Black Bear Road
Encyclopedia
Black Bear Road is a notorious jeep trail
that starts from 11018 feet (3,358.3 m) summit of Red Mountain Pass
on U.S. Highway 550 (between Ouray
and Silverton
) to Telluride
, Colorado
. The Black Bear Road crests at Black Bear Pass, elevation 12840 feet (3,913.6 m). The road descends over a set of infamous switchbacks as it navigates the heights above Telluride
. The road passes Bridal Veil Falls
, the highest waterfall
in Colorado
. The road was made famous in a spoken word
song by C.W. McCall of the same name.
Black Bear Road is open a few months of the year, from late summer (usually the last week of July) to early fall. The road is traveled only downhill from Red Mountain Pass
—except for the annual Jeeper's Jamboree in which travel is reversed for one day only. The start of the trail is marked along U.S. 550 with the famous sign that reads:
Black Bear Road is a difficult, dangerous trail even for four-wheel drive vehicles. If you have to be rescued, expect a towing bill in four figures. In 1975 two New Jersey
ans successfully completed the entire 4 wheel drive road from Red Mountain Pass to Telluride following this route while driving a 1970 Ford F-250 full size 2-wheel drive pickup. In order to negotiate the tight switchback curves, they had to resort to backing down every other switchback. This technique is not recommended. In 2004 a jeep slipped off the slope near the beginning of the switchbacks and fell several thousand feet, killing two of the passengers and severely injuring two others. Guided tours are available.
is also the name of the C.W. McCall album which contains the song that made the road famous.
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
that starts from 11018 feet (3,358.3 m) summit of Red Mountain Pass
Red Mountain Pass
Red Mountain Pass elevation is a mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains of western Coloradoin the United States.The pass straddles a divide that separates Ouray and San Juan counties. The pass is named for the nearby Red Mountain 1, 2 and, 3 on the northeast side of the pass...
on U.S. Highway 550 (between Ouray
Ouray, Colorado
The historic City of Ouray is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Ouray County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 813 at the U.S. Census 2000 and 1,000 as of the U.S. Census 2010...
and Silverton
Silverton, Colorado
The town of Silverton is a Statutory Town that is the county seat of, and the only incorporated municipality in, San Juan County, Colorado, United States. Silverton is a former silver mining camp, most or all of which is now included in a federally designated National Historic Landmark District,...
) to Telluride
Telluride, Colorado
The town of Telluride is the county seat and most populous town of San Miguel County in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Colorado. The town is a former silver mining camp on the San Miguel River in the western San Juan Mountains...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The Black Bear Road crests at Black Bear Pass, elevation 12840 feet (3,913.6 m). The road descends over a set of infamous switchbacks as it navigates the heights above Telluride
Telluride, Colorado
The town of Telluride is the county seat and most populous town of San Miguel County in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Colorado. The town is a former silver mining camp on the San Miguel River in the western San Juan Mountains...
. The road passes Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls (Telluride)
Bridal Veil Falls is a 365 foot waterfall at the end of the box canyon overlooking Telluride, Colorado. Hiking and off-road trails pass by the falls and the power plant at its top. In winter the frozen shape of the falls forms an imposing challenge to intrepid ice climbers.Bridal Veil Falls is a...
, the highest waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The road was made famous in a spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
song by C.W. McCall of the same name.
Black Bear Road is open a few months of the year, from late summer (usually the last week of July) to early fall. The road is traveled only downhill from Red Mountain Pass
Red Mountain Pass
Red Mountain Pass elevation is a mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains of western Coloradoin the United States.The pass straddles a divide that separates Ouray and San Juan counties. The pass is named for the nearby Red Mountain 1, 2 and, 3 on the northeast side of the pass...
—except for the annual Jeeper's Jamboree in which travel is reversed for one day only. The start of the trail is marked along U.S. 550 with the famous sign that reads:
> |
Black Bear Road is a difficult, dangerous trail even for four-wheel drive vehicles. If you have to be rescued, expect a towing bill in four figures. In 1975 two New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
ans successfully completed the entire 4 wheel drive road from Red Mountain Pass to Telluride following this route while driving a 1970 Ford F-250 full size 2-wheel drive pickup. In order to negotiate the tight switchback curves, they had to resort to backing down every other switchback. This technique is not recommended. In 2004 a jeep slipped off the slope near the beginning of the switchbacks and fell several thousand feet, killing two of the passengers and severely injuring two others. Guided tours are available.
In popular culture
"Black Bear Road" song from Black Bear Road (album)Black Bear Road (album)
Black Bear Road is an album by country musician C. W. McCall, released on MGM Records in 1975 . It is largely considered the album which gave him the most significant boost of his career, almost entirely due to the hit novelty song, "Convoy", that hit the number one spot on both Billboard's Country...
is also the name of the C.W. McCall album which contains the song that made the road famous.
External links
- The Infamous Black Bear Road - article with a collection of photographs
- Bushduck's page of open trails - Lists if the pass is open or not.