Boreas Pass Colorado

Located in Summit County, Boreas Pass is a 6-mile dirt road from the outskirts of Breckenridge. The pass road is an old railroad bed where The Denver, South Park and Pacific narrow gauge railroad traveled from Denver to Leadville in the height of the mining era. The route was abandoned in the early 1930's, but is still utilized by those seeking outdoor recreation.

For mountain bikers, Boreas Pass offers a great ride. There is a dirt pullout as the paved road ends for parking your vehicle and mounting your rig. Ride up the road, watching for slow moving cars and other riders. Throughout the entire ride, you have spectacular views of the Blue River Valley, and awesome waves of aspen groves and pine forests. Wildflowers abound in the summer and the golden aspens are epic in the fall.

When you near the pass, the air thins as you approach 12,000 feet. Perched on the pass is an old railroad camp and ranger station, very much worth checking out. You can continue over the south side of the pass down 6-8 miles to Como and South Park, or just head back to Breckenridge and take the single track. The single track provides a great intermediate ride and meets back up with the dirt road down by the parking lot.

Also located on Boreas Pass are the Section House and Ken's Cabin. The Section House was built in 1882 to house the railroad men and their families who took care of a section of the railway that traveled over Boreas Pass. Ken's Cabin is located next to the Section House and was originally built in the 1860's, when Boreas Pass Road was a mere wagon trail. Ken's Cabin, originally referred to as the Wagon Cabin, is one of the oldest buildings in the Breckenridge area.

In the early 1930's the route over Boreas Pass was abandoned and the Section House and the Wagon Cabin fell into disrepair. The structures were about to collapse when the US Forest Service and the Colorado Historic Society teamed up to resurrect them in 1993. By 1996, the buildings were completely restored with a new roof, windows, and interior finish. Summit Huts Association and the US Forest Service now operate the Section House and Ken's Cabin as winter ski huts.