- Created: August 5, 2023 6:59 pm
- Updated: November 10, 2023 5:22 pm
- Distance Instructions
- Distance 26 miles
- Time 33 min
- Speed 48 mph
- Min altitude 7516 ft
- Peak 11312 ft
- Climb 3888 ft
- Descent 2864 ft
Monarch Pass is a fantastic and easy ride for any motorcycle and any rider. A nice bonus of this pass is that there are basically 3 lanes on both sides of it, with 2 lanes in the uphill direction which makes passing slow vehicles a breeze. The long sweepers are very easy to navigate with great views on both sides of the pass. At the top you can grab a picture by the sign and check out the shops (something most high mountain passes do not have).
Riding it from south to north (toward Poncha Springs) is probably more fun, but either direction is fine.
1. Monarch Pass
The pass is located on the Continental Divide at the southern end of the Sawatch Range along the border between Gunnison and Chaffee counties, approximately 25 miles (40 km) west of the town of Salida. The pass carries U.S. Highway 50 over the Sawatch Range, providing a route between Tomichi Creek in the upper basin of the Gunnison River on the west and the South Arkansas River, a tributary of the Arkansas River, on the east. The pass can be traversed by all vehicles under most conditions and is generally open year-round; however, 7% grades exist, and the area is prone to heavy winter snowfall, often resulting in temporary closures during severe winter storms. Ramps for runaway trucks are located about halfway down both the eastern and western sides of the pass. Much of the highway over the pass is three-lane.
Source: Wikipedia
Monarch Pass is a fantastic and easy ride for any motorcycle and any rider. A nice bonus of this pass is that there are basically 3 lanes on both sides of it, with 2 lanes in the uphill direction which makes passing slow vehicles a breeze. The long sweepers are very easy to navigate with great views on both sides of the pass. At the top you can grab a picture by the sign and check out the shops (something most high mountain passes do not have).
Riding it from south to north (toward Poncha Springs) is probably more fun, but either direction is fine.
