At a Glance
- Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
- Network: Engineer Pass area
- Character: Remote, light traffic
- Views: Expansive high-country panorama
- From Ouray: ~20 miles
- Season: July – September
The High Country Network
California Pass is part of the network of high-country routes in the Engineer Pass corridor east of Ouray — a web of interconnected 4WD roads that allows creative multi-pass day routes for experienced drivers. The pass accesses terrain between the main Engineer Pass road and the Corkscrew Gulch area, with views across the upper San Juan basin that are expansive even by San Juan standards.
Like Poughkeepsie Gulch, California Pass sees far fewer vehicles than the main Engineer or Imogene routes. This is part of its appeal — the opportunity to explore the same high country with significantly more solitude.