Going Up!: We took Kebler Pass Road (Road 12) off of Highway 133 just outside of Paonia State Park which is the western end of the road. The first few miles of Road 12 leads travelers through a valley along the Anthracite Creek before ascending fairly quickly to higher elevations within the Elk Mountains. After reaching about 9,000 feet in elevation the road levels out and is a gradual climb to Kebler Pass. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Aspen Patterns: The white trunks of the thousands of aspen trees create interesting patterns as they follow the terrain across the mountain side. Also seen are many Gambel oak and other small trees and bushes along a stretch of Kebler Pass Road on the western end of the scenic drive. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
We recently visited my sister and brother-in-law in Grand Junction, Colo. as they were passing through while on vacation. We love western Colorado or as it is often referred to as the “Western Slope”. That term refers to several towns in western Colorado that are a little lower in elevation in the more arid and desert portion of the state.
While I-70 is a direct route from the Denver area there are other options both north of the Interstate and south of the Interstate which offer beautiful back road scenery without the traffic and congestion of I-70. We opted to take the Interstate west going to Grand Junction but we wandered through the central part of the state on our return trip.
One of the highlights of the return journey was driving Gunnison County Road 12, also known as Road 12 or Kebler Pass Road, through the Elk Mountains and the Gunnison National Forest. This portion of the drive is only 32 miles but it is a spectacular 32 miles.
There is a short distance on each end of the road that is paved but the majority of the road is gravel. While Kebler Pass Road is mostly gravel, it is graded and well maintained and can be traveled in any vehicle. The road is a seasonal road and is only open from about mid-June through mid-October.
We have driven this route a few times but usually during the fall color season when the aspens are gold. This was a first time to drive through in the summer when the aspens are in their summer green.
We entered Road 12 on the western end just south of Paonia State Park. After traveling through a valley for a few miles the road climbs quickly before leveling out at around 9,000 feet in elevation. Kebler Pass Road features the largest grove of aspens in Colorado making it a beautiful drive anytime.
Kebler Pass is the highest point in elevation along the scenic drive at 10,007 feet in elevation. The eastern end of Road 12 leads into the quaint ski town of Crested Butte, Colo.
Kebler Pass Road is a part of the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway which is just over 200 miles long and travels through portions of five counties in the central Colorado mountains. The entire byway contains a treasure of Colorado scenery as well as passing through several historic towns and sites along the way.
We will be attending an RV Rally in Grand Junction near the end of September and we have decided to go to western Colorado via the same route that we took coming home on the last trip. I have my fingers crossed for great fall weather and some colorful aspen landscapes as we cross the mountains.
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Kebler Pass Road: After climbing in elevation Kebler Pass Road levels out as it passes through Gunnison National Forest. Shown is a section of the 32 mile long road as it winds through aspen and fir trees with a nearby mountain providing a beautiful background. Kebler Pass Road is a small section of the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway in central Colorado. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Summer Green: A closer view of the aspens along Kebler Pass Road reveals a sea of green foliage. The colors will begin to change by September when the scene will be filled with gold and yellow fall foliage. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Aspen Haven: The stands of aspen trees along Kebler Pass Road is the largest aspen grove in the state of Colorado. During the fall aspen color season Kebler Pass Road becomes one of the most photographed area of the state. There are thousands of aspens all along the drive and into the town of Crested Butte, Colo. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Descending: After passing Kebler Pass at 10,007 feet in elevation, the road begins to descend slightly into the town of Crested Butte which sits just under 9,000 feet in elevation. As seen in the photo there are still many aspens but the fir and pine conifer trees have become more prevalent. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
