An afternoon trip to get away from it all, but then to see it all. Made it almost to Waypoint 5. Only licensed vehicles can operate inside campground. Open Year-round Yes Pros Breathtaking high mountain passes and spectacular scenery. Tincup Pass can be ran from either side and neither direction makes the trip harder than the other direction. Follow past lake to a fork in the road with Powerline Rd. By 1918, the town had so few people . The road enters the heart of St. Elmo at twelve miles. Driving through the trees, you pass many awesome primitive camp spots that tend to fill up rather quickly during the weekends. Trail is completely snow-free. Always a beautiful ride with killer views. Tincup is a small residential community with many century-old buildings. Easier. Coming down from the summit encountered more snow on the trail. Mt. This is not an easy place to get to. Campers who are unable to find a campsite in one of the four developed campground may camp above the townsite of St. Elmo on 4x4 Road 267. 6/20/2020 Submitted by Richard Open all the way. Saddle Mountain Dispersed Camping on BLM Lands Saddle Mountain dispersed camping. . Travel along the "Old Tincup" route mentioned in waypoint 8 requires an OHV Permit for ALL vehicles, including street legal plated vehicles. Up on top the wind had picked up (of course). Become an onX Member for the best outdoor adventure apps with tools to get you there and back safely. Always a rocky start, but the payoff is spectacular with its killer views. 162 for about 15 miles. But a friend finally talked me into it and I'm glad he did. It was fun, but choosing a good line is important. It has a few active businesses, including a general store and ATV rental. And these trails are rough! Total Miles 13.0 Elevation 3706.11 ft Duration 2 Hours Technical Rating 5 Difficult Best Time Summer/Fall Show in App 8 Trail Overview Tour historic mountain towns on this beautiful high-mountain pass. One tree was down across the trail. Bumpy and scenic drive all the way to Tincup. Still very bumpy the whole way, but no longer technical. Located in Gunnison County, Colorado, the road climbs for about 12.4 miles (20 km) to an elevation of 12,154 feet (3,704 m) above sea level, being one of the highest in the state. The shelf road is a 400 meter section on the St Elmo side which at its most narrow point still left me with 2 of space on either side. I have done this trail in a stock CJ-5 a few times. 4 of us on 37s+ with dual lockers and around 5lbs of air in the tires, headed up Tincup from St Elmo. ran this from St Elmo to Tin Cup. Pine Ridge RailcarQuiet & Secluded with Amazing ViewsMinutes to Pitkin, View all hotels near Tin Cup on Tripadvisor, Hotels near Curecanti National Recreation Area, Hotels near Western State Colorado University, Points of Interest & Landmarks in Gunnison, Colorado Adventure Rentals - Snowmobile & ATV, Shuttle Bus from Guatemala City to Antigua, ATV Quad Bike and Zip Line Adventure Tour (Departs Nadi), Glistening Waters Luminous Lagoon Night-Time Tour with Pick-Up from Montego Bay, Take a Scottsdale/Valley Tour in a Retro Party Bus - Old Town/Scottsdale, St. Petersburg Jungle Prada Site History Tour, Budapest: Unlimited 4G/LTE Internet in Hungary & EU with mobile WiFi hotspot, Cartagena - Barranquilla - Santa Marta excursion. We hiked in a little over a 1/2 mile from the trailhead before hitting snow fully covering the trail. We go every year! It took us 5 hours to go from St. Elmo to Tincup, way longer than in previous years. We were running the trail in reverse of this guide. 24 deep max probably. youtube trail channel: b roll offroad Ran this on a Sunday afternoon from Tin Cup to St Elmo. Pike-San Isabel National Forests & This trail ended up being much easier that anticipated. The rain got heavy and turned to heavy hail. Additional camping is available in the Browns Creek area south of County Road 162 at the junction of County roads 270 and 272. there are some nice rock gardens to pick your line through. Trail conditions can change without notice. If you havent been 4 wheeling I could imagine thinking it is pretty sketchy. Plenty of SxS's on a Friday, particularly as you approach the summit from the St. Elmo side and all the way down to Taylor Park. Ran this as our final trip of the day after running Hancock and Cumberland first. Cons Few resupply options Trailhead Elevation 9,270.00 ft (2,825.50 m) Highest point 12,853.00 ft (3,917.59 m) Features Near lake or river Backcountry camping Wildlife Fishing Big vistas Big Game Watching Wildflowers Bird watching Typically multi-day Yes Tincup RV Park 4.5 based on 2 reviews 1715 East Tin Cup Road Mahomet, IL 61853 Get Directions (217) 586-3011 tincuprvpark.com/ Add Photo Write a Review Add a Photo Bookmark Email to Friend All RV Parks Illinois RV Parks Mahomet RV Parks Tincup RV Park Park Features & Amenities Camp Basics Park Type: Private Sites: 75 Pull Through Sites: 18 Could've been nice if I wasn't inexperienced. Sometimes the water level in the lake is high enough to cover the road and you have to take a higher path above the lake. If you are looking for more of a challenge, this is where Tincup gathers it's high end 6 rating. I would say this trail is on the more difficult side of moderate. Traveled from St. Elmo to Tincup and back. Visit the, Difficulty Accuracy: 100% of travelers recommend this experience. We made it the whole over the pass a few days ago. We were lucky to be on a relatively flat portion of the road and were able to change our tire. (719) 553-1400 went both ways 2 weeks ago two Rangers three four wheelers one was a two wheel drive 90 given by my ten-year-old granddaughter and my eight-year-old grandson all Polaris had a great time camping by Mirror Lake is great. An official website of the Lifted 4Runner on 32's. Nothing technical but very bumpy. We have taken our ATVs over a dozen times. You can see in one of my photos my buddy is standing on the dirt while I take a photo at the snow level. Youll go up to 12150 at tin cup pass . Might be OK if you are in a jeep and going over Tincup Pass. I think its closer to a 3 rating instead of a 4. Left goes over Cumberland Pass to Pitkin and Alpine Tunnel. I started about 7:30 in the morning. After pass the path ceases to be a road but a rocky area with no defined borders. Just to the west of Phoenix, near Tonapah, you'll find a wonderful place in the desert to set up camp. I'm not really sure whether my track fell all or in part of the more difficult "Old Tincup" route but when I compare to other trails that fall into the 3-5 range (Cinnamon and Engineer Passes, Bull Park, etc), the size of the rocks doesn't feel like it deserves any less than a 5 - at least if you're going up from Tincup. In 1881, St. Elmo became an important railway stop. A great adventure but next time we'll be in a jeep with more clearance! That part of the trail looked much wetter than the St. Elmo side. I haven't been up Tincup Pass since I was a kid on the way to Mirror Lake for camping and fishing. Simply amazing to see the result of that power. Continue in the canyon. Difficulty Accuracy: Thank goodness for MORE skid plates. Nearby ATV/UTV and 4X4 rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes. Try a google search on: 4WD rentals Salida Colorado I saw at least 20 vehicles make it all the way thru - stock and utvs. Heading north will take you to Taylor Park and Cottonwood Pass, which would lead you into Buena Vista. Following heavy winter snows, always call ahead to make sure pass is open or wait until later in July. Tincup Pass is a fun, rugged way to cross the Continental Divide, reserved for those with a high-clearance 44. Nearby Gunnison National Forest and Kebler Pass are famous for beautiful fall foliage views. Can't wait to go back here and explore more. The cemetery is unique make time to explore it. The trail is now snow free and can be driven all the way over. Get access to thousands of off-road dirt trails and snowmobile trails across the nation. ( We tried getting through in the Power Wagon, but no luck. bilsteins Pass is open! Please be sure to stay on the trail and drive over snow drifts and not around them at all. Made it about 4.5 miles in from St Elmo. Map Information. Shoveled out the drift at the top. A great little Colorado ghost town that is out of the way and not packed all the time. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. I visited Tincup Pass on 09/09/17 and had little trouble with the trail, so went back on 07/22/18 and found that the trail was a bit degraded due to erosion from the previous year, still I was able to drive the trail without using 4 whl drive. Start out early in St. Elmo and take the trail to Tincup. During the construction of the Alpine Tunnel, St. Elmo was a bustling supply center. For more information, check out. Camping is free with a Tonto Pass, available at local retailers around the city. It was quite busy, but it has a fun little rocky section on the Tincup side of the pass pretty close to the summit. Beautiful Autumn views on the St Elmo side of the pass. Hot, dry day. Tincup is a small residential community with many century-old buildings. For current conditions call Salida Ranger District (719) 539-3591. Some of the sites have tent pads and all sites have a picnic table and fire ring. But we had a blast. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/psicc/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=12682&actid=29, Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, Prior to Memorial Day weekend, sites may be first-come, first-served and hosts and water may not be available. Very noisy and dusty. It was nice and empty, maybe saw 4 other vehicles in total until we hit Mirror Lake. Had my passenger side entering willows and my driver side 1/2 from these terribly parked Jeeps as I squeezed by. Big rocks! The trail was exceptionally busy with vehicles going both directions. Once a popular mountain biking area, Tin Cup Pass has been overrun by motorized vehicles, but savvy bikepackers and backpackers venture along the relatively smooth Cumberland Pass, accessed from Tin Cup, which branches off to a handful of unmarked trails. The Tincup Pass 4x4 Road forms the final leg of the Alpine Tunnel loop, but it continues beyond the junction with the trail and could make for a great gravel grind. In the early 1800s, the town had over 1,400 residents who scoured the hills above Taylor Park looking for gold and silver. I love this trail and can't wait to go back. The wife loves the Alpine Loop from St. Elmo over Tincup pass, Cumberland pass to the Alpine Tunnel and Hancock pass back to St. Elmo. Tincup Pass is a rugged 44 road that leads you over the Continental Divide to Nathrop, just south of Buena Vista. One section near the summit is narrow because snow is still present. The road is in generally good shape. Cimarronand Comanche National Grasslands By clicking "ACCEPT", you agree to be the terms and conditions of each Anything 4x4 with a semi decent driver should make it just fine. Great camping at the beginning of Tincup also. With the exception of Cumberland Pass from Pitkin, the rest of the passes are high-clearance 44 roads. My guess is that the water is not deeper than 20-22 inches at any point in the first two sections if you stay close but not necessarily hug the shoreline. The road at Mirror Lake is under a reported 9 feet of water. The road to the summit is totally unpaved. water level was over the tires of my Jeep. This is one of my favorites! Turn right onto CR 292 and travel for .5 miles to the campground. Forest Road 292 through the Iron City campground is open to registered OHV's. I was with a group of Land Cruisers from back east (Keystone Cruisers from Pennsylvania, and Capital City Land Cruiser Club from Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia). From the eastern terminus at Waterton Canyon, southwest of Denver, the trail winds its way for 486 miles through the state's most mountainous regions, to its final conclusion, just north of Durango. To the southwest you will see Fitzpatrick Peak. I highly suggest that if you don't have the ability to air down, then you are going to have a rough day. I did not hit any skid plates or my rock sliders during the adventure. Princeton Hot Springs Resort (private), for 8.5 miles to the campground. Suggest edits to improve what we show. This is a small campground with 15 campsites. Jeeps, ATV's and Side-by-sides were all abundant on the trail. Started in St Elmo up towards Tin Cup Pass. But today Tincup Pass is one of the most popular 4-wheel-drive destinations in the region. Popular rides include: Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, Hancock Lakes and Williams Pass (open during the month of August). website belongs to an official government organization in the It's shorter but much more difficult. Mirror lake is low enough that a Grand Cherokee can navigate it. Road has always been in pretty good shape for me. They took us trail riding - first time for us. Gunnison Ranger District, Attn: Dispersed Camping Comments 216 N. Colorado St., . Not subaruable. Beautiful views the entire way made it a great drive. Boulders along the Old Tincup Route are much larger than the main Tincup route. St. Elmo is one of the most popular ghost towns in Colorado. A scenic drive through Tincup Pass is a rewarding experience promising breathtaking views and visits to historic towns. Mount Princeton Campground is located in the Chalk Creek Canyon, which is one of the valley's most popular areas. and the map here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd624786.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1a9mcjz-x6Afr5yUPxDCaYjeuvpEQyfht2d6lp0bVfDb-AIUKCbCXETaw. The declining mining industry of the 1920s, and the discontinued railroad service drastically changed the town, and by 1952, even the postal service was discontinued. Later in the season, wildflowers peak in Crested Butte. Still has some great views. Recommended rides include Mount Antero, Baldwin Lake, Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, Pomeroy Lakes, and Hancock Lakes. Both difficult and rewarding with lakes and views across the valley. since its a pass, obviously the views are amazing. Construction crews were beginning work on the bridge at the very start. This is the great divider of watersheds between the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. 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