Schofield Pass, Colorado

Schofield Pass is a four-wheel drive road with a summit of 10,720 feet. Schofield was an old mining town and is now a ghost town with a number of old buildings still standing. The pass road was built in 1883 as a wagon route between mining towns Marble and Crested Butte. Today, Schofield Pass is regarded as a classic Colorado "shelf road".

Much of the track is blasted into solid rock on the sides of stupendous canyons that are something special even by Colorado standards. Sheer cliffs rise thousands of feet. As you travel through the narrow steep canyon, dozens of waterfalls decorate the crags like fine drapery hanging on the walls of an ancient king's castle. A famous series of waterfalls is known as the Devil's Punch Bowl, amazing waterfalls ending in a deep pool of water. The Crystal River rushes nearby, and at times it may be just a few steps away.

Schofield Pass is rated difficult to extremely difficult for a four-wheel drive road. The challenge is the unknown. As you make your way up the pass you deal with each situation when it arises, as it differs for each experience. Falling rocks, snowfields, avalanche debris, and creek fords can present problems if you are not experienced, are not well equipped, or just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The segment from Schofield Park to Schofield Pass is easy, as is the drive from the pass to Crested Butte. Schofield Park is a large, open meadow surrounded by majestic peaks of the Elk Range. The East Fork Trailhead into the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness can be accessed from this road. The entire route is popular with hikers and mountain bikers as well as four-wheel drive enthusiasts.