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Last Dollar Pass, elevation 10,633 feet.
From near the summit of Last Dollar Pass This is probably better known as "Last Dollar Road" rather than as a pass. From the north end, marked by a sign just west of the summit of Dallas Divide on CO62, a good graveled road crosses the mountains to Sawpit. About 6 miles in on this road, Last Dollar Road is marked with a sign but easily missed because you leave the good gravel road to Sawpit for a lesser road. If you follow this lesser road you will cross the mountains and come out at the Telluride airport. This is probably the roughest of the 15 easy passes I list. It's narrow, dirt in part, 4WD only when wet, moderately steep in a couple places and rocky at times but mostly embedded rocks rather than loose rocks. I've ridden it 2 or 3 times on a DL650 V-Strom and found it reasonable for a V-Strom. Like most such roads, I assume the condition can vary considerably due to recent storms and frequency of maintenance. The 2WD cars you see on this road are mostly rental cars if that tells you anything. It's close to Telluride so traffic can be heavy on nice summer days. It's pretty, though, and an interesting alternative way to Telluride. Verle Nelson, Cedaredege Colorado.
Easy riding but not always smooth and dry.
The view is grand from up high.
The high road is rutted mud, preferably dry.
A view to the west.
The summit, more or less.
Looking north towards the Uncompahgre Plateau. The 2 horseback riders in the valley were not dressed western. If flat, featureless terrain or urban sprawl is their normal habitat, I bet they were thinking they found Heaven.
Big money bought these people an impressive view but it didn't keep the pines across the canyon from dying. I find it ironic the hills are green but their lawn died.
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