At a Glance
- Summit Elevation: 13,114 ft
- Difficulty: Difficult — experienced drivers
- Season: July – September
- One Way Distance: ~17 miles
- Ghost Town: Tomboy (near summit)
- Destination: Telluride, CO
Two Mountain Towns, One Mountain Pass
Imogene Pass is the historic route connecting Ouray and Telluride — two of the most celebrated mountain towns in Colorado — over a 13,114-foot summit that was once a major mining corridor. The route passes through Camp Bird Mine (still active) and the ghost town of Tomboy, once a thriving settlement of 1,000 people at 12,000 feet. The ruins are remarkably intact and eerie in the best way.
From the Imogene summit, the views extend across multiple mountain ranges in all directions — one of the highest road-accessible viewpoints in the San Juans. The descent into Telluride is steep and dramatic, dropping through a series of switchbacks into the Telluride box canyon.
Planning an Imogene Run from Ouray
Most people drive Imogene as a full-day out-and-back or as a one-way pass with a pickup or shuttle in Telluride. The route is rated difficult — more demanding than Engineer — with rocky sections and exposure that require solid off-road judgment. Summer weekends bring other vehicles on the road; go early on weekday mornings for the best experience.
From The Lumberyard in Ouray, the Imogene Pass Road begins at the south end of town. A full Imogene day — up through Tomboy, summit views, lunch in Telluride, back over before the afternoon storms — is one of the best single-day experiences available from an Ouray base.