Continental Divide & High Country
Hagerman Pass
Follow a rough mountain road west of Turquoise Lake into alpine country, historic railroad ruins, high mountain trails, and the Continental Divide at nearly 12,000 feet.
Beyond Turquoise Lake
Follow the Mountains to the Continental Divide
Hagerman Pass begins where the developed recreation area around Turquoise Lake gives way to rougher mountain country.
Forest Road 105 climbs west through the Sawatch Range to Hagerman Pass at roughly 11,925 feet, crossing the Continental Divide between the Arkansas River and Colorado River watersheds.
Along the way are alpine lakes, hiking trails, old railroad grades, abandoned tunnel portals, remnants of one of Colorado's most ambitious railroad routes, and broad views across the high peaks west of Leadville.
The road itself is part of the adventure. Unlike paved Cottonwood or Monarch passes, Hagerman is a rough high-country route where road conditions matter and a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle is the appropriate choice.
The Basics
Hagerman Pass at a Glance
Elevation
11,925 Feet
Hagerman Pass crosses the Continental Divide high in the Sawatch Range west of Leadville.
Access
Beyond Turquoise Lake
Follow the Turquoise Lake corridor west from Leadville and continue onto Forest Road 105 toward the pass.
Road
High-Clearance 4WD
The upper road is rough, rocky, and variable. Lake County recommends four-wheel-drive and high-profile vehicles for Hagerman Pass.
Season
Summer & Early Fall
Deep snow closes the high pass for much of the year. Opening and closing dates vary with snowpack and road conditions.
Along the Way
What to Explore Around Hagerman Pass
The summit is only one part of this corridor. Some of its best hiking and history are found below the Continental Divide.
Short & Steep
Windsor Lake
A short trail climbs steeply from Hagerman Pass Road into the Mount Massive Wilderness, ending at an alpine lake tucked beneath the Continental Divide.
The hike is only about one mile each way but gains nearly 1,000 feet, so it feels much bigger than its mileage suggests.
Railroad History
Colorado Midland Trail
Hike along the abandoned railroad grade toward the old Hagerman Tunnel, following the route once used by Colorado Midland trains crossing the mountains between Leadville and Aspen.
The hike combines mountain scenery with one of the most unusual pieces of transportation history in the upper Arkansas Valley.
Historic Tunnel
Hagerman Tunnel
Completed in 1887, the Hagerman Tunnel carried the Colorado Midland Railway beneath the Continental Divide at more than 11,500 feet.
The surrounding trail follows pieces of the former rail route and reaches the area of the old eastern portal.
High Country
Hagerman Pass
Continue up Forest Road 105 to the crest of the Continental Divide for open alpine terrain and views into both the Arkansas River and Fryingpan River watersheds.
Long-Distance Trail
Colorado Trail
The Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail pass through the high country near Hagerman Pass, connecting this area with the mountains around Mount Massive and routes farther north.
Check current closures before planning a longer route.
Over the Divide
Ivanhoe & the Fryingpan
The western side of Hagerman Pass drops toward Ivanhoe Lake and the upper Fryingpan River drainage, eventually connecting toward Ruedi Reservoir and Basalt.
Short Hike, Big Reward
Windsor Lake
Windsor Lake is one of the best shorter hikes along the Hagerman Pass corridor.
The trail climbs steeply from Hagerman Pass Road through forest and into the Mount Massive Wilderness. After roughly one mile, it reaches a granite basin beneath the high ridges of the Continental Divide.
With close to 1,000 feet of climbing in a mile, this is not a flat lake walk. The reward is a much more remote alpine setting than you might expect from such a short trail.
Mountain bikes are not allowed once the route enters designated wilderness.
Walk the Old Railroad
Colorado Midland & Hagerman Tunnel Trail
One of the most interesting hikes near Leadville follows the abandoned railroad grade toward the old Hagerman Tunnel.
Historic Railroad Grade
Much of the trail follows the broad, gradual grade built for the Colorado Midland Railway in the 1880s.
The gentle railroad alignment is very different from the steep mountain trails surrounding it.
About 6 to 7 Miles
Depending on the route and turnaround, the hike to the Hagerman Tunnel area and back is roughly six to seven miles.
Elevation gain is moderate compared with many Leadville-area hikes, but the entire route is already at very high elevation.
Railroad Ruins
Along the route are traces of the old railroad landscape, including grades, tunnel portals, former snowshed locations, and the site of the enormous Hagerman Trestle.
Railroad Across the Divide
The Hagerman Tunnel
In the 1880s, the Colorado Midland Railway was racing to connect Colorado Springs and Leadville with the mining country around Aspen.
The biggest obstacle was the Continental Divide.
In 1887, crews completed the Hagerman Tunnel at approximately 11,528 feet. The tunnel carried trains beneath the Divide while an extraordinary series of railroad grades and wooden structures brought the tracks high into the mountains from Leadville.
The route was spectacular, but keeping a railroad operating at that elevation through a Colorado winter was extremely difficult.
Only a few years later, the railroad built the much lower Busk-Ivanhoe Tunnel, allowing trains to bypass the highest portion of the original Hagerman route.
Engineering in the Mountains
The Hagerman Trestle
Getting trains to the tunnel required far more than simply drilling through the mountain.
1,084 Feet Long
A Huge Wooden Curve
The eastern approach included an enormous curved wooden trestle more than 1,000 feet long.
84 Feet High
Built Into the Mountainside
The structure carried trains across steep terrain as the railroad climbed toward the Hagerman Tunnel.
Gone, But Visible
Follow the Grade
The wooden trestle itself is gone, but the old railroad grades make the shape of the route surprisingly easy to recognize in the surrounding terrain.
Scenic 4WD Route
Drive Over Hagerman Pass
Hagerman Pass is one of the classic backcountry drives around Leadville, but it is not comparable to a paved scenic highway.
Forest Road 105 becomes rougher as it climbs above Turquoise Lake. Expect rocks, ruts, narrow sections, steep grades, and conditions that can change after storms and runoff.
Lake County currently recommends four-wheel-drive and high-profile vehicles for the pass.
Drivers who cross the Divide can continue down the western side toward Ivanhoe Lake and eventually the upper Fryingpan River corridor.
11,925 Feet
Cross the Continental Divide
At Hagerman Pass, the road reaches the crest of the Sawatch Range and crosses one of the most important geographic boundaries in North America.
Water flowing east eventually reaches the Arkansas River and the Mississippi River system. Water flowing west enters the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork watersheds before joining the Colorado River.
The difference can be surprisingly obvious on the ground. From the crest, you can look back toward Turquoise Lake and Leadville or west into a completely different watershed.
From Railroad to Water Tunnel
The Busk-Ivanhoe Tunnel Still Crosses the Divide
The story of Hagerman Pass did not end when the railroad disappeared.
The Busk-Ivanhoe Tunnel was constructed below the original Hagerman Tunnel to give the Colorado Midland a lower route through the mountains.
After its railroad days, the tunnel was converted for automobile traffic and later became part of a transmountain water system.
Today, water collected in the upper Fryingpan watershed on the west side of the Continental Divide can move through the old tunnel into Busk Creek and ultimately into Turquoise Lake in the Arkansas River Basin.
It is an unusual piece of Colorado infrastructure: a tunnel originally built to move trains across the mountains now helps move water across the Continental Divide.
Long-Distance Trails
Colorado Trail & Continental Divide Trail
The high country around Turquoise Lake and Hagerman Pass is also part of Colorado's long-distance trail system.
Colorado Trail
The Colorado Trail passes through the mountains west of Turquoise Lake and continues toward Mount Massive and Tennessee Pass.
Continental Divide Trail
In this part of Colorado, the Continental Divide Trail shares sections of the Colorado Trail as it travels through the Sawatch Range.
Check Closures
Fire, trail work, wildlife restrictions, snow, and other conditions can temporarily close portions of the long-distance trail system. Verify current access before planning a route.
When to Go
Hagerman Pass Through the Seasons
Summer
Summer provides the most reliable access to Hagerman Pass Road, Windsor Lake, the Midland trail, and the alpine terrain near the Divide.
Afternoon thunderstorms remain a major concern at high elevation.
Fall
Early fall brings cool hiking weather and changing aspen at lower elevations along the Turquoise Lake corridor.
Snow can arrive at the pass surprisingly early, so check conditions before attempting to cross the Divide.
Winter
Deep snow closes the road as a through driving route and transforms the area into serious winter backcountry.
Avalanche terrain exists throughout the surrounding mountains. Winter travel requires appropriate skills, equipment, and planning.
Spring
Hagerman Pass is still very much winter while lower parts of Leadville begin to thaw.
Snowbanks, runoff, mud, and lingering drifts can keep the upper road inaccessible well into the warmer months.
Before You Go
This Is Backcountry Mountain Terrain
Hagerman Pass is close to Leadville, but the upper road and surrounding trails reach remote terrain near 12,000 feet.
Check the Road
Do not assume the pass is open or that your vehicle can reach the summit. Snow, washouts, fire restrictions, and road damage can change access quickly.
Watch the Weather
Thunderstorms, lightning, hail, wind, and sudden temperature drops are common hazards near the Continental Divide.
Download Your Map
Cell service is unreliable. Save road and trail maps before leaving the developed Turquoise Lake area.
Carry Extra Gear
Bring food, water, warm layers, rain protection, and basic vehicle recovery equipment if you are driving the pass.
Explore More
More Around Leadville
Hagerman Pass begins just beyond one of Leadville's best recreation areas and sits beneath some of Colorado's highest mountains.