Is Engineer Pass open?
Lake City ↔ Animas Forks · 12,800′ · Challenging 4WD. Typically open June 5 to October 28.
The northern half of the Alpine Loop. From Lake City the Henson Creek road climbs past Capitol City and Rose's Cabin to the 12,800′ summit, then drops past Oh! Point toward Animas Forks. The upper west side is rocky, narrow, and steep — most stock SUVs will want high clearance and low range. Recent openings have ranged from late May (2025) to mid-June.
Highlights
- Oh! Point — one of the best road-accessible viewpoints in Colorado
- Whitmore Falls and Capitol City ghost town on the Henson Creek side
- Connects to Ouray via the rough Mineral Point road
History & lore
- Named for the engineers who laid out the toll road in the 1870s to serve the mines at Mineral Point and Animas Forks.
- Oh! Point, just west of the summit, is named for the involuntary reaction at its 360° view of the San Juans.
Live status, recent trail reports, the interactive map, and elevation profile load below.