Black Bear Pass Reopened! This trail guide will show you how to get through it.

Black Bear Pass Trail Guide from trail start to Pandora Mine including the obstacles (including optional ones), the steps, the switchbacks, the narrow shelf roads, historic remains (Mines, Bridal Veil Falls, Via Ferrata), and stunning views. How to do Black Bear Pass with a Jeep Cherokee KL Trailhawk, new Ford Ranger FX4, Jeep Cherokee XJ, and a brand new stock Jeep Wrangler. We encounter bad weather and discuss the dangers on Black Bear as well as important information you should know. We also discuss how to get yourself ready to take on Black Bear Pass, a legendary Ouray, Silverton, Telluride off-road trail.

Videos Referenced in this Video:
Radical Hill

Cliffhanger 2.0

Crystal Geyser

Aldrich Lakes

Time Stamps:
00:00 What will come!
00:40 Part 1: The Journey Begins
1:34 Meet the Drivers
3:30 It's Beautiful, but Easy
5:00 Final Climb to Black Bear Pass Summit
5:50 Part 2: It's all DOWNHILL from here
7:15 Sean HATES shelf roads
8:15 Black Bear Pass History & Mine
8:57 Part 3: We start with a BANG
10:40 No Bypasses: The Twister!
12:05 Ledge 1 or Obstacle 1
14:00 Obstacle 2 or Ledge 2
14:50 The Steps, the narrow shelf road
16:08 Yes, people have rolled over here too
17:06 The Legendary Tightest Switchback
19:55 Only 10 more switchbacks to go!
20:26 The Bridal Veil Powerhouse
20:39 The Via Ferrata Telluride
20:54 Bridal Veil Falls
21:37 The Bottom of Bridal Veil Falls
21:50 Pandora Mine

Channel Info:
My name is Dewie Jones and I’m the reluctant host, videographer, and video editor for the channel. I’ve daily driven a wrangler my entire driving life starting with a 1997 TJ, most recently a ten year old 2012 JK, and now new 2021 JL. I like the challenge of driving a stock wrangler on tough trails. My buds are not new to wheeling either, but for their own specific reasons, now wheel aggressive SUV based off-roaders like Cherokees, 4Runners, Land Cruisers, VW Touregs, and Renegades. We decided Colorado Mallcrawlers was a funny name so that's how we got here. We film our trail runs letting whatever happens, happen and then later make the video an accurate trail guide with comments on how to do it better than us.

Our Trail Guides Playlist:

Our Colorado Playlist:

As always, thanks for watching! Your support by liking, commenting, sharing, and subscribing really helps support our videos (even tho I know that sounds dumb). Our goal will always be to show you how beautiful this world is via 4 wheels and keep making better videos!

[coloradomallcrawlers]

If this reopens (the sheriff seems determined to keep it closed), we’ll refilm this as I think we’ve improved our filming/editing techniques. I’ll likely use my liberty or TJ the next time and I have a lot of new vehicles that want to join on our trips. Speaking of that, we’re trying out using our channel membership to help organize those trail rides this year. Previously I used Facebook but a lot of our subscribers are not on Facebook and I want those who watch the videos to be in the videos.

[lelenbates]

The trend of heavy loads on rooftop is a dangerous one, not only on off-chamber trails, but also on the the highway if you have to swerve.

[TheSteelerider]

Kudos to the gent who just did the whole thing, in a stock Ford Ranger with a set of Hankook Dynapros.

[JEEPIMPACT]

One of the best videos for blackbear, while emphasizing the risks without over exaggerating .

[confettihunterminus]

I’m pumped to see a ranger hit this trail now that I have a ranger of my own!

[jollyrogueoffroad]

Did this in the beginning of August 2021 in my lifted 5th gen 4r. Tbh the first part of the steps gave me ptsd even with spotters. I took the right side line. But after that (pt2 and 3) of the steps were easy for me and i went down to the falls without spotters. Subsequently, all the trails we did after BBP felt easy lol

Here i am 4 months later watching the video my heart was racing again, just like i was there, in front of the part 1 of the steps.

[Smokey]

This is a bucket list trip for me. I have a 18mo old son and another coming in 6 months. When the youngest is at least 5, so I know he'll remember it, I want to take them on a CO 4x4 trip. Giving them a bucket list trip at the start of their lives would be a great gift.

[immelting]

Please continue to put vehicle information on your videos. This video is well put together and FINALLY someone puts the information in the video, instead of having to have 50 people in the comment section asking ; lift, tire, axles, gears. You got a new sub.!

[jeffdurall]

Am going to attempt Black Bear next year. Glad I found this video. Great job!

[joskjj]

So glad to see Sean Watson back along with his kl Cherokee trailhawk and that ford ranger is awesome 😎

[joskjj]

Kl Cherokees are underrated, they deserve more love

[jerrymcgeorge]

Once again another fine job Dewie. Our Durango 4x4 club, the Creeper Jeepers, sponsor the trail to the Pass. The Western Slope Four Wheelers sponsor the section from the Pass to Telluride. The road traverses two different National Forests which divide at the Pass. Thank you for pointing out the difficult and treacherous nature of the road and the appropriate cautions. It IS NOT an easy trail by any stretch and those who say it is are making irresponsible statements that have led to so many serious incidents the trail is at risk of permanent closure. It did not open this year (2023) due to rockslide. San Miguel County crews had to rescue an out of State group who ignored the closure, got as far as the rock slide and nearly rolled trying to get past it. It required a hazardous recovery by the crew. Being fair to the County crew, they clear the trail of snow and rocks annually and if we think driving it is scary, watch the videos of the crew clearing it with their small Dozer. Again, many thanks for your fine, detained videos. Best, hope to meet you on the trail one day!

[earache_srt]

After watching this video I feel even more confident in my driving off road abilities. I have spent many years and summers in the Rockies driving back country road. In 2020 I bought a full size 2500 Lone Star black out Edition 4x4 Ram. We drove it straight away around the Alpine Loop and loved it. We didn't see any trucks as large as ours out there mostly Jeeps and side by sides . We did feel like people were looking at us like we were crazy !!! Honestly have have been talked out of going places. I have also been many places in 2wd that were discouraged with no issues. There have been years that the places we've went people told us that the roads were horrible. Then we go and find them pretty much normal. Guess some people just go nuts if they have to go slower than about 80 mph. ???? Anyway I enjoyed your video and the boost of confidence it's given me .

[jwc]

I did Black Bear Pass in summer of 2021 in a used Toyota LandCruiser 100 that I bought few days earlier. Previous owner installed 32" AT tires and 1.5" lift, but I had zero off-road experience. I am a vehicle dynamics engineer in Automotive industry and I had limit handling driver training, but this was my first 'serious' off-road trail. I was pretty much alone in the trail, may be because it rained earlier in the day.


You have to have a capable vehicle (Please don't take your Subaru's and Audi's... they don't belong here), and you need to have some knowledge in vehicle behavior in limit handling cases (suspension travel, weight transfer, limit of grip etc) but Black Bear Pass is totally doable. Take your time and be conservative.

[jdreaper]

That's boss breaking in the new Jeep on Black bear ! 💪

[johngray]

Thank you to everyone who made this video. I have a 2022 tacoma dual cab 6ft bed and I didn't think it could ride this trail.but if the ranger can do it . I think I can.

[MootsKLAdventure]

Definitely one of the best videos of Black Bear pass.

[outlaw]

Another fantastic video! The Morgan Freeman voice was hilarious! I love this trail and I can tell some areas defiantly have gotten worse over the years. It's not really a difficult trail to run but if you screw up, you die kind of difficulty. Great job Dewey!!

[timhardman]

This is the first video of yours I have watched and I am so glad to have discovered your channel. I appreciate your honesty, no hype and all the details regarding hazards and recommended lines. I look forward to viewing the rest of your videos to help me plan my trips. Thanks for helping to keep us all safe as we enjoy the wonders of nature.

[rachelbellamy]

This is a great guide, thank you for filming with a variety of vehicles, wheelbases, and levels of upgrades. As a Telluride first responder, I appreciate the words of caution and information for how to decide if you, your vehicle, and party are ready for BBP on THAT day. Our weather changes constantly in the summer months. We consistently see rollovers, breakdowns, and emergency incidents from Black Bear - they happen more often than we would like. So this is a great guide to help people enjoy it from the safety of their homes, or get more info for if they should attempt it or not. Thank you!