Shrine Pass

Red Cliff to Shrine Pass to Vail Pass and back

Shrine Pass begins in the sleepy mountain town of Red Cliff, half an hour south of Vail. Named after the red quartzite bluffs that surround it, the former mining camp sits at the junction of the Eagle River and Turkey Creek in the  Eagle river valley. The route begins in the middle of town following Turkey Creek up to the pass’s highpoint of 11,094 feet before ending with a short descent to the trailhead parking lot off of i-70 on Vail Pass.

The road is named Shrine Pass because of the massive views of the very historic, somewhat mysterious Mt. of the Holy Cross. Originally a Ute trail, the pass’s view of the cross-shaped snowfield captured early-America’s attention with it’s Christian symbolism woven into the public’s strong desire for westward expansion.

This out and back route is 23 miles with 3,000 feet of elevation gain on a well maintained gravel road. It is an incredibly enjoyable day trip and has a lot of potential for added exploration when expanded with other jeep and gravel roads in the area.Those looking to camp will also find a decent amount of dispersed camping spots.