Silver Thread Scenic Byway

Highlights from south to north

• South Fork: the junction with US 160 and the road to Wolf Creek Pass.
• The Rio Grande valley: ranches, river cabins and cliffs of volcanic rock along the river.
• Wagon Wheel Gap: a narrow gap in the canyon, with the old railroad station beside the highway.
• Creede: the old silver town, its theatre and the Bachelor Loop.
• North Clear Creek Falls: a 100-foot waterfall a short detour from the road.
• Spring Creek Pass: the Continental Divide at nearly 10,900 feet, where the Continental Divide Trail crosses the highway.
• The Slumgullion Earthflow: a vast landslide of yellow earth, still slowly moving, seen from overlooks on the way down to Lake City.
• Lake San Cristobal: Colorado’s second-largest natural lake, dammed by that landslide, just south of Lake City.

Driving tips

• There is little fuel and almost no phone signal between Creede and Lake City. Fill up before you leave.
• Watch for deer, elk and cattle on the road, especially at dawn and dusk.
• The highway is open all year, but the passes can be snowy and icy from October to May. Check road conditions with the Colorado Department of Transportation.
• Allow a full day with stops, or drive one way and spend the night in Lake City.