Skull Pass
Trail near Gunnison, Colorado
Hiking Biking Mountain biking Dirt bikes
Trail conditions
No recent reports. Been out today? Tap what you saw.
Today at the trail
Getting there
No parking, restrooms or water are mapped at the start yet. Check before you go.
Trail start coordinates: 38.44989, -106.98347
Trail facts
- Open to
- Hiking, Biking, Dirt bikes
- Shape
- One way
- Elevation
- 7,912 to 8,197 ft
- Ride time
- 30 min by bike
- Surface
- Ground
- County
- Gunnison County, Colorado
Colorado ATV and dirt bike rules
- Registration
- Yes. Resident OHV registration $26.25/yr (Apr 1 to Mar 31).
- Visiting from out of state
- Yes. Nonresident OHV Use Permit $26.25/yr. CO does not honor other states' registration.
- Trail pass
- Registration/permit covers trails. Plated street-legal vehicles also need the permit on OHV trails.
- Helmets
- No statewide OHV helmet law. Many counties and towns require helmets under 18.
- Young riders
- Ages 10 to 15 may ride under direct supervision of a licensed driver. 16+ may ride alone.
- Safety course
- Not required statewide.
- UTVs / side-by-sides
- Same registration. Decal on roll bar.
- Good to know
- Buy at cpwshop.com, CPW offices or vendors.
Source: Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), checked 2026-11-06. Rules change, so check the agency link before you ride.
Can I bring my dog?
We don't have dog rules for this trail yet. Check signs at the trailhead or the land manager's website.
Reviews and photos
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Camping nearby
- Stevens Creek Campground 6.8 mi away · Directions · Reserve
- East Elk Creek Group Campsite 11 mi away · Directions · Reserve
- Elk Creek Campground 11 mi away · Directions · Reserve
Federal campgrounds from Recreation.gov. Check dates and fees before you go.
Nearby trails
- West Aberdeen 3.4 mi long
- Enchanted Forest 0.8 mi long
- Outback 1.4 mi long
- 9-0 1.0 mi long
- Dave Moe's 1.2 mi long
- Sawtooth 0.8 mi long
More trails
Common questions
- How long is Skull Pass?
- Skull Pass is about 0.8 miles long, or about 1.5 miles out and back, based on mapped trail data.
- How much elevation gain is on Skull Pass?
- About 368 feet of climbing out and back. The trail runs between 7,912 and 8,197 feet above sea level.
- How long does it take to hike Skull Pass?
- Plan on about 50 min at an easy pace for the round trip, counting time for the climbs. Fast hikers will be quicker, and families with kids slower.
- Are dogs allowed on Skull Pass?
- We don't have dog rules for this trail yet. Check signs at the trailhead or the land manager's website.
- What can you do on Skull Pass?
- Skull Pass is open to hiking, biking and dirt bikes, according to OpenStreetMap contributors.
- Where does Skull Pass start?
- One end of the mapped trail is at 38.44989, -106.98347. Use the Directions button to get there.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (view or fix on OpenStreetMap). Elevation from USGS data via AWS Terrain Tiles. Times are estimates. Length and route come from mapped data and may differ from signs on the ground. Always check for closures before you go.