016 and 2017 to climb Mount Sneffels, we chose it for the site of our gloriously informal wedding in August 2018. Meadows, waterfalls, trails, a ring of spectacular peaks - it couldn't be better!

Breathtaking rock formations and fall foliage! My son is a Cub Scout, and we were working on his geology belt loop. This was definitely the place for it!

Still a lot of snow in the San Juans. But the drive up was beautiful and enjoyed all of the peaks. Went until got up to a slide covering the road stopped us. Still a lot of road work going on trying to clear the snow and debris from the many avalanches. Thank you to all of the road crews working to clear roads.

Rented a razor for all day, what a blast, many trails and passes some very technical and most were less technical and beautiful scenery

This trip requires a 4xx4 with low range....not your AWD Rav4 or the like.. As already described the first 7 miles are passable in most any vehicle but the remaining few miles reuire stream crossing and increased ground clearance. We chose to walk the last few miles since my companion wqas a little nervous about the road. Stopped at the waterfal which , on this occasion, had the greatest variety of flowers on the trip. Walked to Yankee boy from there to observe the surrounding mountains and flowers. Fun trip. Thunder storm hit just as we were leaving so start early in the AM for the best weather.

If you are a peak bagger and want to knock down a few great ones in the San Juan Mountains, this is the place to camp. You can tackle 14er Sneffels, high 13ers Teakettle, Potosi from here. Make sure you have a high clearance 4WD vehicle to reach the trailhead. The basin is just a gorgeous place to visit even if you are not climb any peaks.

When I think of all of the places I have traveled, Yankee Boy Basin always comes to the top of my list of favorites! The majestic beauty, the incredible peaks, the thrill of driving the road, mines and the beautiful wildflowers are certainly phenomenal reasons to go - but the stunning views and the twin waterfalls are reason to just stay for a while!

Located on the Camp Bird Mine Road, just above Ouray, the beginning of the road is very well maintained dirt. You head west - on the Box Canyon Road, past the
ice climbing canyon, and continue on... It is most do-able in a 2WD vehicle to the Camp Bird Mine, but as you climb towards the Basin, there are truly spots that you would need a 4WD,, high clearance vehicle...

The waterfalls are a must see! There are a couple of level parking areas where vehicles may pull off - the one furthest up has a well maintained vault toilet. Often times the commercial jeep tours will stop here - allowing their passengers out to explore the falls' area. You'll want to see the falls up close, too!

Indeed, if you are unable to drive your own vehicle up to Yankee Boy Basin, a commercial trip should be considered - Yankee Boy is THAT amazing. (and you are able to enjoy and photograph the area - as someone else is negotiating the road!) On a summer day, it may be extremely crowded until you realize that you really can spread out - there truly is enough scenery for all! July and August are truly the busiest - but crowds die off after Labor Day. You would come for the wildflower display in July and August, and for the fall colors in September and October. I have driven up the road as late as November 20th some years, but that would be "iffy"! The San Juan Mountains have been known to have incredible snowfalls...

If you are in your own vehicle, you can drive past the bathroom, and enjoy almost complete solitude above... The road continues on to Mt. Sneffels' trailhead and a trail that overlooks Blue Lakes. That road is truly high clearance, 4WD only - or quite doable by foot....More stunning views, high alpine lakes, and mountain vistas not seen by most - are your reward for traveling that high!

As incredible as it is, please realize that this area is also vulnerable... So many people have made a pilgrimage to the mountains in this area that it is most susceptible to overuse. Please pack out all trash, tread lightly and realize how unique your experience is! Enjoy - but preserve the experience for others; as I said, there are few places as spectacular as Yankee Boy Basin!

Beautiful area! We rode Razor 4x4s up the mountain. Views are amazing. Trip is best for accomplished hikers and/or vehicle passengers who are not afraid of heights or rocky roads.

Waterfalls, creeks, bighorn sheep, deer, elk, marmot etc! Go see this! One of the easiest most peaceful trails thats close to town to see.

To mountaineers, Yankee Boy Basin is the start point for a climb to the top of rugged Mt. Sneffels. But it is spectacular enough in it's own right the be a destination . . . particularly during wildflower season (late June to early Aug).

The basin is on a four-wheel-drive road, and the road is downright scary in a couple of places. I had a sister-in-law get out and walk a particular 100 yard section once rather than be in the SUV as it tumbled down the mountainside. At least that what she had envisioned!

Please make it a point to visit Yankee Boy during the wildflower season. Vast fields carpeted in columbine, Queen Anne's lace, and pestemon is a sight you'll remember for the rest of your life.

Missed the wildflowers by a few days because it was already snowing up there in August. Pretty drive, got up to Twin Falls, which was great.

Beautiful! SW Colorado is stunning. The history is amazing. The scenery up to Yankee boy is beautiful. The springs are on the gold Coors can-yup, pure rocky mountain spring water.
In July the wildflowers are chest high and in fall the aspens shimmer in the pure air.

Rent or bring a jeep and go up to the top at Yankee Boy Basin! We saw more wildlife here in one day than we did on our entire 10 days in Colorado: lots of deer, and a curious marmot. Also got to see old abandoned mining buildings. Bring a jacket, even if its warm in Ouray.

It is a fun adventure that is breathtaking. We did it on 4-wheelers and it was the perfect day. Take a lunch and don't be in a hurry to get there...or get home. Take the time to look at all the beauty.

Yankee Boy is a beautiful area to visit if you are traveling on Imogene Pass road. I find the road to be relatively easy to negotiate and well worth the effort once there. You really should have a jeep or utv when traveling these mountain roads. 4 WD pickups and SUV's are also in abundance on Imogene Pass road. Just be cautious and alert.

Easy day excursion out of Ouray, and well worth the trip. We timed it a bit early for maximum autumn colors, yet it would be worth the effort during any season.

A must if you are in this area! We found the views breath taking. The flowers where beautiful. I am not a fan of 4 wheeling but the drive was fine.

Nice area to 4 wheel to. Beautiful wildflowers and hikes or just enjoy the view. Many companies in town will rent you an ATV or join a tour if you are not sure about driving through creeks and over outcroppings.

We took our Jeep up to Yankee Boy Basin and it was a beautiful drive. A little technical so you would definitely need a 4x4 vehicle. Once we arrived. the views were spectacular. Several hiking trails to select from too. Will go back and explore more next time in Ouray. Highly recommend to see!

We have been here six times and the scenery is off the charts. We would highly recommend this for one of your vacation stops.

July 22 and I come across snow still!!!! This is a great road for beginners like me. I own a Jeep but am afraid of heights but I faced my fear and went up as far as I felt comfortable, to the split off as seen in my picture. If you own a Jeep you need to come here. Bummed I did not see any wildlife other than birds.

we hiked up to a lake, saw marmots, picas and beautiful wildflowers. It was a perfect day so we were able to stay up there with no storms.

Alpine Scenic Jeep Tour to Yankee Boy Basin and Imogene Pass highly recommended! Our driver/guide was great! So knowledgeable of Ouray, Great Driver and photographer for us!

We took a half day (morning) "Jeep" tour to Yankee Boy Basin in the month of July. The views are stunning. Wild flowers were in full bloom and there was still snow on the peaks. I would recommend going in the morning before the masses of humanity descend on the only road up and back, and before the afternoon rain showers. Abandoned and operating mines along the way. A must do while visiting Ouray.

You have seen this area in many magazines, but may not have known where it is. On a map it is sort of a divide between Ouray and Telluride. It's accessible in a 4 wheel high clearance vehicle or with a tour company from either Telluride or Ouray. From Ouray its a relatively short drive to the Basin which is filled in summer months with wildflowers, usually more than you can imagine in one spot. It all depends on when the snow melts in the spring and how much water they area gets in the summer. The drive up and over the top and down into Telluride is pretty high in
elevations and it is recommended only be done by experienced drivers on rocky dirt roads. The guides can also narrate the history of the old historic mines in the area and the GE power plant on the Telluride side that is still functioning. I didn't make it up there this year but have several times in the pass and highly recommend making it a part of your trip to this area. Bring you camera, water and a rain jacket for the frequent afternoon short shower. And remember the elevation is around 9-10,000 feet on top. The basin is a little lower but altitude sickness precautions are always necessary

An absolutely beautiful area. Stunning views, wildlife, waterfalls, old mining ruins... just about everything we could have wanted from such a place. We went with San Juan Jeep tours from Ouray. The best!

Rented a UTV from Colorado West and drove up to Yankee Boy and Governor’s Basins. The views are breathtaking. Not very highly traveled so no issues on some of the narrower parts of the road. Beautiful area

We did this trail on our last day in Ouray. It was a beautiful sunny day and the views were gorgeous. It is a fun trail to drive and appeared to be very popular. We were able to take a lot of beautiful pictures of the mountains and an old mining area. We didn't go past the bathrooms on this visit. But, next time we'll go all the way up.

This trail was ranked as one of the beginner, easy ones, however, we found it to be more difficult than we expected. There were some passes that were near steep drop offs and were clearly only 1 car width, so we feared we run into another vehicle and have to back up the hill. Sites were pretty. There were some sharp turns, so watch out for cars coming around them too fast.

Our goal was to see the Camp Bird mine: This was the third largest gold mine in Colorado, discovered almost as an after-thought: the first two claims were silver, then they were abandoned soon thereafter until 1895 when gold was found. In an often-repeated story of boom and bust, the mine and the camp were history less than 15 years later. The road to the lower camp (about two miles away from the mine) is OK, as long as it has not rained recently. The old boardinghouse (all boarded) is still there, as are some old mining machines. We did not reach the mine itself, since everybody we met told us we needed an ATV to get there: apparently, the road is too narrow in places. The views are worth the trip, even if you don't find any gold!

Incredible and beautiful. Tough road to get there.camped at top of road. Did Sneffels ridge route. Lots of fun. Tons of people on the descent.

We went as far as Twin Falls and the flowers were beautiful. 4x4 really needed to get to the Falls. Big increase in ATV's since our last trip to Ouray.

Take the jeep tour and don't worry abut the driving. Let someone else drive and you can enjoy the views.

Beautiful....keep going to the end for a beautiful waterfall! Lots of wild flowers too. This is a 4X4 only trail

The wildflowers were still in bloom and the mountain air was stimulating. There is something special when one travels to altitudes above 12,000 ft.

This road starts just north of Ouray. It starts out as a pretty normal dirt road, but soon becomes 4-wheel drive and high clearance only. Pay attention to this. We saw a pickup truck stuck up there; he had a hard time getting turned around but finally did. We enjoyed lunch at a great waterfall overlook.

The scenery and wildflowers are absolutely amazing! Be forewarned, although your personal 4wd vehicle may be capable of making the trip, these roads and sharp rocks are hell on tires. Much cheaper to rent a jeep or RZR downtown for the climb.

We had a decent 4WD SUV but it was not high clearance so we only went as far as the dead end on Camp Bird Rd. We did not go up Yankee Boy Basin. This was about 7.2mi each way (after about 7mi, Yankee Boy cuts off to the right and Camp Bird Rd. continues another .2mi or so.Took us 3 hours with all of the stops to take pictures of the waterfalls (many of them seasonal), gorgeous mountain/rockface views and, of course snow on the mountains. Hey, we're from Florida. Snow excites us! Fantastic drive in anything more than a low riding passenger car.

Note that if you travel up this road anytime before July 4, you will see some beauty but you won't get far if the road is still snowed over. If you ask locals, you can find out if the road is open or not.
Ditto to hat everyone else has shared... beauty , amazing beauty, as well as some roads that will test your 4x4 for reals.

This is one of those rare and beautiful places in the Rockies that makes posters, paintings, and popularity. I experienced it while hiking to Mount Snuffles. Although we didn't make it up the mountain due to stormy weather, the time we spent in the Basin was refreshing and recharged the soul like so many wilderness wonders. And nearby Ouray is a must see village as well!

Took Jeep tour to Yankee Boy Basin. Beautiful scenery but the basin itself I found dull compared to other visits. Crowded destinations. August 4 was past wildflower beauty. Mountains breathtaking stream beautiful. Worth a trip

This was our first time on a "moderate" trail, and we loved it! It got a little dicey when/if we had to back up, but the view at the top (12,400') was all worth it! We ate our lunch up there, looking out over an ice field!

We rented an ATV to explore Yankee Boy. It was incredibly beautiful and the trails were mostly manageable for us (novices). It was pretty cold in late September, though, so I'd recommend checking it out in the summer months if you can.

Our July visit was rewarded with beautiful wildflowers. Our Subaru Forester made it a good portion up the road, we hiked the last 2 miles. We went early because BOY does it get crowded. There are dozens of AWD and FWD vehicles by the time we began our descent late in the morning. For non-hikers who want some incredible scenery, this is worth it. For people wanting solitude, try going early or try going elsewhere!

Absolutely beautiful. But be ready for all the people! We went up twice. First, the early evening not as much traffic. Second, late morning. I didn't think there would be traffic jams! Park your car and go on a hike to get out of the madness.
Off the main road go to Governor's Basin beautiful views, no traffic.

The views were amazing and the drive wasn't too crazy. We took tons of photos and stopped along the way. It was a really good area to pack lunch and enjoy the scenery. I particularly liked seeing all the old mines and waterfalls.

My brother has an FJ and he told me we were going to go on a trail ride. Boy oh boy am I glad I went.. it was the most fun I have ever had. Yankee boy Basin is absolutely gorgeous. The flowers were all in bloom. There are so many different kinds of flowers. It was a beautiful beautiful day ....the pass is just awesome! I highly recommend Yankee boy basin!

Busy in summer but incredibly beautiful. Be respectful of others and the natural surroundings when visiting.

For our family this place is nearly holy. My dad died in this canyon, but due to his own mistakes, so we make this a pilgrimage of sorts. Can’t even begin to count how many picnics we’ve had here. It is well protected so the alpine tundra is spectacular. The twin falls should look familiar to Coors drinkers. It’s on every can. The flowers change as summer progresses so there’s a new spectacular taking place every couple of weeks. Hold onto your phones tho. Once they’re in the river they’re gone forever! Experience speaks!

We began our ATV trip in the Yankee Boy Basin and the views were stunning. We went to the top of Yankee Boy and then connected onto Imogene Pass. If your going to Ouray for the views Imogene must be on your list.

Stunning. What more can you say about it? You have to have a 4wd to get far enough up the road, though. If you have only 2wd, you will be turning back shortly after Camp Bird Mine and will miss the best parts.

You need to have a Jeep or off-road type of vehicle to traverse the roads up to the mine. It's very rough but worth the views.

Truly awesome!! Beautiful, quiet, and it doesn’t get better then that! Mining history with waterfalls, pretty flowers, and fresh air. Enjoy the hiking!

This was the highlight of our trip to Ouray/Ridgway. We took a Jeep here and enjoyed many stops to view the sites and hike. There was a small stream with lots of rocks that our children climbed in and around. We had a picnic lunch out there. The weather was very cooperative and the sites were breathtaking.

You have to do this. Rent a Jeep or go on a Jeep tour. Call Colorado West Jeeps. I highly recommend them.

This is a great first trip in your own four wheel drive vehicle. We just got a Toyota 4runner trail edition and wanted an easy 4+4 road to drive for the first time and it was great. The waterfall is awesome.The views grat.

Easy ride on the UTVs. Magnificent views! We saw stunning mountains, wild flowers, lakes and lots of marmots.

We took a jeep excursion to yankee boy and it was beautiful. The flowers were everywhere and amazingly beautiful

We camped in the area and then drove all the way up to Sneffel's trailhead, such a beautiful area with lake, waterfall and flowers. I would love to come back and explore and hike more.

This was a fun trail. We had preteen boys with us and they enjoyed just as much. It’s not as easy as we expected but it was still fun. We are not amateurs but we are far from experts and we were able to handle it with no problems. It’s absolutely worth the trip. Also has great scenery.

If you are in the area, take the time to drive up here (probably 4WD required). Then hike up to the lake. It's spectacular.

Beautiful place to see! We rented tour from Colorado west tours. Great time and scenery. Rough riads getting to it but worth the tour!!

Best views we saw in Colorado! Waterfalls everywhere! Did an ATV rental and took the trails. Saw many in Jeeps but they did not seem to be able to go as high as those in ATV’s and took more time getting places. Bathrooms available at the bottom.

This basin is surrounded by high Colorado peaks including one or more 14000 footers. Our first visit was many years ago when we first discovered Ouray. It was July but there was still small amounts of snow and effectively spring weather. We took one of the jeep tours up to the basin and greatly enjoyed both the far and near scenery.

Twin Falls is depicted on Coors cans even though it is far from Golden.

With all of wild flowers we were very surprised to see pink and yellow varieties of Indian Paintbrush. The high elevation seems to cause the plants to produce a lot of "sports".

Doing 4 wheeling from Telluride over Imogene Pass is the other way to get there with a higher heart rate.

We took one of the local services up to see the wild flowers and this year we hit at exactly the right time! The basin is spectacular and there were an astonishing number of different types of flowers, and the area was just carpeted with them.

We were sad to see that the roads had really deteriorated since we were there last time 10 years ago. The ATVs spinning their wheels has exposed the rock underbed and they do not grade the roads to smooth them at all. The result is that it is now very difficult to get up there without a service to take you up. We were delighted with our trip with Alpine Scenic Tours, but would have liked to be able to access it on our own.

Breathtaking views! Take one of the jeep rides! It is worth it! If you stay at the Antlers motel, Bruce the manager can help you find a great jeep company!

Wow, we went here an a offroad rour and it was incredible- breath raking scenary- goooo!!! The road isnt too bumpy actually or dangerous, our driver was awesome!

You need a 4 wheel drive vehicle for this trip. Very beautiful scenery. Flowers are amazing. We were lucky enough to see a rainbow!

So many wild flowers, and every color. Majestic views 360.
The only way up is by 4 wheel drive, but well worth it. Bring a camera.

Unbelieveable jeep trip, views were outstanding and had a great time and photo's. took a ton of photo's and will be back again.

This location is spectacular and definitely worth some time! It is one of the premier choices of things to do in Ouray although for a small town there are quite a few options! The views are gorgeous. You will want to bring a vehicle with some off road capability and the road frequently narrows to one lane so be sure you feel comfortable with that kind of cliff driving. If you are uncomfortable or nervous you can pay to use a tour in town. We would definitely recommend this to others!!

Took a jeep tour to the Basin and were treated with some fabulous views. Snow still in the mountains with some mule deer foraging nearby. Great tour.

Gorgeous , will visit again. Perhaps a fall visit with the Aspens in color!! What a great company to travel with. And our guide, Jim, was a gem !

Great drive to stunning scenery and twin waterfalls. We enjoyed this trip and saw lots of hikers. The vast amount of wildflowers were colorful and the road was easy.

We took a tour with a local company (Alpine 4x4 tours) which is the way to go since this drive/road is not for the inexperienced driver. If you have the right kind of vehicle and experience with rough rocky roads you'll love it. View are wonderful. Lots of history in the area I was not aware of until we took the tour.

Was very blessed to be in the Ouray -Telluride area from 9/27 until 10/11.

Camped for 10 days in the campground on the road to Yankee boy basin.
The trees were awesome!!!
The bears were really bad in the campground! I didn't have any close encounters,but my son had several.
I love this area, especially in the fall!
But the summer wildflowers are beautiful too!!!

We rented a jeep from Switzerland of America and drove to Yankee Boy Basin on 7-29. The ride was bouncy and scenic, not too technical, even though it is a little tricky when two cars have to share a pretty narrow roadway with a cliff on one side! Everyone works together to make sure both vehicles are safe and all the drivers were very courteous! The famous shelf part of the road looks scarier than it is, but makes for some great pics. We went at 8:00am and beat the crowds, so we could stop anytime we wanted to take pictures. The wildflowers are blooming like crazy and are just stunning. If you are into photography, you will be in heaven! We stopped at the Twin Falls and saw a deer try to cross the falls and it fell about twenty feet down the falls. It did survive, but was limping badly. We were really sad for it and hoped it was okay. We also saw marmots, pikas and chipmunks.The mountains, streams, waterfalls and flowers were so beautiful, it didn't even look real.

You can go as far as stony mountain turn off, no problem. Very scenic drive. Amateur is fine. Use lowest range vehicle has coming down hill.

Access to the trail to Mt Sneffels - decent drive in a jeep - probably not good for standard SUV but anything with larger 10 ply tires and/or lift would be good. Great views. Did the drive up and back before crossing Imogene to Telluride

Beautiful views on this trail! My kids swam by the twin falls! The water was around 40degrees so they did not stay in their long! Made for some beautiful pictures! I wish we would have had time to hike the rest of the way up, but because we stopped so much along the way to enjoy the sights we ran out of time! I could spend all day in the mountains!

It's a great drive. You may go to Telluride via Imogene pass too.
There are many nice trails starting at several parking spots. Something for everybody: Just driving, hiking, climbing or lying amongst the beautiful wildflowers.

Fun ride and beautiful views. Would go back. Part of the trail was moderate but any short wheel base 4wd can make it to the top.

This was fun. We took our stock Land Cruiser among all the Jeeps and ATVs. There are a few spots with very cool overhangs. About halfway up the trail gets rougher and slower, but still moderate compared to true off road. If you have a group member fearful of heights, you may want to rent a jeep or hire a tour group.

WE visited Co for the first time in mid summer. Using a couple of Motorcycles we traveled up to Yankee Boy Basin, and what a stunning place this is. The inital 7 or 8 miles is easy, then it gets pretty hairy on Motorcycle.

Our tour guide gave us lots of great info on the trip. He made several stops and explained a lot about the mining operations. Do to the snow, we couldn't go through any of the passes.

worth the visit. drive up is tricky. best month is probably June at the height of the water run off from the mountains.

We started up and it was okay at first. But the trail got rougher and scary near the top. You need to take a four wheel drive vechicle. There's beautiful streams, lots of mountain views, and narrow roadways. The drop offs of these road ways are hundreds of feet down, you have to respect other drivers, and find places to move off the trail, & move over for others. The dust is terrible from other drivers, so take a painters mask to cover your face. Just my own advice.

Alpine Scenic Tours treated us great. Would highly recommend!!Very knowledgeable and incredible beauty!!

Yankee Boy Basin is stunning. A definite must visit if you love waterfalls and wildflowers. Just make sure you bring a jacket, it gets a little chilly that high up!

This is a beautiful basin with soaring peaks and during the right time of summer flowers galore. That time of summer is a little unpredictable due to winter snows and summer rains. It is becoming very crowded up there. You really can't get their in a regular car, so I recommend that you take a local jeep tour. They get more people per vehicle and thus cut down the congestion (and no, I don't own one of the tour companies).

This trail was breathtaking and very difficult for even experienced jeepers. We rented a side by side so we have no problem going on the trail. Dress for changing weather at the top!

Yankee Boy Basin is one of many beautiful mountain and high valley views throughout the area, and an important part of our 2700 mile, five state dual sport motorcycle adventure.

This place was a chip from heaven! I've never seen such beautiful wildflowers in my life!!! This is a must do for the wildflower lover!!

One of the most scenic spots in Colorado and there are plenty of them. Best to visit in the spring or early summer when the wildflowers are in bloom and the is plenty of water flowing from the Twin Falls.

Mount Sneffels is a relatively easy climb until the last 500 vertical feet. The views from the Summit are spectacular!

My family and I rented a jeep and drove up to Yankee boy basin.We went on a Tuesday and there was not very many people on the trail.it was one of the most beautiful places we visited on our ten day trip thru Colorado.

Took a 2wd Xterra as far as we could and was worth every heart stopping moment. The view was great and the shelf road a real nail biter.

We were in a 4 wheel drive truck and were able to make it almost to the top; however, that last mile or so would have needed a shorter wheel base and higher clearance than we had, but still was so worth the trip! The views were breathtaking & we were at 11,280 ft elevation. It is not for the faint of heart however, because that road is narrow & no guard rails for peace of mind. I must say, sometimes, I said a little prayer! Great experience. Next time, we'll have a vehicle to make it all the way up.

We really Dare to drive the Yankee Boy Basin Road Yankee Boy Basin Road, a great 4x4 trail located southwest of Ouray, in Colorado. The road is accessible from June until October. It's a 4.7 miles road and one of the highest mountain trail of Colorado. It climbs up to Yankee Boy Basin, an alpine basin in Ouray County, nestled at an elevation of 12,526ft. The road is really scary if you are afraid of heights. But absolutely gorgeous!

The drive is one of the most popular destinations in the Ouray area due to its stunning natural beauty, rich history and colorful wildflowers. The wildflowers and waterfalls along this road attract photographers from all over the world and the abandoned mines are great for history buffs. There are mines, abandoned cabins, waterfalls, wildflowers, and of course, the incredible Mount Sneffels. Travelling to Yankee Boy Basin should not be attempted by low clearance passenger cars it does not work. But we did with my Mercedes Benz ML400!

Went up there with a guide. Beautiful, interesting, historical, awe inspiring journey. Steve with Switzerland of CO did a great job.

Ouray has some of the most spectacular scenery & Jeep trails in all of Colorado. Yankee Boy Basin is a not to be missed scenery delight. There’s a fairly rugged 4 wheel drive trail to Yankee Boy Basin ( tho’ i’ve seen my share of high clearance trucks & even a few Subaru’s & Toyota Tacoma’s making the trek. ATV’s & motorcycles are common sights). And the “road” is narrow, rocky with occasional sheer cliffs. But, getting there is half the fun! In the late spring, the area is covered in wildflowers. In late summer, babbling creeks intermingle with majestic mountains, some with unusual chimenera or castle like outcroppings. Dense evergreen stands ( very little beetle kill) interspersed with healthy aspens. Ground cover is dense. Don’t miss the triple waterfalls. Lots of photo ops, places to hike & see current & past mining operations. Deer, marmot, birds & chipmunks are prolific. Creeks are cold, shallow & crystal clear. Views of Mt Sneffels & other mountains look like movie backdrops. Despite an avid tourist area, Yankee Boy Basin is peaceful & quiet. Suggestion: read up on the silver & gold mining history including Otto Mears impact on creating the area.

We had to hike up from lowest pull off. Our AWD rental vehicles did not have enough ground clearance to go further so this added about 2 miles to hike.
It was worth it .
Great hike and climb to the top. Although I prefer backpacking to climbing ,it was a lot of fun and I can say I did a 14er.
Took about 6 hours total from vehicles to top and back

Incredible scenery. No where else like it on earth. Great day trip even with young kids! Will go back every year for sure.

On our way along the "million dollar highway" from Ouray to Silverton we saw these incredibly beautiful mountains sporting gorgeous colors of soil/rocks. This is an old mining area so there were some old left over mining shacks and structures which just added to the ambiance of nature's bounty.

Jeep tour with Alpine Jeep tours out of Ouray-waterfalls, wild flowers, mining towns, very informative

This is great any time of year but especially beautiful in summer with the wildflowers in bloom - a very easy 4 wheel road

We recently returned to this high mountain basin for the first time in many years, and while we enjoyed it, it wasn't what it once was. The problem, simply put, is that it's being loved to death. The scenery is everything it is cracked up to be, from the sweeping views down to the wildflowers it's famous for. As a result, there were vast swarms of ORVs there that I don't remember from years long gone, and they removed any illusions of this being a "wilderness experience." We'd climbed 14er Mount Sneffels from a base camp here long ago and had the mountain almost to ourselves. No way could that have happened this time. I guess I'd still recommend Yankee Boy for those who don't mind sharing its beauty with lots of ATVers, but for "mountain solitude," look somewhere else.

The wildflowers were blooming and the waterfalls were flowing with amazing force! Beautiful place to spend the day!

We drove our "orange wonder" that we rented from Colorado West Jeeps and loved EVERY (some scary) minute of the trip!! A must do!

Great 4x4 road, best for short wheelbase vehicles. Lots of flowers in July! They were starting to fade in these pictures taken in the first week of August. Great views. Beware of hikers on the road. There are several great hiking trails from that road. On heavy rain days, stay alert for rushing water with rocks coming across the road in certain places.

Beautiul display of wild flowers. If you want to get to the top you'll need 4x4 with high clearance. This trail past the twin waterfalls is rated moderate in most trail books. Great trail for those that want to try something a little more techical but not ready for more severe moderate or difficult trails.

Went when the flowers were in full bloom. Amazing! I would go to Yankee Boy Basin again and again. It's very beautiful.

My husband and I rented a Jeep from a local place and had a wonderful time on the trail to Yankee Boy Basin! Such a beautiful part of Colorado!

First time on this road. We turned back at the Twin Falls due to the road being washed out. Several trucks went right on past us thru the rough area that we were afraid of getting stuck in. The drive is beautiful! Several narrow areas that allow one vehicle at a time, no problem. High cliffs, so if you are afraid of heights you might not want to take this road. They were working on parts of the road but it caused us no problem. If we had been more experienced we know we could have made it through. Next time!

Incredibly beautiful area filled with streams, mountain views, wildflowers and waterfalls. Highly recommend a jeep tour with Alpine tours. Was amazing

Beautiful area, great mountain scenery, fun jeep trails, great to go before dusk to see all the wildlife. Will go back!

Beautiful waterfall without a lot of effort. Easy/short hike. Nice views with a great sound. Be sure to take the upper trail up to the bridge at least.

Yankee Boy Basin is an awesome must visit if you are in the Ouray area. The views up high are breathtaking. A very worth while trip.

We took our Kawasaki mule up the trail to Yankee Boy Basin in Ouray. It is moderately difficult but has some breathtaking scenery of the mountains. We saw beautiful wildflowers, deer, and awesome views. Everyone on the trail was courteous and helped the other riders if needed.

We loved the beauty of this location. If you go, please keep in mind that this is a tundra area; please stay on the road and paths.

Go early in the morning. The one lane road is busy by 10am. The road requires 4x4 and knowledge of how to drive it. We encountered one jeep that got stuck on our way out (they were stuck because they didn't know how to maneuver on the road). Top of the basin has a waterfall and lots of wildflowers (in July). Also there are bathrooms at the trailhead just past the waterfall. No difficult hiking necessary to see the flowers and waterfall.

Don't miss this great spot to see waterfalls, flowers, gorgeous mountain scenery. If you don't have a 4 WD vehicle, rent a Jeep or take a tour. It is a Ouray area must see!!

Beautiful area, well worth the trip. What's not to love about trees, flowing streams and wildflower and wildlife. Good road into area but high clearance vehicle a big plus

We've seen pictures, heard others talk about, and intended to visit Yankee Boy Basin for the last 16 years. It was worth the rip and the hike. However, there are LOTS of people, perhaps because of the easy 4wd access. Other only slightly less accessible locations in SW Colorado are just a fine, or even better for flowers, water (cascades, lakes, waterfalls), and panorama. Try Ice Lakes or segment 24 of the Colorado Trail.

Yankee Boy Basin is an easy ATV ride from the staging area just south of Ouray. I am always amazed at how high the trails get and then see an abandon mines where people lived and worked years ago.

It is a bit of a drive and you will need to go slow but this trip is worth the effort. We have made this trip over the years in all sorts of vehicles, high clearance and sedans. We, obviously, have not been able to get as far with the sedans, but there is still plenty of great terrain to see. Well worth the time and effort.

Yankee Boy is an easy Jeep Trail, but there is lots to see. Some of the area has narrow roads, but there are plenty of pull outs and room to let other vehicles pass, if needed. Toward the end of the trail it get a little rocky, but not too difficult. Ther are a ot of sights including mountains, flowers, old mines and creeks and water falls. Even in August there was snow high in the mountains.
We made a lot of stops for pictures so it took us about 3 hours for the road. At the end of the road there are hiking trails.

Yankee Boy Basin is a spectacular location with unbelievable Mountain View’s, water falls and wild flowers. This is a hikers paradise with the trail head to Mt Sneffels at the top of the basin. The Fall colors are fantastic in late September to early October. The road is quite rough in spots but a fun drive. The historical mining operations along the drive are interesting.

In the spring when the wildflowers break out it'll take your breath away. If you're afraid to drive to it, you can get a jeep driver in Ouray. Places to hike and picnic.

We were told we could take our Subaru up the trail a bit up the trail, but we rented a Jeep to be safe (and for the experience). Good thing we did, the trip was beautiful but come to a certain point you NEED a raised 4x4 to get up top.

Had an awesome day on the trails! The flowers were beautiful & twin falls was amazing! This is a must see if you are in Oruay!

We were fortunate enough to be taking up their courtesy of Alpine Scenic Jeep Tours.
I would definitely go up there in the mornings if you can book one of their tours at 9 AM you’ll get back in time for a late lunch 🥗.
But your eyes will not be hungry because they were taking in all the beauty that you will see especially if you go in late July when all the wildflowers are in bloom.

Our Colorado West Jeep tour got us here during the peak time for wildflowers (late July in 2016). The waterfalls were also still flowing freely and the scenery was nothing less than spectacular.

This drive is fun and beautiful. You will definitely need a lifted off road vehicle the last mile, but is worth it.

Awesome! Beautiful views! Went with a guided tour and felt safe on somewhat treacherous roads. Worth the trip.

On July 2 there were fifty vehicles stuck in traffic. The ATV's have the road all chewed up. The All wheel drive cars that usually can go up there could not proceed. Jeeps we're getting stuck.

The cars that usually go up were parking on the side of the trail. So the trail lost any passing zones. All vehicles then were stuck in a line of non moving traffic.

What a cluster. Where are the forest rangers?

This is doable with a stock 4x4 and well worth the time and effort. Take a good camera and some snack foods.

Beautiful off road drive that is not too rough. There were a few places on the road where you needed to pay extra attention so as not to drop a few hundred feet!! But the reward was unbelievable.

We have been there many times and summer is the best, beautiful flowers and colors. We were there this week, Sept 20, and the leaves are beautiful as well, especially the Aspen.

Hiking the trail, the views were stunning. Lots of jeep traffic brought a lot of people. Kids had a drone up at one of the lakes which distracted from the natural beauty of the place. Gorgeous wildflowers.

Rent a jeep and go! Very scenic and not too challenging for a Jeep. Altitude is pretty high, so pace yourself hiking...

Took a great trip in light snow and cold. Good driver with lots of info on the mines and the road to the top. Like to see the place in the sunshine. Not a drive I would do myself

We did this road on July 10th we made it to the waterfalls but didn’t have high enough clearance to make it over a ridge created by the run off so we walked the last half mile to the bathrooms. Higher clearance trucks and jeeps were easily making it.

The shelf/over hang wasn’t as scary as we expected it to be. We made it as far as we did in 4 Low. It’s very pretty and we were very interested in the avalanche damage.

We would recommend this drive

Our visit was great. This is a busy road, so expect lots of other 4x4s. Easy road with wonderful scenery. The wild flowers were out in full force the last week of July. Also saw plenty of wildlife. This is a good area to get aquainted with your rental if renting a jeep. Started off easy and progressed if you wanted.

A MUST if you have 4x4
we loved it and there was not too many areas that were "scary"
The mountains were steep, and the wind was up when we were there

With a 4-wheel drive vehicle you can see spectacular mountain vistas all around. There are a few technical driving opportunities, so we were glad we had rented a Jeep in-town. (High clearance 4 x 4 recommended)

There was still snow covering the road above the Wright’s Lake trailhead so we hiked to the lake and had lunch. Even though the lake was still frozen it was absolutely beautiful.

We visited Yankee Boy Basin and Governors Basin on August 5th. I suspect it may have been better several weeks earlier. The wildflowers were mostly bloomed out. However, I'm writing this review so everyone is aware, you DO NOT NEED A JEEP or special vehicle to get to Yankee Boy Basin during this time of year. The road is well maintained with a parking area along the road about a half mile from the waterfall. I sure wish we hadn't paid for an overpriced jeep tour! While it would have been a lot longer hike to get to Governor's Basin, that was certainly not worth the jeep tour either. Way more mining than wildflowers. If you hike at all, there are many areas more beautiful. Our tour guide was very enthusiastic about the increased mining activity of the past few years but as a nature lover, I'll go elsewhere in the future.

My dad was a country doctor in solo practice in a central Illinois farming hamlet. But he was in love with Colorado, it's beauty, history, and steam locomotives. He also craved a good solid break from telephones that were tyrannical. So every July, we 4 kids & parents packed up and spent the month in Ouray, Colorado. I am not sure what year exactly we went camping for a week in Yankee Boy Basin. Fifty-eight or '59 sounds about right. Dad borrowed or rented a Jeep and drove us up a very sketchy road two vehicles could not travel side-by-side. It was straight up on the left, and a sheer drop-off straight down on the right. When we arrived, there were no demarcated areas, no roads, no paths, no signs, no other people. We just drove onto the basin, found a flat enough area, & pitched our tent. My memories of Yankee Boy are few but indelible. The clear, pure blue of the sky, Carl Sagan's pale blue dot seen from inside. The flower gardens, massive sweeps of pure color, yellow & purple & deep peachy red. Tough, fibrous
little flowers, not at all delicate or even pretty individually. They grew to bloom together and never leave the earth for a vase. I especially recall an enterprising chipmunk, or family thereof that got into our cache of toilet paper and so decimated it, we were sent scurrying down that Godforbidden road--not for food or medicine, but for a way to keep our fannies clean. And I remember a nightfall darkness so utterly profound that my 2 brothers, when they went outside just at bedtime to relieve themselves, could not see each other and got each other a bit wet. Yankee Boy Basin is a place true solitude. It almost feels like it is not part of the earth or of this epoch. Good for the soul. And at night in high summer, you need flannel jammies and a heavy sleeping bag, great escape from global warming.

We went on a jeep tour up to Yankee Boy Basin. Perfect spot for pictures. Go in the morning before it rains. Don't try to go the day after a hard rain as there were creeks we had to drive through with our jeep

All kinds of terrain to test your driving skills and in some cases your rig.
We enjoyed the cliff hangers and Vistas when crossing Imogene Pass and the beautiful views especially on the Telluride side.
If you don't have a jeep they can be rented in Ouray or Telluride or there are tours for the major trAils