Trailhead › Yankee Boy Basin - Governor Basin Road

Drive to the "Switzerland of America," Ouray, by whatever route you please. In Ouray, continue on US550 south and begin the climb out of town toward Red Mountain Pass. At the top of the first switchback, watch for the turnoff for "The Camp Bird" road. (CR26 or Ouray County 361) If you have time, stop and take a look at the gorge created by the Uncompahgre River. Then continue driving SW up the graded dirt road for the first few miles. About 4.5 miles up the road, stay right and continue on FR853.1B. (The other road that goes left takes you over Imogene Pass to Telluride.) Most passenger cars can make it comfortably to here. Continue across a spectacular shelf section of road (where things can become a little rough) and at about 6.7 miles in from the beginning of 361, there's another intersection where the road for Governor Basin turns off (FR853.1C) Turn down onto the Governor Basin road and find a place to park if you've made it in a passenger vehicle of some kind. It's all 4WD from here. The trailhead coordinates provided are for parking in this area.

If you do have high clearance 4WD, you can drive up the Governor Basin road about as far as the Virginius Mine remains, about 2 miles up. Otherwise, be prepared to walk up the same road. Park at 12,080 ft., where another old road bed takes off to the NE, then switchbacks to the south to eventually gain the saddle east of Mendota Peak. Local jeeping groups in Ouray rate this road a Class 4 or 4.5 on a scale of 1 - 5 for jeeping difficulty. There are some very steep, rocky and difficult sections to negotiate. We made it up here years ago in a Jeep Cherokee Sport.