schofield pass

The road up from Crested Butte is great, but once you come to the signs advising only experienced drivers with the right vehicle, be warned and take it seriously! I drove my Landcruiser over Schofield Pass a couple years ago and had no business being on that road. Once you start it is almost impossible to turn around. The road tilts/leans towards some fairly big drops off's and most of the time you are driving on loose rock therefore the traction is not great (I made my children walk a good portion of the trip just in case the car slid off). If you slide off many of these drops and are lucky enough to survive - help is hours away. I ripped one tire completely off the rim of my car as well as my running board going over some of the big boulders. It would be better on a dirt bike, 4 wheeler or smaller jeep. It is beautiful however. Good luck!

Definitely a 4 wheel drive road but beautiful views. Did run into a camper who asked what day of the week it was. That is going native.

My husband & I drove over this Pass (from Gothic to Marble) quite by accident several years ago. We were in a Chevy Caprice, ignored the signs until it was too late to turn back. The trip was the most horrible day of my life! It took us over 4 hours for the <10 mile trip. DO NOT DRIVE! Hike or bike only please!

Beautiful hiking trails, well marked. Gorgeous mountain views and wildflowers. Streams and sunny blue skies, met lots of friendly people while hiking. Stunning views.

One of the most beautiful single track bike rides in the world. Coming down from the back side of Maroon Bells, the vistas of the valley are breathtaking! And the flowers in the summer are so big, you think you are in the Land of the Giants!

A drive in a 4 WD to Gothic, Schofield Pass, Paradise Divide and past Oh Be Joyful valley I(very nice hike) s the grand tour of wild flowers and classic Colorado vistas. The back of the Maroon Bells. Back of Pyramid Peak. Trailhead of West Maroon Pass (gorgeous hike). Some of the best views in Colorado, so it can get crowded... Summer flowers up to your armpits!

Just an amazing climb and you feel accomplished when you get to there. 10,707 feet elevation and when you ride a mountain bike from the small town of Gothic up to Schofield pass the thrill of knowing you are almost on trail 401 and headed back down. Epic ride!

July 2014 - The 401 trailhead is located at the top of Schofield Pass. This trail is quite popular among mountain bikers for a good reason--the surrounding mountains and wildflowers are breathtakingly beautiful! The 401 trail is a medium-hard trail. I found the hardest parts to be the uphill and the altitude. The first ~45 minutes of single track are climbing to the summit. From the summit, the trail is all downhill.Directions: From Crested Butte, take Gothic Road (CR 317) north through Mt. Crested Butte and Gothic. After the town of Gothic, the road slowly deteriorates to 4WD only. Traveling by car, we were able to make it make it to Rustler Gulch turn-off and parking area (Rustler Gulch flows over the road--making it the end of the road for most cars). Traveling by bike, we continued riding north on CR 317 a few miles, uphill to Schofield Pass. 401 trailhead is on right (east) side of road, across from the Schofield Pass sign. The upper loop returns to CR 317 at Rustler Gulch (where we conviently parked). The lower loop continues a few more miles before reconnecting with CR 317.

We traveled from Crested Butte over Kebler pass, all the way to Marble, CO, and tried to negotiate Schofiled Pass. We had a Honda Pilot which soon overheated, so we had to turn around. Later in the week, we started up the other side from Gothic, above Crested Butte. We did not figure we would go all the way, although I think from that side the go is easier. We saw Maroon Bells, and called it good.

Did the first 3 miles at peak wildflower season - spectacular! In September I plan to do the entire trail from Aspen to Crested Butte, so this was an excellent appetizer!

So, I read all the reviews and still couldn't figure out if we could actually drive to the pass. I went this way today an am writing to clarify. The road beyond Gothic, the "ghost town" is unpaved, but in the summer, on a dry day, is perfectly drive able in a regular car (we had a Chevy Captiva). There are several trails along the way, should you want to stop. There's no cell service, so when you are thinking, "I can make it a little further," no, you can't, cause no one's towing you out of there. That being said, we got about 5 miles away before we encountered a water filled ditch and decided we'd gone far enough. A guy with the same car barreled through just fine, but his undercarriage hit bottom. So, we pulled over and spent the afternoon hiking and playing in the river - joyful. So if you don't make it to the pass, it's still a great trip to get almost there!

Beautiful back country scenery and an exciting drive to get to the pass. Amazing views and the streams were running full from a great snow season. We spent the afternoon by a waterfall on the east fork of the south fork of the Crystal River. Great Experience and a wonderful time with very good friends. Something to always remember.

It is hard to find a prettier place. This is a start (or end) to one of the greatest hikes in Colorado...Crested Butte to Aspen. I've been here many times and never tire of the drive or the views. I look forward to it every year.

I have been operating 4x4s in Colorado since 1978. Schofield Pass is my favorite. It is extremely narrow!!! When it says only for "Narrow high lift 4x4s with EXPERIENCED drivers" It is not kidding! In years past, I have run the pass ina Jeep CJ7. Last year I decided to run it in my 2013 Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited. I was crossing from Crested Butte side so I was descending into the Devils Punch Bowl. About half way down I encountered a slide across an already dangerous section. I did not want to back up the pass so I crossed the slide as carefully as I could. These rocks were beach ball size and the Rubicon drug like crazy getting over even picking the best line possible. I made it to the bridge and the gate was closed and locked. Sign said ROAD CLOSED. Needless to say, padlocks are cheap and I was NOT going back up across that slide! It took 4 1/2 hours on a dealers frame machine to get my Jeep back close to right...so much for Jeep's Trail rated. The rest of the trip to Crystal City is not that bad and the Power House is a must see! I advise coming tfrom the Marble side if you just want to get to Crystal City. During the summer. Some of the locals have set up as vendors with snacks and books about the history of the area.

The road should be traveled by four-wheel only for un-experienced drivers. From the Crested Butte side, you'll pass through the valley that is known throughout the state for its beautiful spring blooms. At the summit is the trail head to the famous 401 biking an hiking trail. The first 3/4 mile is all uphill, but once at the top, the view is amazing. Looking north you'll see the backside of Breckenridge and the famous Maroon Bell peaks. From there, the trail is all down hill back to Crested Butte for 10-12 miles.