Welcome to 12000 ft. Mountains cover the horizon as far as the eye can see. A brisk wind blows across the mountaintop. This is Independence Pass.
Independence Pass was carved out of the land by glaciers and the erosive action of the Roaring Fork River over thousands of years. It is the site of the first road in the Roaring Fork Valley, which was pioneered over Hunter Pass, the original name of Independence Pass, in 1881. An old stage road still remains visible from several locations. The road was built in its current location in 1927 and was paved in 1967.
The ghost town of Independence sits three miles west of the summit and was inhabited by about 2,000 citizens who came to work mining claims in the area between 1880 and 1883. When the gold boom went bust, most people moved on to pursue other claims or moved to the friendlier climate of Aspen.
Closest Supercharger Aspen Co 20 mi
38750 CO-82, Aspen, CO 81611
Independence Pass
Colorado 81210
