Leadville, Colorado
Mosquito Pass by UTV.
13,185 feet — the highest through-road pass you can drive in North America. We take you to the top on a guided UTV tour, machine, route and mining history included.
The road
The highest drive in the country.
Mosquito Pass climbs out of Leadville, over the Mosquito Range and down to Fairplay, topping out at 13,185 feet on loose rock high above treeline. Old-timers called it the Highway of Frozen Death for the miners who crossed it in winter. Today it is a bucket-list summer drive past mine ruins, alpine tundra and hundred-mile views — if you have the machine and know the road.
We run it as a guided UTV tour so you get all of that with none of the risk: a current Polaris RZR, a guide who rides this country every day, and the history of every mine you pass.
Book it
Ride Mosquito Pass this summer.
Pick a date on the calendar below to book the guided UTV tour, or call (970) 930-7027. Tours leave from 141 E 9th St in Leadville.
Booking runs on the same FareHarbor system as the rest of our tours. Prefer to talk it through? Call (970) 930-7027.
When it opens
A short, high window.
Mosquito Pass is only drivable for a few weeks a year. It usually melts out around July and closes with the first hard snow, often by early October. Early and late season come down to what fell that week, so call for the current status before you build a trip around it.
The view from the top
What you ride into.
Questions people ask about Mosquito Pass
How high is Mosquito Pass?
Mosquito Pass tops out at 13,185 feet, which makes it the highest through-road pass you can drive across in North America. It connects Leadville and Fairplay over the Mosquito Range.
When does Mosquito Pass open?
The road melts out and becomes drivable in summer, usually from about July through September depending on the snowpack. Early July can still hold snow up top and October can close it early, so we watch conditions week to week. Call for the current status before you plan a trip around it.
Do I need a 4x4 or a UTV to drive Mosquito Pass?
Yes. It is a rough, high-clearance four-wheel-drive road of loose rock above treeline, not a passenger-car route. The easiest way to do it is on a guided UTV tour with us, so you get the machine, the route knowledge and the history without the risk.
How hard is the Mosquito Pass tour?
You do not need off-road experience to ride along or to drive with the guide out front. The exposure and altitude are real, so we go at a safe pace, and the guide handles the tricky sections. It is a bucket-list high-alpine drive, not a technical rock crawl.
How long is the tour and what does it cost?
The guided UTV tour runs about three hours from the shop in Leadville and starts at $450 for a four-seat machine. Book a date below or call (970) 930-7027.