Our Keen Life
Trail Guide · Colorado

Vail Pass

Summit County, Colorado — ridden in the Maverick R with friends. Route map and GPX below.

Distance
—
Elevation Gain
—
High Point
—
Difficulty
Moderate
Best Season
Summer–Fall
Download GPX Track Get onX — 30% Off
The GPX imports straight into onX Offroad, Gaia, Garmin, or Google Earth. It's our actual recorded track — not a traced line — so it reflects where we really went, wrong turns and all.

The Ride

Vail Pass, Start to Finish

Full ride-along with the crew. If you're deciding whether to run it, watch first — the video shows the sections that photos never do justice.

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Elevation Profile

Where the climbing actually happens.

Trail Notes

Notes from the day — conditions, where to air down, what to watch for.

Before you go: check current status in onX or with the local ranger district. High-country routes open late and close early, and a gate that was open last month may not be today.

Getting there

Staging and access notes go here.

What to expect

What we ran it in

Amber and I ran it in the 2024 Can-Am Maverick R XRS on DRT armor. My sister Nicole and Rob were in their Polaris RZR Pro XP. Millie and Milo rode along and made it to the top of Ptarmigan Pass without complaint. Full parts list on The Rigs if you're curious what held up.

Leave it better

Stay on the designated route, pack out everything you brought, and yield uphill. These trails stay open because riders don't give anyone a reason to close them.