Wolf Creek Pass
| Wolf Creek Pass | |
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Wolf Creek Pass and Ski Area, August 2008
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| Elevation | 10,857 ft (3,309 m) |
| Traversed by |
 US 160
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| Location | Mineral County, Colorado, United States |
| Range | San Juan Mountains |
| Coordinates | 37°29′00″N 106°48′11″W / 37.48333°N 106.80306°WCoordinates: 37°29′00″N 106°48′11″W / 37.48333°N 106.80306°W |
| Topo map | USGS Wolf Creek Pass |
 Wolf Creek Pass
Location in Colorado
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Wolf Creek Pass (el. 10,857 ft.) is a high mountain pass on the Continental Divide, in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. It is the route through which U.S. Highway 160 passes from the San Luis Valley into southwest Colorado on its way to New Mexico and Arizona. The pass is notable as inspiration of a C. W. McCall song. The pass is significantly steep on either side (6.8% maximum grade) and can be dangerous in winter. There is a runaway truck ramp on the westbound side for truckers that lose control of their brakes.
Wolf Creek Pass, once a two-lane road winding through the San Juan Mountains between South Fork, Colorado and Pagosa Springs, has recently been expanded into a multi-lane highway, greatly increasing the traffic capacity of the pass and making it more navigable in bad weather. It will also become the easiest access to southwest Colorado from the rest of the state, as all remaining overland routes require lengthy detours through New Mexico or over Lizard Head Pass, near Telluride, or the intimidating Red Mountain Pass: a two-lane road winding along sheer cliffs from Ouray to Silverton.
A 900-foot (270 m) tunnel on the eastern portion was opened November 5, 2005. Construction was completed in the Summer of 2006, with the highway fully widened and drainage projects along the route completed.
The pass is also home to Wolf Creek ski area located on the eastern side of the Continental Divide on Highway 160. Also on the eastern side is one of the largest RV parks in the United States, located just a few miles west of South Fork, Colorado.
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Wikipedia