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Guanella Pass Trailhead

Front Range

Photo
Road Difficulty0 0  Paved Road 
Location11,650 feet
39.59688, -105.71003
Driving Directions
From the north: Take the Georgetown exit off of Interstate 70. Drive through Georgetown and follow the signs for the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway. Drive 12 miles to the top of Guanella Pass (11,700') and park in one of the two large, paved parking areas on either side of the road. The Bierstadt trail starts near the parking area on the east side of the road. The upper parking area (on the west side of the pass) has restrooms.
From the south: Take US 285 west from Denver or east from Fairplay. Drive to the town of Grant which is about 12 miles west of Bailey. In Grant, turn north on the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway and drive approx. 13 miles to Guanella Pass.

Trailhead Status Updates

Most Recent Update 7/26/2026:

Do not park on the side of the road. You will get a parking ticket courtesy of Clear Creek County for $87.50. I made that mistake this morning, as we were delayed and did not make it to the lot until 5:30am and it was full.

Winter Access

From the north: Usually only plowed to the campground approx. 1.5 miles below Guanella Pass. From the south: Usually plowed to Duck Lake, approx. 1.75 miles below the pass.

Trailhead Facilities & Fees

Parking: Two large parking lots but on the weekend they fill up by 6am, or earlier.
Camping: Two campgrounds on the road up from Georgetown and two campgrounds on the road up from Grant, on the south side.
Restrooms: Yes
Fees: No
Trailhead added by BillMiddlebrook