Tennessee Pass Trailheads on State Highway 24
Tenessee Pass Trailhead, Ski Cooper Trailhead, Crane Park Trailhead
(click here for Camp Hale trailheads)
(click here for Red Cliff trailhead)
Highway 24 & Leadville This cluster of trailheads is located on Highway 24 (10th Mountain Division Memorial Highway), which connects the towns of Minturn, Red Cliff, and Leadville. Leadville, at 10,152 feet elevation, is the highest city of its size in the United States. This charismatic old mining town was created by the gold and silver boom in the late 1800s.
Tennessee Pass Trailhead
ELEVATION: 10,424 feet
HUTSKI.COM FREE MAP: Vance's Cabin
USGS MAP: Leadville North
GPS: 387 022 E, 43 57 837 N
Huts accessed: Vance's Cabin, Continental Divide Cabin, 10th Mountain Division Hut
To reach the Tennessee Pass Trailhead from the north (I-70), start from the junction of I-70 and Hwy 24, at the Minturn Exit #171 on I-70 (5.4 miles west of Vail). Follow Hwy 24 for 24.1 miles to the well-signed Tennessee Pass. Parking is obvious in a large plowed lot on the the west side of the road (opposite the turnoff to Ski Cooper). If you're coming from the south in Leadville, from the junction of Hwy 24 and 91 at the north end of Leadville, follow Hwy 24 north 8.7 miles to Tennessee Pass.
Ski Cooper Trailhead
ELEVATION: 10,570 feet
HUTSKI.COM FREE MAP: Vance's Cabin
USGS map: Leadville North
GPS: 387 493 E, 43 57 682 N
Huts accessed: Vance's Cabin, 10th Mountain Division Hut
To reach the Ski Cooper Trailhead from the north (I-70), start from the junction of I-70 and Hwy 24, at the Minturn Exit (#171 on I-70, 5.4 miles west of Vail). Follow Hwy 24 for 24.1 miles to well-signed Tennessee Pass. If you're coming from the south (Leadville), from the junction of Hwy 24 and 91 at the north end of Leadville, follow Hwy 24 north 8.7 miles to Tennessee Pass. At Tennesse Pass the road to Ski Cooper is obvious. Take the turn, and drive a short distance on the spur road towards the ski area, look for the well signed 10th Mountain parking area on the right side of the road, before you reach the main parking area.
Crane Park Trailhead
Elevation 10,137 feet
HUTSKI.COM FREE MAP: Vance's Cabin
USGS Map: Leadville North
GPS: 385 099 E, 43 56 154 N (Exact parking may vary the GPS numbers.)
Huts accessed: 10th Mountain Division Hut
From the summit of of Tennessee Pass go south on Hwy 24 1.6 miles and turn right (west) off the highway onto a dirt road. There is a sign mounted on an antique road-grader for Webster's Sand and Gravel. The most reliable and secure parking is in an obvious area within sight of the main road. To reach the Crane Park Trailhead from Leadville, follow the directions for Tennessee Pass Trailhead from Leadville via Hwy 24. About 7.1 miles from the junction of Hwy 24 and 91 at the north end of Leadville take a left onto the aforementioned road with the sign for Webster's Sand and Gravel. (Be advised that the GPS coordinates we publish here are for the parking, from there you you'll travel on foot to a point farther up the road where your chosen trail begins.)
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