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| Cinnamon Pass | |
|---|---|
| Name | Cinnamon Pass |
| Elevation ft | 12,640 |
| Range | San Juan Mountains |
| Location | Colorado, United States |
| Coordinates | 37° 58′ N 107° 39′ W |
| Topo | USGS |
| Access | Arroyo and jeep trails |
Cinnamon Pass is a high mountain pass in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, United States. It provides a route between the towns of Lake City and Silverton and connects historic mining districts associated with the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, Silverton Northern Railroad, and regional mining operations. The pass lies within the Uncompahgre National Forest and near the Weminuche Wilderness and draws visitors for off-road driving, history, and alpine scenery.
Cinnamon Pass sits on a ridge within the San Juan Mountains and is part of the Rocky Mountains physiographic province; it overlooks drainage basins leading to the Gunnison River, Animas River, and tributaries feeding the Colorado River. Nearby geographic features include Engineer Mountain, Red Mountain Pass, Black Bear Pass, and the Alpine Loop National Scenic Back Country Byway, which links Ouray, Telluride, Lake City, and Silverton. The pass is accessed from County Roads that connect to San Juan County, Colorado and Hinsdale County, Colorado and lies within the San Juan National Forest administrative boundaries adjacent to Mineral County.
The area around the pass was traversed by indigenous peoples long before Euro-American exploration; historic presences include the Ute people and seasonal travel routes recorded in 19th‑century accounts tied to the Colorado Gold Rush and the San Juan mining district boom. Euro-American surveys by parties associated with the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers and prospecting groups from Denver and Aspen mapped routes that later became wagon roads and mining haulways. The name is documented in 19th‑century mining records and local cartography during the expansion of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad era and the consolidation of claims by companies such as Calumet and Hecla Mining Company—though multiple contemporary mining firms and entrepreneurs, including figures from Telluride Historical Museum archives, influenced regional toponymy.
Geologically, the pass lies within the San Juan volcanic field and features altered volcanic and intrusive rocks associated with Tertiary volcanism, with deposits linked to mineralization exploited in surrounding districts like Kendall Mountain and Last Chance Basin. Regional geology includes sequences of rhyolite, andesite, and breccia, with hydrothermal veins hosting ores sought by corporations like Anaconda Copper and smaller claim holders recorded by the United States Geological Survey. The alpine climate is influenced by elevation, with snowpack dynamics similar to conditions monitored by stations associated with the National Weather Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service; seasonal extremes shape access, avalanche risk studied by researchers connected to Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
Access to the pass is primarily via unpaved roads forming part of the Alpine Loop National Scenic Back Country Byway, maintained intermittently by county agencies in Hinsdale County, Colorado and San Juan County, Colorado and managed under policies involving the United States Forest Service. Historically, the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and spur lines facilitated movement of ore from nearby districts to processing centers in Durango and Ouray. Contemporary travel typically involves four‑wheel‑drive vehicles, high‑clearance trucks, and off‑road motorcycles registered with county motor vehicle departments; commercial tour operators from Silverton and Ouray offer guided excursions with permits coordinated through the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service permit systems.
The pass is a focal point on routes promoted by regional tourism agencies such as San Juan County, Colorado, Hinsdale County, Colorado, and visitor bureaus in Silverton and Lake City. Activities include off‑road driving enthusiasts connected to clubs like the Colorado 4x4 Enthusiasts Association, backcountry skiing guided by operators from Telluride Ski Resort and local guides certified through programs affiliated with the American Mountain Guides Association, hiking near trails mapped by AllTrails contributors and documented in guidebooks produced by regional authors. Heritage tourism highlights nearby ghost towns and mining sites documented by the National Register of Historic Places and curated exhibits at institutions such as the San Juan County Historical Society.
Alpine and subalpine zones at the pass support plant communities similar to those cataloged in surveys by the Colorado Natural Heritage Program and botanists from Colorado State University, including stands of subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce at lower elevations and alpine tundra species such as Silene acaulis and cushion plants recorded in herbarium collections at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History. Faunal observations align with species lists maintained by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and include Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, American pika, marmots linked to research at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, and raptors like the golden eagle documented by ornithologists associated with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Conservation and land‑management efforts involve the United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and state agencies such as Colorado Parks and Wildlife, working alongside local historical societies and volunteer groups like Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration. Management issues include preservation of historic mining artifacts listed by the National Register of Historic Places, mitigation of erosion on the Alpine Loop National Scenic Back Country Byway, invasive species monitoring supported by the Colorado Natural Areas Program, and coordination of recreation planning under frameworks used by the National Environmental Policy Act and grant programs administered by Colorado Department of Natural Resources.
Category:Mountain passes of Colorado Category:San Juan Mountains (Colorado)