Fremont Pass in Colorado

A Local's Guide to the Best Spots

Colorado's Fremont Pass - The Full Guide to Exploring The Best Sights On This Route

Everything You Need To Know About Fremont Pass, By Local Experts

Fremont Pass: it’s one of the lesser-known Colorado mountain passes. In fact, we’d probably argue that unless you spend a good bit of time in Copper Mountain or Leadville, you probably have never even heard of it.

But Fremont Pass is home to a couple of our absolute favorite hikes in the state (more on this later), and has some of the most beautiful mountain views. It’s sort of a local hidden gem. And its central location connecting two iconic Colorado mountain towns makes it an excellent and accessible adventure spot.

Living in Colorado, this pass has really grown on us. And it’s probably one of the routes we frequent the most. So we’re sharing our favorite things to do (plus all the travel tips you need to know) when driving Colorado’s Fremont Pass.

If seeing the most beautiful views Fremont Pass has to offer is your goal, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll include everything from travel guidance, navigating the pass in winter, and which hikes need to be on your bucket list (along with plenty of photos from our adventures along this route).

Disclosure: We’ve included lodging and gear recommendations in this guide to Fremont Pass in Colorado. If you choose to book or buy through our links, we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. Shopping through these links helps support our small Colorado business and allows us to continue creating this free content.

All recommendations in our Fremont Pass guide are crafted with love and expertise, from platforms we use and trust for our own adventures, both in the Rockies and beyond.

Where in Colorado is Fremont Pass?

Directions To The Pass

Fremont Pass is a route that travels north and south, connecting the towns of Copper Mountain (north side) and Leadville, CO (south side).

If you’re traveling from i70 (the north end), you’ll take exit 195 for Copper Mountain. Coming from i70 westbound? When you exit, you’ll be plopped right onto CO-91 (which is Fremont Pass). Just ride the road.

If you’re coming from i70 eastbound, you’ll exit 195 and then hang a right onto CO-91/Fremont Pass instead of merging back onto the freeway.

If you’re traveling from the heart of Leadville (Harrison Ave, which is the main road running through town), you’ll make your way north on this road until you hit E 9th St. Hang a right and continue for about a tenth of a mile. Then swing a left onto Poplar, which basically turns into Fremont Pass as you leave town and head further northbound.

GPS Coordinates (summit of Fremont Pass): 39.367704, -106.188300
Nearest Towns: Copper Mountain and Leaville, Colorado
Fremont Pass Length: 22 miles
Fremont Pass Elevation: 11,318 ft
Cell Service: Spotty, with large sections without service. We recommend bringing a satellite communication device like this brand we use and downloading an offline map.

When is Fremont Pass Open?

And Does It Close?

Fremont Pass is one of a small handful of mountain passes in Colorado that’s open year-round. That said, the pass can close temporarily due to extreme winter weather conditions.

But given that this is the primary route that many Coloradans use to get to the town of Leadville, it’s accessible and maintained all year.

If you plan to drive Colorado’s Fremont Pass in the late fall, winter, or early spring, we highly recommend driving an AWD vehicle or equipping your car with tire chains.

The winter hikes along Fremont Pass are a serious 10/10 (more on this later), but you’ll want to come equipped with a vehicle that can get you there safely.

Leave No Trace Note: A few of the trails you can hike on Fremont Pass have sections located in what’s referred to as the “alpine tundra,” where a spongy grass-like material coats the ground.

When exploring these types of spots, please remain on the trail or hard surfaces (e.g. rocks or roadside pull-offs) at all times to avoid damaging it, since it can take decades to hundreds of years to grow back.

You’ll also notice that Fremont Pass is home to some seriously stunning wildflower meadows. Picking those flowers can unfortunately ruin these meadows and close these spots off to visitors. Let’s keep them open and beautiful!

Is Fremont Pass Worth The Stop?

Our Honest Opinion As Coloradans

If exploring major bang-for-your-buck hiking trails with epic views available year-round is your goal, Fremont Pass is a total winner. A lot of Colorado’s prettiest trails are less accessible in the colder months, but Fremont really changes the game.

Plus, there’s no denying that the roadside stops along this mountain route are beyond dreamy. Whether you’re biking the pass, planning some cross country skiing, fishing at sunrise, or wanting to peep the stunning Colorado wildflowers, Fremont is a great spot. Plus, it’s a lot less crowded than many other Colorado mountain roads.

Want To See Colorado's Most Iconic Views?

Why visit one spot when you can visit several? Our ultimate CO road trip resource is your go-to guide, with a complete itinerary of some of our favorite locations in the state.

The Best Seasons to Travel on Fremont Pass

From the countless times we’ve traveled Fremont Pass, we’ve come to the conclusion that there are two really solid seasons when this spot just shines: summer and winter.

Quick Note: Spring is mud season in the mountains, with tons of snow melting, making hikes a bit more difficult. And Fremont Pass, while home to some aspen trees on the north side, isn’t a big fall colors destination. And after the small window where the aspens change, everything becomes more brown and dry, so we don’t typically recommend this season either.

So let’s chat summer. In late June, the mountains typically (depending on how much snow we got over the winter) still have some snow on the tips, making for a stunning view. Meanwhile the tundra grasses have turned green. It’s a truly dreamy look.

Venture into July, and the wildflowers really start popping along Fremont Pass. This is honestly our favorite month here. Not to mention, the trails are the most accessible. Everything is about as lush and green as it gets.

And the weather is perfection, since it never gets unbearably hot in the mountains (like on the Front Range, where temps can break into the 90’s and higher on July and August days). If you’re hiking before sunrise to get to the best views when the sun comes up (which we almost always do!), the cold pre-dawn temps (think 30’s and 40’s…yes, even in summer) aren’t as unbearable as they can be during the winter months.

On to winter! Winter on Fremont Pass is a total dream. Since this route stays open year-round (weather permitting), you get to experience a true high alpine winter wonderland.

It’s a real treat seeing some of our favorite summer hiking trails covered in snow. And these spots on Fremont Pass are perfect if your idea of a great winter day is snowshoeing or cross-country skiing on the trails.

Fair warning, you’re in the high alpine when you’re on Fremont Pass, and it can get quite cold (especially on overcast days). Wind in the mountains of Colorado is no joke and can make your adventure a good bit more intense. But if you’re willing to cope with the extra cold, the views are seriously iconic.

Our Favorite Hikes On Fremont Pass

Yes, the drive along Fremont Pass is pretty, but where this mountain route shines is its hikes. These are our two favorite must-explore trails:

Mayflower Gulch – Abandoned log cabins dating back to the late 1800’s, a solid cross-country skiing route in the winter, jagged mountain peaks in a surrounding you in every direction. There’s a reason this Fremont Pass hiking trail is one of the most loved hikes in all of Colorado.
Clinton Gulch – Similar epic views to what you see at Mayflower (and sometimes even better), but this hike is a good bit easier, with minimal elevation gain. The mountain views are unreal, and you walk along the water pretty much the entire time. Plus, you’ll come across the dreamiest wildflowers in the summertime. This is a solid option if you’re newer to hiking or hiking with kids.

Gear We Recommend Bringing Along On These Hikes

If you plan on hiking any of these trails along Fremont Pass, this is the bare minimum we’d advise having with you:

Sunscreen – Colorado is known for its intense sun, and it’s only more intense at higher elevations, especially above tree line. Needless to say, it’s easy to burn…and it happens quickly. This is the sunscreen we use on basically every hike we go on. The brand also makes an amazing face sunscreen with no awkward white cast or clogging of the pores.
Satellite Communication Device – Like we mentioned earlier, we bring our Garmin with us on pretty much every hike or mountain adventure where cell service is limited. With it, we can text for help or put out an SOS in emergencies.
Headlamp – The best views on Fremont Pass happen at sunrise and sunset. Which means you’re typically hiking in the dark at some point, making headlamps essential. This is the one we use, and we’ve tested several. It has a super solid high beam and the battery life is great (because there’s nothing worse than constantly having to switch out batteries between hikes!). Compared to other headlamps of its caliber, it’s also a great deal.
Water – We cannot stress this enough: bring that Nalgene bottle or have a hydration bladder in your hiking pack when exploring high elevation spots like Fremont Pass. It’s so much easier to feel dehydrated and get elevation headaches when you’re this high above sea level, and it’s no joke. Obviously, check with your doctor first, but electrolyte packets can also be a great addition to your pack if you plan on hiking a good bit, especially in the summer when you’re sweating more than usual.

Other gear essentials include hand and foot warmers (these are especially crucial in the winter, but they’re important in the summer before the sun is up). If you’re hiking the trails along Fremont Pass in the winter months, you’ll also want a solid pair of snowshoes. The snow can get quite deep, and these will help you navigate the trails.

If the snow is extra packed down (this is quite common on Mayflower, since it’s a more trafficked trail), then MICROspikes are the way to go (these are the exact ones we always bring with us on this hike when we do it in the winter).

Where to Stay When Exploring Fremont Pass

The Nearest Towns to Colorado's Fremont Pass

There are two key towns you can stay in for close proximity to Fremont Pass: Leadville, CO (our personal fave) and Copper Mountain. The thing is Copper Mountain is basically a ski resort, which makes lodging crazy expensive for what you get. We’d 100% recommend opting for Leadville instead. It’s so much cuter, has historic charm, and is centrally located close to several other epic mountain passes and hikes.

These are our fave options in Leadville:

This Late 1800’s Pink Church – Yes, you heard that right. A church. This pink church (sleeps 8) has been fully renovated into the most stunning vacation rental. Kid friendly, with games for the whole fam. Plus a fully equipped kitchen and a little yoga sanctuary. It’s seriously the coolest rental in all of Leadville.
Tiny House Leadville – Basically a hotel of tiny houses, these little gems are such a fun and cute lodging experience. This is a solid budget-friendly option for couples or solo travelers exploring Fremont Pass.
The Delaware Hotel – This is the hotel in the picture above! It was built in the late 1800’s and filled with historic charm. If you want to step back in time, this is the perfect little charming spot to do it. It’s centrally located on Harrison Ave, in the heart of Leadville. Perfect location for exploring Fremont Pass.

Trying To Figure Out the Best Seasons To Travel The Rockies?

Colorado’s seasons are unlike what you’d experience across much of the US (e.g. spring is typically not a great time to adventure in the mountains). Our full guide to the seasons goes over everything you should know before booking those flights, from the perspective of locals who’ve seen it all.

Fremont Pass FAQ

Is Fremont Pass a Scary Drive?

We’ve driven a ton of the mountain passes out here in Colorado, and Fremont Pass is one of the least scary ones there is. There aren’t huge swaths of sharp switchbacks, and there aren’t massive sections of road with unforgiving and steep drop-offs.

In the world of Colorado mountain passes, Fremont Pass is definitely on the tame side, particularly when the roads are dry. Where things can get dicey is in the winter, if your car isn’t equipped with AWD or you don’t have tire chains handy. Like other passes, Fremont Pass is no stranger to steep grades, and a solid grip on the road is important. It is still mountain driving, after all.

How Long Does It Take to Drive Fremont Pass in Colorado?

Without lots of sharp switchbacks to slow things down, the drive time for this route is much shorter. In fact, it typically takes under 30 minutes to drive Fremont Pass, assuming clear, non-icy roads.

There are many other mountain passes (take Guanella as an example) of similar length that take twice as long to drive, given the more tedious twists and turns.

Road Conditions - Is Fremont Pass Road Paved?

Yes, Fremont Pass is paved the entire way, and the road is maintained during the winter to ensure year-round travel (extreme weather permitting).

Thinking About Making The Move To The Rockies?

In many ways living in CO is a dream. But it’s not without its drawbacks. Our guide to the pros and cons of moving to the Rockies breaks down everything you should know.

Want To See More Epic Mountain Passes? Here Are Some of Our Faves.

Exploring CO’s epic mountain passes is sort of an obsession for us (we’re suckers for the scenic route). These are some of our faves that aren’t too far from Fremont Pass (because why visit just one pass when you can pack in a few?):

Independence Pass – We almost always follow up our drive of Fremont Pass with visiting this one. Epic hikes, gorgeous fall colors, and an end stop in Aspen? Yes, please. Plus the end of Fremont Pass (on the Leadville side) and the start of Indy (on the Twin Lakes side) are only 30 min apart, and you get to stop in the cute town of Leadville (the highest elevation city in the US).
Guanella Pass – A Coloradan fave for fall colors, but also a great stop for jaw-dropping high alpine lake hikes. And this one’s only about an hour from Denver.
Cottonwood Pass – Another super underrated pass, but this one is home to some of the prettiest views in the entire state. Plus, it’s under an hour drive from the end of Fremont Pass to the start of this one.

And if you want more Fremont Pass vibes, scroll on down for more of our favorite photos of this little gem of a road.

We're Your Go-To Guides to All Things Colorado

We’re Sheena and Ed: two Coloradans, adventurers, outdoors advocates, and photographers who love sharing everything our great state has to offer.

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